Own Your Digital Marketing Strategy
You’ve invested serious time and money into your digital marketing, but the results aren’t there and the costs just keep rising. Meanwhile your sales team feels the pressure to deliver and you’re all questioning if you’re missing opportunities. You’re debating whether you’re using the correct tools, developing the right content and have the best partners and plan in place. Without a clear strategy and the ability to track and understand the analytics, it’s hard to know what’s working and what’s not working.
You need a new plan that gives you confidence that your investments are paying off. It’s time to own your digital marketing strategy. Whether it’s refining your in-house efforts, outsourcing smarter or both, you deserve the tools, education and support to control your digital success. That’s why we have developed this special focus on digital marketing, presented by the MRAA Educational Foundation.
Here, you’ll find simple, effective solutions and expert advice to track performance, create high-quality content, manage inventory listings and develop a strong, accountable team of staff and vendors.
This month’s MRAA Spotlight page is brought to you by theMRAA Educational Foundation
RESOURCE
Marine Industry Digital Marketing Report
Sometimes your digital marketing efforts feel like a guessing game. You’re not alone. Many dealers are investing serious time and budget into their online presence, but they’re still unsure about what’s working and what isn’t.
We understand the fast-changing digital world and your desire to capture your return on investment (ROI). That’s why we developed the MRAA Digital Marketing Survey and Report, presented by the MRAA Educational Foundation — to give you a clearer picture of how dealers are navigating today’s digital landscape and where opportunity lies.
Here’s what the data reveals:
- Many dealerships aren’t measuring their digital marketing performance.
- There’s a wide gap in how much dealers spend, knowledge and the level of preparedness.
- Most track their traffic, but less are converting leads to sales.
This report goes beyond the numbers. It highlights real challenges dealers face — like knowing whether content is effective, what tools to use and how to make sense of analytics. Use this report to know where your dealership stands, spot where others are succeeding and help you own your digital marketing strategy.
RESOURCE
MRAA Online Boat Marketplace Comparison Tool
Your go-to, comparative resource and directory for third-party platforms that help you list, market and sell boats online.
The MRAA asked dealers what platforms they use to list their inventory online. The MRAA”s Online Boat Marketplace Comparison Tool represents a collection of those platforms. Users can select specific filters to narrow their search results, including:
- Features
- Market Reach
- Listing Owners
- Cost Structure
As new platforms have emerged, the MRAA has done its best to capture and share their information as well. Please note, the numbers and data included in the comparison tool were supplied by the organizations — the MRAA is unable to independently verify their accuracy.
WEBINARS
Ask the Expert Webinars: Digital Marketing
Boost your dealership’s digital performance with this three-part webinar series, designed to equip marine retailers with powerful, actionable marketing strategies.
- May 7: Chart a Course with AI in Your Marine Dealership — Discover how cutting-edge AI tools can streamline your marketing, improve personalization, and drive smarter decision-making. Industry experts Jeremy Anderson and Marcus Sheridan join Bernie DeGraw and Jerrod Kelley to break down real-world AI applications in the marine retail space. You’ll walk away with a roadmap to implement AI that helps you sell more boats, more efficiently. Watch the recording below:
- May 14: Let Your Data Do the Talking — You already have powerful insights at your fingertips — now learn how to harness them. Data marketing expert Tim Schmidt shares how to turn numbers into actionable strategies that fuel business growth and stronger customer connections. This session will help you unlock the real potential of your dealership’s data. MRAA members: Download the guide “Optimizing Google Business Profiles“ that Schmidt spoke about in the webinar.
- May 21: 3 Strategies to Gain Maximum Return for Your Dollars — Stretch your marketing dollars further with proven tactics to drive leads and close more deals. Danny Decker and Sean Horsfall team up with the MRAA to deliver three high-impact strategies designed specifically for the marine industry. Learn how to maximize ROI while cutting through the clutter of today’s marketing noise.
- MISS the Kick-Off Webinar, Unlocking Success One Click at a Time? — Don’t fret if you missed the MRAA Ask the Expert kick-off webinar featuring Bernie DeGraw, Bob McCann and Mike Markette. Read “The Art of the Phone Call” blog from Bob McCann.
BLOG
How to Use a DMS to Market Your Services & Inventory
Your Dealer Management System (DMS) is a functional tool and a powerful asset for targeted, efficient marketing. By using real-time inventory tracking and customer data segmentation, dealers can automate listings across platforms and personalize outreach to potential buyers. This article from Sid Humphreys of ZiiDMS shares how integrating your DMS into your marketing strategy can drive sales and strengthen customer relationships.
