Turn F&I Objections Into Opportunities at MDCE 2014

Providing dealership customers with finance and insurance options when they buy a new or pre-owned boat can be a big boost to your business’ bottom line. But when buyers opt for outside F&I products, dealers lose out on a major profit center; additionally, customers miss a golden opportunity to secure excellent, marine-specific coverage and protection for their new investment.

At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., F&I expert and longtime F&I 20 Group facilitator Jan Kelly will help attendees work through their most challenging, complicated F&I rejections and find ways to turn those arguments on their head, transforming turn-downs into success stories.

In her MDCE session, “Turning F&I Objections Into Opportunity,” Kelly helps dealers gain incredible insight into how to overcome even the most staunch customer objections and convert them into real opportunity. Bring your toughest finance and insurance objections to the table and challenge Kelly — along with your fellow session attendees — with ways to overcome these obstacles.

Attendees will walk away from Kelly’s session with strategies for transforming objections into sales and increasing F&I profitability. The session takes place Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Sales Track.

“This is one of the more interactive educational track sessions we host at MDCE,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Attendees submit their F&I objections to Jan, and she provides dealers with her best strategies for overcoming them on the spot. She’s an engaging, entertaining and high-energy presenter who does a yeoman’s job of transforming “no” into an opportunity instead of a roadblock. If you haven’t experienced one of Jan’s sessions before, you’ll definitely want to attend this one.”

Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. The Sales Track includes sessions covering everything from Kelly’s techniques, to strategies for reaching women in the boat-buying process, maximizing profitability on trade-ins, new insight into customers’ buying decisions, and ways of appealing to Millennial and Gen X buyers, among others.

“Jan has presented at MDCE in the past, and we are excited to bring her back for yet another year to share her F&I insights with MDCE attendees,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “She’s sure to grab dealers’ attention on this all-important topic, which can significantly impact a dealership’s bottom line.”

The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.

The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

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Bills Introduced on Boat Occupancy Standards

Responding to a boating fatality in New York, two similar bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate that would require a maximum passenger capacity placard be posted on recreational boats.

On Aug. 1, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced S. 2774, the Boating Capacity Standards Act. The bill gives the U.S. Coast Guard 180 days to establish a passenger capacity — rated in both number of passengers and pounds — for all recreational boats, and would likewise require boat manufactures to mount the placard in a prominent place. The bill has no cosponsors and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

On May 9, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) introduced H.R. 4642, the Boating Occupancy and Teaching Safety Act. The bill would require USCG to develop occupancy standards in 180 days for recreational boats between 20 and 45 feet in overall length. The bill has no cosponsors and has been referred to the House subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs.

No action is expected on either bill, and MRAA opposes both.

EPA Submits RFS For Approval

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent its final Renewable Fuel Standard rule on volume obligation to the Office of Management and Budget for interagency review in late August. OMB reviews all agency-written rules prior to finalization to ensure compliance with administration policy. It’s expected the review process at OMB will take several months to complete.

According to an EPA spokesperson, “The agency’s overarching goal is to put the RFS program on a path that supports continued growth in renewable fuels in the future.” After an extensive public comment process where EPA received 340,000 comments, the final determination was included in the rule sent to OMB. The information will not be released to the public until after the OMB review, but rumors in D.C. are circulating that the total volume numbers may increase, which translates to a higher ethanol percentage at the pump.

Ethanol use has been destructive to many older boat engines, fuel tanks and outboard motors. Safety and high repair costs have been the biggest concerns of marine retailers, who have lobbied EPA and Congress for stabilization or outright repeal of the RFS. Boat engine manufactures are making engines today that can tolerate E-10, but ethanol levels in excess of that, such as E-15, pose significant risks.

EPA is responsible for developing and implementing federal regulations to ensure transportation fuel sold in the U.S. contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The RFS program was created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It establishes a total renewable fuel volume mandate. Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS program was expanded to include diesel and increased the RFS from 9 billion gallons to 36 billion in 2022.

MRAA is working to schedule an important meeting with OMB within the next few weeks to report on the problems that boaters and anglers experience with the current (and potentially increased) ethanol levels in marine fuels.

GLRI Funding to Target Harmful Algae Blooms

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Sept. 3 that the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will provide almost $12 million to federal and state agencies to protect public health by targeting harmful algae blooms in western Lake Erie. The funding is additional money that builds on current efforts to reduce algae blooms.

The problems reached critical mass earlier this year, when the drinking water of Toledo, Ohio, and throughout southeast Michigan was contaminated and could not be used even if boiled, adversely affecting more than 500,000 people. The area draws its drinking water directly from Lake Erie.

