MRAA Blog

Boating: A Home Run Experience!

Gary Sheffield, nine-time Major League Baseball all-star and five-time Silver Slugger, circled the bases after launching homers 509 times during his 22-year career. He traveled North America as a professional ballplayer for the Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Tigers and Mets. I remember hunting for his rookie cards back in 1989. Back then, he […]

Navigating Event Success

• How the Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo Propels Hagadone Marine Group to New Heights By Kodie Woodhead, Director of Marketing, Hagadone Marine Group & Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises In 2024, The Hagadone Marine Group hosted their sixth annual Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo, marking yet another year of resounding success and community engagement. This event, held […]

Discover Boating Content: Tips for Boaters

Discover Boating, powered by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the MRAA, continues to generate valuable content for new and seasoned boaters alike. Discover Boating, through monthly emails and social media efforts, drives consumers to DiscoverBoating.com, sharing with them boating lifestyle content. Celebrating Earth Day and National Picnic DayIn April, Discover Boating celebrated Earth […]

MRAA Represents Voice of Dealers at American Boating Congress

Last week the recreational boating industry, including the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), visited Washington, D.C., for the annual American Boating Congress (ABC) hosted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). MRAA staff, certified dealers and members of the MRAA board of directors met with lawmakers to discuss the contributions of the marine […]

Cultivating Trust with Custom Events

• A Q&A session with Kelsey Ketcham, Marketing Manager, Strong’s Marine about the intricacies of creating its educational “Women on the Water” events Events usually start out as a concept. Many exist out of necessity or were made to fill a void and provide an opportunity for your dealership. For instance, when your team isn’t […]

‘Pop-up’ Boat Show

Sales have slowed and are struggling to recover. Customers seem to be hiding from dealers. Banks appear scared of lending. Inventory is back to normal, or worse even higher. Almost everyone has a trade-in vessel where they owe a lot more than it is worth. As a dealer principal, sales manager, or other leader in […]

Boating Event Planning Basics

Holding a successful customer event benefits your business by generating sales leads, creating avenues for soft selling, building community, elevating trust in your brand and boosting customer experience. Boating events on the water are equally important because you get to share the boating lifestyle, share safety and operational tips with owners and create deeper connections […]

Yard Manager = Head Nurse

In an emergency room at the hospital, every second can count on making sure patient care is at the highest level possible. “The surgeon doesn’t roll in his own patient,” said Jordon Schoolmeester, an MRAA Dealer Week Conference and Expo educator. “He doesn’t administer the anesthetics. He doesn’t stage the scalpels forceps or gauze …”  […]