BLOG
How Boat Dealers Can Optimize Marketing Spend with Evergreen Content
As a boat dealer, you don’t have to start from scratch every time you market — evergreen content lets you work smarter, not harder. By focusing on timeless topics, optimizing for search and repurposing across channels, you’ll build a marketing engine that runs year-round. Explore this partner blog for actionable tips that help you attract more buyers, boost engagement and make every marketing effort count.
BLOG
Include Soft Pulls in Digital Retailing
Today’s boat buyers are cautious. Credit checks can feel intrusive and the idea of even a small “ding” to their credit score may drive them away. That’s why soft pulls are becoming an essential digital marketing tool: they build trust, personalize the shopping experience and help your dealership connect earlier in the buyer’s journey without the pressure. This blog, from 700Credit’s Ken Hill unpacks how soft-pull technology strengthens your digital retailing strategy, improves lead quality and helps you close more deals — both online and in-store.
BLOG
Digital Marketing’s Impact on Marine Dealerships – A 10-Year Analysis
Your next sale is just one smart digital interaction away. Modern boat buyers are online, moving fast and ready to connect, but only if you meet them there. This blog from Chris Kulaga, Product Manager at Lightspeed (an MRAA Strategic Partner), breaks down how simple, strategic use of email, texting and CRM follow-up can help you close more deals, boost loyalty and maximize the ROI on your marketing efforts. It’s time to outperform the competition with every click, text and call.
BLOG
Modernizing Marine F&I: How Digital Marketing and Technology Are Driving Profit and Customer Loyalty
You’re in the business of delivering freedom and adventure — but are you protecting that promise beyond the sale? This article by Brenda Cline-Kereakes, CEO of Line\5, shows that by embracing digital marketing and technology, even the smallest marine dealerships can unlock powerful revenue streams through Finance & Insurance (F&I) without feeling salesy. From using e-contracting tools that speed up paperwork and build trust, to sending personalized follow-up emails and integrating upsells into service appointments, today’s tools help you stay connected long after the customer leaves the showroom. When you position F&I as part of the ownership journey — not just a last-minute add-on — you become more than a seller; you become the trusted guide who ensures their boating experience is secure, supported, and stress-free.
BLOG
From Lead to Loyalty – Designing a Stronger Customer Journey in Marine Retail
You’re not just selling boats — you’re guiding customers through a journey they want to feel confident in from the first click to the final handshake (and beyond). In a market with tighter margins and more selective buyers, this article from Kim Whitaker, Marine Division Account Manager for Searchshop, emphasizes the power of targeting qualified leads, owning your digital strategy and creating consistent, systemized customer experiences. Sure, you want to capture attention, but it’s also about earning trust with prompt follow-up, responsive service and treating feedback as a gift that fuels improvement. When you shift from transactional thinking to a holistic approach, you turn every lead into an opportunity to grow your reputation — and every sale into a loyal relationship.
BLOG
Creating Engaging Digital Media Content for Your Boat Dealership
The right content strategy can turn your dealership’s digital touchpoints into powerful tools for connection and conversion. This blog from Anna Tozzi-Barbay of Boatmart, an MRAA Education Champion, shares practical tips for creating platform-specific content that speaks directly to your target audience — from blogs and Facebook to TikTok and LinkedIn. Learn how to make each post, video or story work harder for your boat dealership by aligning your message with where and how your customers engage online.
BLOG
What is Influencer Marketing?
5 Collaborative Campaigns for Boat Dealers
Reaching today’s boat buyers can be difficult, especially when traditional marketing strategies start to feel stale or out of touch. If you’re looking for a more authentic way to help your dealership to connect with buyers and boating enthusiasts, influencer marketing offers a fresh, proven alternative. This Boatmart.com partner blog shows you how to break through the noise and build real connections by teaming up with trusted voices who already have your audience’s attention.
BLOG
Understanding Why This Market is Different
• Plus 4 Key Things You Can do to Drive the Best Results for Your Dealership
Sales are soft. Buyers are cautious — but also more engaged. But this isn’t 2008. In this data-rich update, Boats Group breaks down how marine consumer behavior is evolving, shares innovations they’ve rolled out to help dealers respond and the steps you can take in to adapt and outperform in 2025.
