In 2023, Minnesota legislators passed a ban on consumer products with certain levels of lead and cadmium, including jewelry, toys, cosmetics, kitchenware and art supplies. The law also included keys, and with the ban set to take effect, many businesses are in a difficult position since workable alternatives are not available or commercially viable at […]
Author: Mike Davin
How to Hire Ideal Team Players
I’ll start with an obvious statement that I think every dealership reading this will agree with: Hiring is hard. OK, are we on the same page? If you don’t agree with that statement: 1) Skip this blog. 2) Please contact me, I’d like to hire you as an expert speaker for Dealer Week 2023! For […]
Discover Boating’s ‘See You Out Here’ Campaign Spots Gain Additional Exposure
Discover Boating’s See You Out Here campaign continues gaining exposure through its robust marketing mix, including its television public service announcements (PSA) – a first for the campaign in an effort to extend Discover Boating’s reach to bring more potential boaters into the fold. In fact, the PSA, which features a variety of the campaign […]
Increase Your Social Media Engagement in 5 Easy Steps – Operate Beyond
In 2019, 79 percent of U.S. Americans had a social media profile and that number has only continued to grow since. As a result, everyone from politicians to teenagers use the most popular social media sites daily. Search practically any business on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and you will find a page where the business […]
F&I Stands For Fun and Inspiration – Enable The Lifestyle (And Make Some Money Too)
F&I has earned a bad reputation, thanks, largely, to the way it was handled for far too long in the automotive industry. The recreational industry can and should refresh the way people think about F&I. For purchasers of recreational vehicles – boats, RVs, ATVs, off-road, Powersports – F&I should not, cannot, be a pressure-filled, must […]
“Second Opinion Service” – Business and Personal Wealth Evaluation Now Available To MRAA Members!
The Marine Retailers Association has announced a new benefit for members designed to assess their personal and business wealth to bring them closer to their most meaningful financial goals. The “Second Opinion Service” benefit is provided by with The Stanek Group at Morgan Stanley. Many of you have built up successful dealerships and concentrated on […]
Operation: Keep Your Customers Boating
In Minnesota, a salesman admits that boat deliveries and walkthroughs are being compromised by the overwhelming number of customers who need to be cared for. This, despite the fact that he’s selling boats to customers who’ve never even been in a boat, let alone have never owned a boat. In Florida, a dealership principal tosses […]
The Benefits of Reauthorizing a Small Business Pre-Disaster Loan Program
Every business, regardless of its size or structure, face various challenges with natural disasters and periods of financial hardship. As small business owners in a weather-dependent industry like recreational boating, the effects of floods, storms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are familiar, yet frustrating, territory. There is no question that extreme natural disasters around the […]
Keep Records of Employees’ Coronavirus Illnesses
Many of the legal experts that have been providing businesses with advice throughout the COVID health crisis have recommended the creation of systems and processes to track efforts to keep employees and customers safe. Now, under newly revised policies issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), its Compliance Safety […]
Answers to More of Your PPP Questions
If you’re a marine dealer based in the United States, you’re likely one of the 90 percent of dealerships that have applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The question on many dealers’ minds is: So, what now? Many of you who have applied […]
