Most people are familiar with the phrase “Work smarter, not harder.” It’s a sentiment we strive to achieve in life and career. For Certified Dealers, membership in the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas serves to underscore the value of Certification, granting MICDs access to a whole host of benefits that help them further improve overall business operations and give them a clear competitive advantage in the retail marketplace.

 
Access to educational opportunities is one of the key advantages to MRAA membership. MRAA members enjoy 24/7 access to helpful business tools, tips and templates on the MRAA website, MRAATraining.com, the association’s online educational training portal. The site lets MRAA members decide when and where it’s convenient for them to educate themselves or members of their dealership team at a cost that’s far less than traveling to events outside of their local area, saving time and money and keeping dealership principals at their respective places of business during the busiest seasons.

MRAA members also receive deep discounts on registration for the industry’s premier annual dealer educational event, the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, this year being held Nov. 15-18 in Orlando, Fla. Certified Dealers that join MRAA can take advantage of these savings and help send even more of their dealership team to this all-important industry event.

Membership in MRAA offers Certified Dealers more than just valuable educational opportunities, however; it also opens up a window to the Nation’s Capital, where decisions that impact the industry are made and dealers have a voice with key legislators and Hill staffers. MRAA employs a full-time public policy manager on staff, Will Higgins, who works every day on behalf of MRAA members who have an interest in protecting their businesses and the industry at large. Higgins is available to work with all MRAA members, taking their concerns to the seats of power and helping lobby for the business interests of dealers. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the issues and ensures MRAA is well represented in Washington.

Each year, MRAA has a growing presence at the American Boating Congress, the industry’s premier annual legislative conference and event. MRAA membership helps give Certified Dealers a seat at the table, allowing their voices to be heard and giving them the opportunity to affect change in several key areas that impact the health of boating.

But MRAA membership benefits don’t stop there. The association offers more than 30 tangible benefits to its members, either helping them save or make money, on things like insurance coverage, freight and shipping, warranty reimbursement and much more. The complete list of benefits associated with MRAA membership can be accessed by clicking here.

Earlier this year, MRAA launched an online MRAA Career Center, directly in response to member requests, with the aim of helping connect MRAA member-employers with qualified job seekers. Members receive discounts on job postings and have the ability to browse all uploaded resumes, many of which come directly from current students and recent graduates of North America’s leading technical schools.

Last, but not least by any means, MRAA continues its commitment to educating dealers by creating a series of annual custom publications on various topics, giving MRAA members even deeper access to tips, strategies, and processes to help them improve overall business operations and remain among the industry’s retail elite. MRAA’s annual Guides to Success are available for free, in a PDF downloadable format, for all MRAA members. The Guides, four of which were produced for 2015, correspond with the educational tracks offered at the annual MDCE and contain articles written by dozens of key industry and business leaders, offering insight unavailable anywhere else in a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate and affordable (i.e. free) package.

Becoming an MRAA member is a natural fit for Certified Dealers. At a cost of just $300 annually to join, the benefits and privileges are more than worth the price of admission.

To get started on the path to becoming Certification or renew your Certified status, visit MRAATraining.com/Certifications, or contact MICD Program director Sonja Moseley at 763-333-2424 or sonja@mraa.com.