Two Retail and two Partner MRAA Members reported their financial results this past week. Looks like positive trends continue for the marine industry. Read all about it at the following links from our friends at BoatingIndustry.com: MarineMax, Inc. West Marine Brunswick Corp. Marine Products Corp.
Author: MRAA
Get More Out of Social Media at MDCE 2014
In today’s marketplace, getting noticed online has become at least as important as grabbing attention offline at boat shows, in print advertisements, through billboards, and the like. If your dealership isn’t taking search engine optimization (SEO) seriously, chances are you’re missing out on opportunities to get in front of potential new customers each and every […]
Make Bank on Trade-Ins at MDCE 2014
Accepting a trade-in for a new boat purchase can help dealers win more business; however, it can quickly turn from financial gain to strain without the right trade-in process. With more consumers trading in used boats to buy new these days, it’s increasingly important for dealerships to adopt strategies that protect their bottom line. At […]
How Can I Meet My MICD Continuing Education Requirements at MDCE 2014?
As a Marine Industry Certified Dealership, you are required to take continuing education courses that escalate for each step of the MICD Program. Step 1 requires 10 hours of leadership and management training; Step 2 requires an additional 10 hours of sales and marketing courses; and Five Star MICD requires yet another 10 hours of […]
Certified Dealers: Earn Discounts on CPYB Certification
The Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program has added a new benefit exclusively for Certified Dealerships. Sales personnel at Marine Industry Certified Dealerships are now eligible to become Certified Professional Yacht Brokers, at a savings of $550 per applicant. The three-year CPYB accreditation program was created and is endorsed by the seven major yacht sales professional […]
Submit Your Dealership’s Best Ideas at MDCE 2014
Often, the best way to learn and grow in business is through understanding and embracing the successes of your peers. That’s the very idea behind Boating Industry’s Best Ideas Program, offering dealers secret strategies that fellow dealerships have implemented at their respective businesses to improve retail performance in today’s marketplace. The 2014 Best Ideas Program […]
Participate in the Future of Navigation
In the face of rapidly changing and advancing technology like GPS, AIS, electronic chart display, cellular devices and the like, the fundamental navigation needs of mariners have changed significantly over the last decade. These changes have presented the federal government — including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Oceanic and […]
Ethanol Continues Attracting Congressional Attention
Efforts to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard continue on Capitol Hill. The Congressional Budget Office just published a report on RFS that evaluates how much biofuel production needs to grow to comply with the program, as well as its impact on food prices, fuel prices and emissions under several different scenarios. The report addresses three […]
Congress Works to Reauthorize Highway Trust Fund
Talks on a new highway bill are gearing up in Congress as the all-encompassing Highway Trust Fund is set to expire August 1. The House passed an $11 billion bill by a vote of 367 to 55 to help keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat until Spring 2015. The Senate has yet to vote on […]
Turn Upset Customers into Loyal Ones at MDCE 2014
Even the marine industry’s best service departments will sometimes encounter an upset customer. By learning strategies to handle these situations properly, dealerships can create loyalty and collect valuable information that can strengthen both customer relationships and service department processes and procedures. At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, […]