The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Explore Minnesota Tourism department appointed Marine Retailers Association of the Americas President, Matt Gruhn, to their joint Outdoor Recreation Task Force today. Created by Governor Tim Walz in December with industry support, the task force will bring together outdoor recreation stakeholders to identify opportunities to expand access, and […]
Author: MRAA
MRAA Launches Cash Flow Management Webinars for Boat Dealers
6 Key Steps to Making Video Sales
For the past decade, salespeople have typically relegated video to the “nice-to-have” category. It’s something they know has potential, but many still haven’t taken the time to invest in it as a legitimate channel to sell a boat. After all, with phone, email, and now texting available to help bridge the communication divide between buyer […]
How are you doing? Really?
With everything in the world changing faster than we can wrap our brains around, just as I start to feel like I understand what’s going on – it changes. Keeping up morale and managing stress at a time when we are all maxed out on stress and worry is hard, and here are a few […]
Now’s the Time to Communicate with Your Customers Via Video
There’s a lot of confusion in the marketplace right now. Is your dealership open? What are you doing to keep me, as a buyer, safe? Should I buy a boat, book a service appointment, or buy parts or accessories from you right now? The easiest — and most sincere — way to communicate messages to […]
Time to Reduce Your Repair Cycle Time
As people start practicing social distancing by getting out on their boats, they’re going to need service. I talked to one dealer in Florida yesterday who said her service business is booming because people want their boats prepped; they need their 100-hour service; and they’re using their boats enough to need some other repairs and […]
Now is the Time to Promote Boating as a Getaway
People are stressed. People are worried. People are concerned. Now is a great time to showcase the benefits that come with boating. It might be hard to remember this, as we’re all just as stressed as everyone else. But think about all of the ways boating can cure those quarantine ills. Boating is a stress […]
What Kinds of Messaging Should I Be Sharing During this Pandemic?
Communicating with customers right now is complicated. From your end, you want to sell more boats, book more service appointments and increase revenue (or at least stop it from slipping too low), so you can pay your staff and keep the lights on. But it’s a sensitive and confusing time in the world, so any […]
MRAA Calls on State Governors List Marinas and Repair Facilities as “Essential”
MRAA’s Advocacy team is calling on all state Governors to adopt the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines on identification of critical infrastructure businesses and employees, which includes marinas, and repair and maintenance facilities. Many states have issued shelter at home policies to limit public movement to fight the spread […]
DOL Publishes Guidance Explaining Leave Under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor announced they will be hosting a national online dialogue to provide employers and employees with an opportunity to offer their perspective on compliance and implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This bill, signed into law last week, provides paid sick leave, free COVID-19 […]