The new money will be used to expand monitoring and forecasting, increase incentives to farmers to reduce phosphorus runoffs that contribute to harmful algae blooms, and improve measurements.

Harmful algae blooms also create “dead zones” where no life can exist, harming the boating and fishing industries and many shoreline economies.

Hill Looks Toward Quick September Session

After a five-week recess, Congress returned to work Sept. 8 with the hope of averting a government shutdown before rushing back to the campaign trail. With many close elections anticipated and Congressional approval ratings in the single digits, Congressional members are currently spending more time trying to get reelected than they are on legislative work.

On paper, the September congressional calendar suggests that both chambers plan on meeting every day this week (the week of Sept. 8). The House is scheduled to break Sept. 19 for a week to celebrate Rosh Hashanah Sept. 24. If necessary, the House will return Sept. 29, but will then leave town again almost immediately until after the election. The Senate plans to keep Senators working through Sept. 23 and not return until after Election Day.

So… with Congress working 15 additional days before the election, what can we expect? House Republicans are expected to offer a short-term spending plan to keep the government working until early December. Final appropriations bills will not be considered until the lame duck session following the elections. It’s unclear if the stop-gap spending plan will include reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which is important to many boat manufacturers with international sales. The federal bank provides loan guarantees to foreign purchases of American goods (i.e., boats). Neo-conservatives are opposed to the bank’s reauthorization, however, making movement questionable at this time.

Learn How to Outmarket Your Competition

Effective marketing is vital to a dealership’s success. But given the speed at which marketing technologies and communications channels are changing, what worked well yesterday may not deliver the same outstanding results today.

At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., sales and marketing whiz Don Cooper will lead conference attendees step-by-step through the process for developing a powerful and effective marketing plan they can easily implement for their business in 2015.

In his MDCE session, “Outmarket Your Competition,” Cooper will explore the biggest marketing mistakes dealerships make; reveal where the best customers are hiding; identify five buying triggers and how to use them in marketing materials; discuss where dealers should focus their time, energy and dollars to get the best return; and much more.

Attendees will walk away from Cooper’s session with a customizable Marketing Plan Template, as well as a special report on “Using Publicity to Sell More Boats.” The session takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Marketing Track.

“With the fast changing nature of social media, online reputation management and search engine optimization, deciding where to spend your marketing dollars can be challenging,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Don will help dealers create a marketing plan that will make the most of their budget, regardless of how big or small.”

Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. In addition to Cooper’s advice on developing an unbeatable marketing plan, the Marketing Track includes insight into increasing SEO through social media, filling your online marketing holes, rethinking your target customer, and exploring the next wave of digital marketing tools and trends.

“Don is a perennial MDCE favorite, largely because his enthusiasm and energy in front of an audience is infectious,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “But what really sets him apart are the tools and take-aways he provides, which help attendees bolster sales and marketing results when they return to the dealership.”

The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.

The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

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Protect Your Business’ Future at MDCE 2014

Often, dealership principals are so busy working to stay on top of day-to-day management of their respective businesses that they struggle to find time to plan for the dealership’s future.

At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., bestselling author and family business maven Tom Deans, Ph.D. will help dealers kick off the all-important conversation about how to safeguard their business’ future, ensure the health of internal relationships, and set the stage for continued financial prosperity as the dealership marches towards the next generation of ownership.

In his MDCE workshop titled “12 Steps to Protect Your Family and Your Business,” Deans will share with dealers what his family has learned from many generations of owning and operating their own businesses. He’ll guide attendees through 12 questions designed to protect their wealth, strengthen family and key employee relationships and provide a clear path forward for their respective dealerships.

Attendees will walk away from Deans’ workshop with a 130-page guidebook to help them protect their family’s wealth and plan for their dealership’s future. The workshop takes place Monday, Nov. 17 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Pre-Conference Workshops.

“Successfully planning for a dealership’s future is about so much more than deciding who’s going to be in charge,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Tom will give dealers clear strategies for the future, whether they’re considering retirement today or expect to work in the business for another 20 years.”

In 2014, workshop topics will include leadership, sales, digital marketing, succession planning, video production and editing, and the service department. Each workshop will feature takeaways (job descriptions, workbooks/guidebooks, report cards, tip sheets, etc.) to help attendees implement what they learned in the pre-conference sessions without delay upon returning to their respective dealerships.

“Tom is an expert in the field of family business planning, and since so many boat dealerships are, in fact, family-owned and -operated, MDCE attendees have much to learn from his years of experience,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “We are fortunate to have him leading this can’t-miss workshop at the upcoming conference.”

