Thank you for downloading the MRAA Guide to Navigating 2024!
As a special feature of this guide, we’ve assembled this dedicated web portal for you with tools and resources related to each strategy we recommend so you can take immediate action to apply what you’re learning. Some of those tools and resources are available to all MRAA Retail Members. Others are only available to MRAA’s Silver or Gold Members.
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Strategy 1: Manage Your Mindset
Strategy 1: Manage Your Mindset // Available to all members:
Blog: Cultivating a Culture of Excellence Through High-Integrity Leadership, by John Spence, John Spence Inc.
Strategy 1: Manage Your Mindset // Available to Silver & Gold members:
Online Course: Get a Grip on Your Business: Don’t Let Your Business Run You, by Jill Young, EOS
Online Course: Take Control with a Positive Attitude by Matt Booth, Mattitude
Strategy 1: Manage Your Mindset // Available to Gold members:
Online Course: How to Raise Your Game as a Leader and a Follower by John Spence, John Spence Inc.
Strategy 1: Manage Your Mindset // Included in Dealer Week Online
Online Course: Recalibrate & Renew Your Dealership for What’s Ahead, by John Spader, Spader Business Management
Online Course: 4 Steps to Solving Your Dealership’s Most Complex Issues, by Dave Newell, Evolve Leadership Consulting, LLC
Online Course: Attitude: A Multiplying Factor in Your Sales Success, by Jim Million, Million Learning
Strategy 2: Gain Clarity on What Matters
Strategy 2: Gain Clarity on What Matters // Available to all members:
MRAA Monthly Pulse Report
Guide to Dealership Improvement
Strategy 2: Gain Clarity on What Matters // Included in Dealer Week Online
Course: Recalibrate & Renew Your Dealership for What’s Ahead with John Spader of Spader Business Management
Strategy 3: Know Your Numbers
Strategy 3: Know Your Numbers // Available to all members:
Mini-Guide: Dealership Owners – Time for a Mid-Season Checkup
Guide: The Guide to Dealership Improvement
Strategy 3: Know Your Numbers // Available to Silver & Gold members:
Course Package: Prepare Your Dealership for the Disruption Ahead with Sam Dantzler
Course: Two Marketing Metrics That Can Increase Sales and Lower Costs by Jim Ackerman
Strategy 3: Know Your Numbers // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: The Key Performance Indicators of a Profitable Dealership by Bob Clements & Sara Hey
Strategy 4: Manage Your Inventory
Strategy 4: Manage Your Inventory // Available to all members:
Blog: 4 Tips to Help Your Dealership Manage Inventory, by David Parker
Ask the Expert Webinar: The Dynamics of Evolving Inventory Conditions, by Chad Lyon
Sample Inventory Management Spreadsheet, by Parker Business Planning
Strategy 4: Manage Your Inventory // Available to Silver & Gold members:
Training ‘N’ Tactics: Moving Inventory through Positioning & Promotion, with Samantha Scott
Course: Planning for Peak Performance, by John Spence
Strategy 4: Manage Your Inventory // Available with Dealer Week Online:
Tactics to Turn Your Boat Inventory Faster by David Parker, Parker Business Planning
Strategy 5: Make Sense of Your Dollars
Strategy 5: Make Sense of Your Dollars // Available to all members:
Sample One-Page Budget Worksheet, by Parker Business Planning
Blog: Inventory, Curtailments & Cash Flow by John Durnien & Russell Baqir (Northpoint Commercial Finance)
Strategy 5: Make Sense of Your Dollars // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Training ‘N’ Tactics: How to Manage Cash Flow in a Crisis
Ask The Expert Webinar: How to Conserve Cash and Stabilize Your Business, by Pat Kennedy
Ask The Expert Webinar: Bulletproofing Your Dealership, by Sara Hey
Ask The Expert Webinar: Best Practices to Find Hidden Cash, by Paula Crosbie
Strategy 5: Make Sense of Your Dollars // Available with Dealer Week Online:
How to Recalibrate Your Dealership for the Changing Market by Marcus Sheridan of Marcus Sheridan International Inc.
