Nearly 80 percent of boat dealers have applied for a loan from the Small Business Administration as part of the federal stimulus programs, but the vast majority of those who responded to a survey conducted by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas report a lack of clarity on where things stand.   “I have […]

We were classified into the “non-essential” category, by the State of Idaho. So we met just after the state shut everything down, to discuss options for our employees. Our leadership team came to the decision that the “right thing to do” was to retain our team and have them be paid for the two weeks […]

When we operate out of our normal businesses, dedicated staff typically receive all inbound calls. We train them how to transfer calls, how to answer customer questions and how we represent our brand over the phone.  

Innovation is the creation of something new. And I have been extremely impressed with the innovation I’ve seen from dealers lately.   A few weeks ago, early in North America’s COVID-19 crisis, I read a blog. I wish I could remember which blog it was, but the point is it mentioned innovation, and how in […]

Boat dealers remain on shaky ground at the beginning of April as the nationwide shutdown of non-essential businesses forces them to consider cash position and expense structure, according to the monthly Pulse Report, published by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Soundings Trade Only and Robert W. Baird. The report, which was published today, […]

This Guest Blog was authored by Jerry Mona of Left Brain Marketing The emergence of the COVID-19 crisis has severely impacted nearly every aspect of society. And, while there are more important concerns than going boating or fishing, these activities remain important to the lifestyle of many. In this article, we discuss the findings from […]

    Along with the health battles, the economic battles and the ensuing emotional battles our society is faced with today, a new frontline battle has emerged for our dealerships: A philosophical battle.   For the past two weeks, there has been a frenzy of activity here at the MRAA and at our sister associations […]

Use my team’s COVID-19 tragedy to help you make decisions for your business. Craig LeBlanc is the Owner and GM of Allen Harbor Marine Service in Harwich Port, Mass. Like many of you, I suppose, the coronavirus seemed like it was a million miles away. It was on the news but surely would soon be […]

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 […]

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 […]