Today’s customers are finicky. Technology has given them seemingly endless paths to purchase. They pop up almost as imaginary prospects, clicking on our website, opting out of our cookies permissions, closing our lead forms, denying our chat functions, and never EVER requesting a brochure. We want to believe they are out there.
They’re on our competitors’ sites. They’re comparing and contrasting. Not looking for our expertise. “There are no quality leads out there anymore,” we muse. Quietly, they navigate more than 70 percent of the way to a purchase without us even knowing. Without even stepping foot in our brick-and-mortars.
Then they show up and they’re ready to buy. Behind the scenes, they are evaluating us – our dealership, our receptionist, our sales guy — as much if not more than they are our product. They are harder to please than ever before, wondering how and why they know more about our products than we do. Asking detailed questions that only an engineer could answer. Then they drive away with that new boat and they go back to that technology to grade us and tell the world how we did. It’s a challenging reality out there.
But here’s the thing: While these boat buyers have more choices on where to spend their discretionary dollars than at any point in the history of our earth’s blue waters, they are choosing boating. They are choosing you. Your business. Your sales person. And your product lines. That’s a big deal.
Today, we can measure the massive impact that outdoor recreation has on our economy. And we know that boating is the No. 1 contributor to outdoor recreation.
Take a moment to pause and congratulate yourself because YOU DID THAT. You, the boat dealer. You’re responsible for the success we’re seeing. When consumers choose to go outdoors, they are spending more of their discretionary income on boating than on any other recreational pursuit. You are the face of this boating industry, and of our broader outdoor recreation industry. Take a moment to let that sink in and give yourself a pat on the back.
We have some work to do, however. Despite out significant success and the growth we’ve seen over the last decade, we are seeing fewer people entering the boating market, and we’re losing boaters at an unprecedented clip. Some of this is out of our control – people just have more options. But a large part of it can be influenced by us upping our game. We can deliver a better boating experience that today’s finicky customers will rave about, but the path there is not an easy one.
Over the last year, our team here at MRAA has envisioned a brighter future for our industry. We believe that, together, we can help boating capture more new boaters and turn them into lifelong boaters. A year ago, it was difficult for us to tell you, specifically, how we would deliver on that promise at our all-new Dealer Week event. Today, though, it’s crystal clear, and I want to extend you this one last invitation to join us there — gasp! Next week — and take advantage of all that it offers.
If you, like so many other dealers, want to solve the mystery of today’s customer, Dealer Week actually offers a course specifically geared toward helping you with that. It also offers around 30 other educational opportunities that help you become a better leader and manager and to help you run a more successful dealership. I believe the content and the business solutions found at Dealer Week are perfectly tailored to helping you prepare for all that 2020 has in store for you and your team, whatever that may be.
We don’t envision Dealer Week as an event we’d like you to attend. We envision it as the year’s must-attend solution for attracting more customers, drive more business, and run a more successful dealership. That’s the MRAA vision, through and through.
I hope you’ll join us there.