Strategy 5: Make Sense of Your Dollars // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: The Key Performance Indicators of a Profitable Dealership by Bob Clements and Sara Hey
Strategy 6: The Plan to Make a Plan
Strategy 6: The Plan to Make a Plan // Available to all Members:
A Guide to ABC Scenario Planning, by Kendall Rawls
Strategy 7: Fine Tune Your Processes
Strategy 7: Fine Tune Your Processes // Available to all members:
Blog: Good Luck at the Dealership, by Valerie Ziebron
Guide: The Guide to Dealership Improvement
Blog: Building Your Service Process Map, by Bob McCann
Blog: Process Maps Increase Efficiency in Your Service Department, by Liz Keener
Strategy 7: Fine Tune Your Processes // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Training ‘N’ Tactics: Fill the Gaps in Your Sales Process by, Jim Million and Bob McCann
Course: Ease the Pain of Seasonality Through Better Processes, by David T. Foco
Course: Get a Grip on Your Business: Don’t Let Your Business Run You Pt 1), by Jill Young
Course Package: Improve Revenue, Efficiency and CSI with an Active Delivery Process, by David T. Foco
Strategy 7: Fine Tune Your Processes // Available with Dealer Week Online:
- Get on the A-List for Premium Service Success by Valerie Ziebron of VRZ Consulting
- Apply Action Leadership in Your Service & Parts Departments by Kurt Von Ahnen of Manana No Mas! WordPress Agency
Strategy 7: Fine Tune Your Processes // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: Fill the Gaps in Your Dealership’s Sales Process by Jim Million
Strategy 8: Attract Customers and Grow Your Business
Strategy 8: Attract Customers and Grow Your Business // Available to all Members
Blog: Marketing to Current Marine Customers, by Lori Stacy, CEO of Trader Interactive
Guide: Optimizing Google Business Profiles, by Octane Marine
Resource: Discover Boating’s Marketing Toolkit
Blog: Sales Rust Doesn’t Look Good on You, by Jerrod Kelley
Strategy 8: Attract Customers and Grow Your Business // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Course Package: 7 Selling Strategies Your Dealership Will Need in 2023, by Marcus Sheridan
Course Package: Get Real about Follow-Up or Get Gone, by Jordon Schoolmeester
Course Package: Buyer Motivation: The Key to Building Value, by Jim Million
Ask The Expert Webinar: Check Up on “How to Become a Video-First Dealership” by Marcus Sheridan
Course Package: 4 Marketing Mistakes Your Dealership Can No Longer Afford, by Danny Decker
Strategy 8: Attract Customers and Grow Your Business // Available with Dealer Week Online:
- Use Facebook and Instagram to Generate Leads That Turn into Buyers, by Danny Decker, Danny Decker Marketing
- Transform Your Retail Environment, Transform Your Customer Experience & Profits by Paige Wittman of Miller Wittman Retail Design Group
- Selling Value and Experience in the New Economy by Ryan Estis of IMPACTELEVEN
- Overcome Objections with Next Level Desking and Financing by Dom Zappia & Jamison Carrier of Relentless Dealer Services
- How to Sell More Boats in 2024 by Bob McCann
Strategy 8: Attract Customers and Grow Your Business // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: Become a Trusted Dealership in the Eyes of Today’s Customer
Course Package: Marketing
Strategy 9: Customer Retention and Loyalty
Strategy 9: Customer Retention and Loyalty // Available to all Members
Blog: Redefining Your Approach to Establishing Trust – The Customer Experience Mindset in the Marine Retail Industry, by John Spence
Guide: Guide to Customer Relationship Management
Guide: MRAA’s Guide to a World-Class Customer Experience
Blog: How to Increase Customer Engagement by Improving Your Website, by Jason Riley
Strategy 9: Customer Retention and Loyalty // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Course: 3 Tactics to Turn Your Shop into a Customer Loyalty Machine, by Bob Clements
Course: 3 Ways to Earn Your Service Customer’s Trust, by Chris Collins
Ask The Expert Webinar: Refresh-Are You Earning Your Customer’s Trust, by Chris Collins
Course: Customer Loyalty in the Digital Age, by ARI Digital Marketing Master Series
Strategy 9: Customer Retention and Loyalty // Available with Dealer Week Online:
- Solve Your Parts & Service Customers’ Problems by Jim Million of Million Learning
- Update Your Service and Parts Communication for a Changing Customer by Paula Crosbie & Dixie Morrow of PCLM Business Solutions
- Drive Dealership Performance Through Interdepartmental Harmony by Kurt Von Ahnen of Manana No Mas! WordPress Agency
Strategy 9: Customer Retention and Loyalty // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: Supercharge Your Customer Experience
Strategy 10: Diversify Your Revenue
Strategy 10: Diversify Your Revenue // Available to all Members
Guide: Building a Service Menu
Blog: Service Menus Update, by David Parker
Mini-Guide: How to Build a Pre-Qualified Program
22 Tips to Tackle High Rates & Finance More Deals, by Jerrod Kelley
Strategy 10: Diversify Your Revenue // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Course Package: Upselling in Service (4 Courses)
Course: Service CSI & Upselling: Not an Either/Or Proposition Handout, by Valerie Ziebron
Ask The Expert Webinar: Expert Advice on Securing More Boat Loans, by Jared Zillion and Jimmy Delegro
Course: Design Your Way to More Parts and Accessories Revenue, by Brett Beaudette
Strategy 10: Diversify Your Revenue // Available with Dealer Week Online:
- How to Prevent and Address Parts Obsolescence by Steve Jones of SJ Consulting
- How to Boost Your Service & Parts Results by Valerie Ziebron of VRZ Consulting
Strategy 10: Diversify Your Revenue // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: Turn Your Shop Inside Out, by Valerie Ziebron
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need // Available to all Members
Blog: Why Can’t I Find and Keep Good People, by Dixie Morrow
Blog: How To Create a Great Workplace, by Matt Gruhn
Resource: Target Your Recruitment (One Page PDF to Download)
Mini-Guide: Staffing Your Sales Department
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need // Available to MRAA Silver & Gold Members:
Course: Build a Service Dream Team, by Valerie Ziebron
Course Package: Developing Your Dealership’s Bench Strength, by Dan Iosue, Dan Schneider, The Rawls Group
Course: How to Recruit, Work With, and Lead People Not Like You by Kelly McDonald
Webinar: How to Implement Effective Onboarding, by Kathryn Carlson of KPA
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need // Available with Dealer Week Online:
- How to Fix Breakdowns in Dealership Communication by Marcus Sheridan of Marcus Sheridan International Inc.
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need // Available to Gold Members ONLY:
Course: Develop Your Dealership’s Workforce Outside in by Jim Million