RESOURCES
Verify Your Lead Paths Exercise
Working hard to produce leads that don’t land in the correct place or fail to get to your team at all is super frustrating. A lot of boat dealerships don’t realize how easily leads can get lost, misrouted or delayed. When they do, it means lost opportunities, delayed responses and fewer sales for you. That’s why we created a simple, step-by-step resource to help you verify your lead paths — before it costs you business.
Resources you get:
- A walk-through video from Liz Keener, MRAA Director of Dealer Development, that explains how to identify and fix broken lead processes
- A PDF exercise that guides you through verifying every lead path — from website forms to manufacturer referrals
- An Excel template to help you track results and uncover where leads are getting delayed or dropped
To put it simply — you can’t convert a lead you don’t get. Delayed leads are painful, too, because not responding fast enough give off a bad impression. This tool helps you see what’s working, find what’s not and take action to improve your dealership’s responsiveness and customer experience.
Whether you’re feeling uncertain about your systems or you just want to be sure you’re not leaving money on the table, these tools gives you clarity and a plan. Use this video and supportive resources to empower your team, strengthen your follow-up process and confidently capture more opportunities. Need assistance with your lead verification? Please reach out to Liz Keener at lizk@mraa.com!
BLOG & RESOURCE
A Boat Dealer’s Guide to Winning with SEO
You want more boaters to find your dealership. But if you’re not showing up in search results, you’re essentially invisible to buyers who are ready to click and commit. This guide, from Bob Stanke, MRAA Senior Director of Marketing and Gabrielle Ronnenberg, MRAA Marketing Specialist, shares SEO tips and best practices to help you take control of your online presence, attract more leads and get discovered by the right people at the right time.
Use this ready-made SEO checklist template to keep organized and track all your SEO tasks one-by-one. You can use the status column to checkmark your completed tasks. The marketing team at MRAA has added some initial tasks, but you can add as many as you need to. Need assistance with SEO? Please reach out to one of our marketing team members by email at marketing@mraa.com!
BLOG & RESOURCES
The Art of the Phone Call
Your digital marketing is doing its job — driving leads — but without a strong phone strategy, those leads may never convert. This blog outlines a proven, well-structured approach to phone calls that helps your sales team bridge the gap between online interest and in-person appointments. Use these six strategies to sharpen your team’s skills, strengthen first impressions and turn every ring into a real sales opportunity.
As part of the MRAA Ask the Expert webinar ““Unlocking Success, One Click at a Time” Bob McCann, MRAA Lead Certification Consultant, shared two handy resources for you to use in your dealership. One is a phone call follow-up script in Word. The other is a dealer incoming sales call phone script. Click the buttons below to access them or please reach out to one of our marketing team members by email at marketing@mraa.com!
DATA
Shoot High-Level Dealership Videos
• 5 Tips For Better Videos on Your Phone
You don’t need fancy equipment to create top-notch videos that showcase your dealership — just your phone and a few simple tips. In this quick video, with Soua Vang, MRAA Video Specialist, you will learn how to:
- Frame your shot for a clean, professional look
- Capture clear audio and lighting
- Feel confident and authentic on camera
At MRAA, we understand that time and resources are tight. That’s why we’re giving you practical, easy-to-apply advice to help you stand out — without adding stress to your plate.
DATA
Dealer Feedback – Digital Marketing Strategy
Digital marketing can feel overwhelming at times. You’re investing time, energy and budget into your online efforts, but you’re not always sure what’s working — or why. You’re not alone. That’s why the MRAA Digital Marketing Survey and Report, presented by the MRAA Educational Foundation were created. To share with you the real challenges your fellow marine dealers face and offer data-backed insights to help own your digital marketing in 2025 and beyond.
This month’s MRAA Spotlight explores dealer feedback on digital marketing. We’ve pulled a few key elements from that report — staffing structures, budget ranges and the barriers — and shared them here. Alongside those pain points, we’ve hosted webinars, generated blogs and included resources to help you control your digital marketing efforts with clarity and confidence.
Not an MRAA Member, but want the MRAA Pulse Report data? Reach out to Sherri Cuvala, MRAA Director of Membership, at sherri@mraa.com.
RESOURCE
Digital Marketing Glossary for Boat Dealers
You’re not alone if you ever feel confused by the terminology or many acronyms being tossed around in the digital marketing industry. The 2025 MRAA Marine Industry Digital Marketing Report, presented by the MRAA Educational Foundation, revealed the need for basic digital marketing knowledge. Participants said a resource to better understand online terminology and technology would help them improve their digital marketing. That’s why we created this basic digital marketing glossary for boat dealers to help you understand the language and letters you encounter every day.
