Plan Your 2026 Boat Show Strategy Now; Discover Boating Insights
You used to be able to jam a bunch of boats into a booth space and count on people rolling in to check out the new inventory and deals. More often than not, this strategy worked out OK. At the very least, you made contact with some of your best and repeat customers. However, today, that strategy is old hat. That’s why you need to start your new approach to boat show preparation now!
In a recent NMMA article about the upcoming 2026 Discover Boating Boat Shows, Ellen Bradley, NMMA’s Chief Brand Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, shared the strategic changes made to the Discover Boating shows to meet the needs of modern consumers. Additionally, the article shared some strategic tips to help you better prepare for boat shows.
Take these actionable ideas and insert them in your boat show strategies. Help your dealership stand out, elevate your presence and attract ever-important new customers.
1. Execute Pre-show Outreach & Incentives
Firstly, your pre-show strategy consists of more than simply hoping for booth traffic based upon the boats you carry and your show deals. Secondly, early efforts should include VIP access, exclusive boat walk-throughs/demos and special financing offers to enhance your booth traffic. Thirdly, your limited-time offers should be shared in your marketing channels and coordinated with boat show organizers.
2. Create Immersive, Customer-Centric Events
A booth is more than the products and sales personalities. A boat show booth should offer interactive insights, tech displays, educational answers — go beyond selling and shift to sharing. Ellen Bradley emphasizes evolving the “360-degree experience” to blend community, education, entertainment and sales.
3. Target Next-Gen & First-Time Boaters
New boaters often carry with them confidence barriers. You need to craft unique experiences that reduce these walls. Do this by sharing new technologies, safety and convenience features. Also, by actively listening, you can understand what each person desires in their boating experience. For instance, someone may seek to have a guided demo at a later date. Above all, your ability to showcase the boating lifestyle to future buyers (not only repeat attendees) makes a big difference.
4. Capture Leads & Feedback in Real Time
Boat shows offer real-world market research. You just have to talk to attendees and listen well. For example, ask them to “tell you more” when they offer an objection or voice their concerns. Moreover, gather insights on the needs of new consumers, then adapt your messaging and offerings to cater to them. Your post-show effort is essential for your success. It includes understanding your data capture and building follow-up campaigns to help soft decision-makers feel heard and understood. Boat show follow-up must be part of your marketing plan.
5. Adopt Omni-Channel Marketing & Hybrid Engagement
There is much more to a boat show than the event and product itself. Promote your dealership’s presence with digital teasers, social videos and virtual walk-throughs before, during and after the show. Ideally, you create a personalized consumer experience. Additionally, they have the ability to engage with your dealership across multiple channels of communication. Include store signage, your website, social feeds, text and email campaigns, for instance.
Welcoming First-Timers
“Somehow, we’ve lost sight of the tremendous opportunity to capitalize on boat shows as a way to introduce first-timers and make them feel welcome,” said Bradley in an NMMA article. “People new to boating want to learn, socialize, and dip their toe in the water — to feel out what boating is all about. This means moving away from the hard sell, offering education and hands-on experiences designed for those in the early exploration stage and creating moments of surprise and delight in every corner of their show experience.”
Read the full NMMA article here to understand how NMMA-owned Discover Boating, powered by NMMA and MRAA, boat shows provide high-value market expansion platforms.
Boat Show Boot Camp
Along with these five tips for greater success, consider attending the new Boat Show Boot Camp. The high-impact, pre-conference workshop at Dealer Week 2025 will help you maximize your results during boat show season. Furthermore, the education is focused exclusively on boat show sales and packed with practical tools and proven sales strategies. This one-day event sets the tone for a strong and successful 2026.
Looking for more resources about boat show best practices? View the MRAA Spotlight page, Maximize Your ROI at Boat Shows.
