MRAA Blog

Identifying Opportunities in the Dealer-Manufacturer Relationship

Collaborative effort between the MRAA board and leading manufacturers and suppliers focuses on driving improvements in the customer experience. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President In the world of major unit retail, stark differences exist between the auto and marine industries. Major unit sales volume, alone, drives the bulk of the disparities between how each industry […]

The Nexus of Success

The relationship among dealers, manufacturers and customers is more critical than ever. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President In 2018, an eye-opening report surfaced about the health of the marine industry. It revealed the attrition rates of first-time boat buyers. Close to 40% were selling their boats and leaving boating within the first five years of […]

Don’t Split Up the Team

How the strength of the dealer-manufacturer relationship drives customer loyalty. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President “Don’t split up the team,” Christina Fliakos said. Nearly 50 dealers and manufacturers paused their conversations and turned to Fliakos, who is Senior Manager of Parts and Service Processes at Brunswick Corp.’s Service Center of Excellence. They had been buzzing […]

Beer vs. Boats

In the game of trying to stabilize inventory, there really is no difference. By Matt Gruhn, MRAA President Have you ever played The Beer Game? No, I’m not talking about a frat-house game. I’m talking about The Beer Game as chronicled in the book The Fifth Discipline. The book shares the story of three businesses — a […]

7 Tips for Driving Up Dealership Profitability

There’s not much that grabs attention like a promise of a 23% increase in profits. That’s why I bet Gallup got a lot of clicks on the report it released this fall, suggesting that teams with the highest levels of employee engagement had 23% higher profits than those with the lowest levels of employee engagement. […]

Take This Job and … LOVE It!

The first work-related tune that pops in a lot of people’s heads is probably “Take This Job and Shove It,” a David Allen Coe song made popular by Johnny Paycheck (got to appreciate that last name!). According to Wikipedia, the song represents a working man’s attitude toward a gig he’s worked long and hard at, […]

6 Tips to Elevate Your Online Marketing Strategy: The Power of Exposure

By Courtney Chalmers, VP of Marketing, Boats Group, an MRAA Strategic Partner With longer boat sales cycles and more buyers making purchase decisions online – and likely before they meet a seller in person – you need to adapt your marketing strategies. Achieving maximum visibility across digital channels throughout the sales journey is essential for […]

Unlocking the Power of Texting

Elevate Communication, Marketing and Lead Generation for Your Marine Dealership By Bryan Tierney, Lightspeed Sales Engineer In today’s rapidly changing marine industry, communicating effectively with customers has become essential for success. With rising customer expectations and an increasingly digital-first approach, many marine dealerships are finding that texting offers a powerful way to keep customers engaged, […]