Share this digital marketing glossary with your team.
RESOURCE
5 Trending Digital Concerns for Dealers
Boat dealers are doubling down on digital marketing — but not without challenges. From unanswered questions about social ads to missed opportunities on their websites, today’s dealers are eager to improve. That’s why we analyzed real questions — submitted to AIMIE (AI for Marine Industry Education) — from MRAA members in Q1 2025 to uncover the top 5 digital concerns for dealers.
This one-pager breaks down the most common dealer struggles and some of the practical solutions and examples to help you give yourself a digital marketing health check.
Not an MRAA Member, but want to get the full use of AIMIE? Reach out to Sherri Cuvala, MRAA Director of Membership, at sherri@mraa.com.
EDUCATION
MRAATraining — Digital Marketing Micro-Learning
I wish I had more time for training. Do you offer microlearning courses? Can I watch the courses on my phone? These are just a few of the concerns members have shared with us about MRAATraining — the MRAA’s learning management system (LMS) — and the education, tools and resources it provides.
We understand your desire for learning content in short, focused modules that are easy to digest and access on-demand, often through your mobile devices. Continuing our mission to fuel dealer success, we’ve heard you loud and clear. That’s why we have launched a new MRAATraining platform and why our first set of microlearning courses focusing on digital marketing are being prepped.
Here is a list of digital marketing microlearning that will soon be ready for you and your team’s educational training.
- Digital Marketing that Drives Results from Danny Decker’s Continuous Certification course How to Plan and Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy.
- Objective: Understand foundational digital marketing principles, campaign purposes and how to track ROI.
- Resources: The Four Buckets of Digital Marketing One Pager; Marketing Campaign KPI Tracker
- Build Your Dream Marketing Team from Danny Decker’s Continuous Certification course How to Plan and Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy.
- Objective: Understand how to structure and staff a marketing department internally or via vendors.
- Resource: Build Your Marketing Team: Internal vs. External One Pager
- How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy — NEW COURSE
- Objective: Define a SMART goal, identify their target audience, select marketing channels and outline a basic digital marketing plan with measurable outcomes.
- Resource: Your Simple Digital Marketing Strategy Plan worksheet
- Getting Started With Your Google Business Profile — NEW COURSE
- Objective: Create and verify a Google Business Profile, update key business. information, and understand how to manage it to improve local search visibility.
- Resource: Google Business Profile Set-Up Checklist
- Your Digital Storefront: Website and Google Optimization from Danny Decker’s CC course How to Plan and Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy.
- Objective: Evaluate and improve your digital storefronts to drive traffic and leads.
- Resources: Website Checklist Top Five Website Stats to Monitor; 10 Questions to Ask a Website Vendor
- Search Engine Success: Boosting Visibility with SEM & SEO from Danny Decker’s CC course How to Plan and Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy.
- Objective: Improve visibility, attract qualified leads and evaluate performance using essential SEM and SEO tools.
- Resource: TBD
- Smarter Ads with Retargeting & Social Campaigns; System 1 from Danny Decker’s Fix the Leaky Bucket course.
- Objective: Use Meta and retargeting ads to convert traffic into leads and customers.
- Resource: Retargeting Campaign Planner
- Email the Sells: Nurture Campaigns; System 2 from Danny Decker’s Fix the Leaky Bucket course.
- Objective: Build effective email campaigns.
- Resources: Email Nurture Campaign Planner Example, Email Nurture Campaign Planner
With a fresh focus on training for boat dealers, the new MRAATraining platform includes features like discussion boards, progress tracking, course assignments and customizable portals. Whether you’re an individual learner or managing a full team, you’ll find it easier to connect, collaborate and grow.
This launch is the result of months of hard work by the MRAA Education Team, fueled by member feedback and hands-on user testing. The result? Smarter navigation, better content organization and personalized learning tools that make accessing education simpler than ever. This project reflects MRAA’s ongoing dedication to listening, adapting and delivering tools that meet the real-world needs of retailers in the marine industry.
Not an MRAA Member, but want to experience the microlearning courses and all that MRAATraining has to offer? Reach out to Sherri Cuvala, MRAA Director of Membership, at sherri@mraa.com.
Need additional digital marketing resources? Try these:
This MRAA Spotlight on helping boat dealers own their own digital marketing strategy was made possible by the MRAA Educational Foundation. Learn more.