The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.

Pre-Conference Workshop seating is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis. Attendees much select the workshop(s) they wish to attend during the MDCE registration process and pay an additional fee. Discounts are available for MRAA retail members.

The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

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Amp Up Your Profit on Marine Accessories

Accessories sales can be a solid money-maker for today’s marine retailers. Yet sadly, many dealerships dismiss this opportunity due to big box competitors.

At the 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., MDCE favorite Sam Dantzler will return to the conference to help dealers unpack the value that accessories sales hold for their businesses.

In his MDCE session, “Accessories Done Right,” Dantzler will host a dealer panel discussion designed to help attendees learn from peers who excel in this arena. Among the topics to be discussed are the differences between an up-sell and an add-on; the impact accessories have on the customer experience; strategies for avoiding obsolescence; and how to “buy right.”

Attendees will walk away from Dantzler’s session with an understanding of what turns on the dealership floor for maximum profitability, even with big-box competitors next door. The session takes place Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 8 to 9:15 a.m. ET as part of MDCE’s Service Plus Track.

“No dealer wants to leave profits on the table,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “Sam will give attendees a great opportunity to boost their bottom line by learning from the strategies that are working for other dealers.”

Dantzler, a noted speaker and sales expert who works with companies like Harley-Davidson and Triumph Motorcycles, has been a retail sales trainer since 2000 and offers dealers in the marine and powersports industries valuable tips and advice through his popular training website, Sam’s Powersports Garage.

“Sam was voted one of the most highly rated speakers at the MDCE the last two years running,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet. “This year, he will present multiple times during the three-day event, but one of the most impactful presentations is sure to be his accessories panel.”

Each of the 2014 MDCE educational tracks — Sales, Marketing, Leadership and Service Plus — features five sessions. In addition to Dantzler’s advice on boosting marine accessories profits, Service Plus Track sessions include topics such as beefing up service department leadership skills, transforming customer conflicts into victories, boosting parts sales, and developing a Master Service Advisor, among others.

The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.

The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

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MRAA Accepting Applications, Nominations for Young Leaders Advisory Council

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is currently accepting applications and nominations for its Young Leaders Advisory Council.

“YLAC has proven to be a major influence on the MRAA,” says MRAA president Matt Gruhn. “The energy and enthusiasm that the group brings to pushing the association forward has been extremely valuable, and many new programs and initiatives have been launched because of their passion. And we’re excited because YLAC has proven to be a great way to introduce young leadership into our board, with three of our current board members having once served on YLAC.”

The MRAA created YLAC as an advisory group to represent the needs and thinking of the next generation of marine retailers and to provide additional insight and direction to the MRAA Board of Directors. The council’s creation was based on a desire to help develop future leaders to aid in the progress and growth of the boating industry.

Since its inception, YLAC has successfully infused the MRAA with new ideas and insights. One initiative YLAC recently launched is the Young Professional Network and Event, which takes place annually at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. This event has grown over the last two years and is providing young leaders an avenue to connect with one other and discuss issues that are important to their growth, development and management of their careers.

In order to continue YLAC’s successful momentum, the association is looking to add new members to this vibrant group.Applications can be submitted by anyone interested in joining the group, and individual nominations of potential YLAC candidates can be submitted directly to the MRAA, who will then contact each nominee.

Applicants or nominees should be willing to meet face-to-face with the group twice a year and provide their ideas and insights, in addition to working jointly with other council and MRAA Board of Directors members on subcommittees. To apply or be nominated, candidates must be under 40 years of age, hold a position of significance in a dealership and have a minimum of five years of marine industry experience.

Click here to apply to YLAC, or click here to nominate a young professional for YLAC. Applications and nominations must be submitted by Sept. 30.

For more information, contact Matt Gruhn at 763-315-8043; matt@mraa.com or YLAC chairman Josh Vallely at 701-258-9223; josh@vallelymarine.com.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the companies that interact with the boater in their community must thrive. Those businesses determine the boater’s experience and are the leading factor in the industry’s success. MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those businesses, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit ###

MDCE 2014 Brochure Available in Digital Format

Organizers of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, the industry’s premier annual dealer educational event, have taken the conference’s information-packed print brochure and transformed it into a digital version, complete with easy-to-navigate tabs highlighting all the event’s sessions and workshops, individual speakers and day-to-day schedule.

The MDCE digital brochure contains all the same key information that’s included in the print version, but made it conveniently available online and easily viewable from a desktop or laptop computer, smartphone or tablet.

“Today there’s a strong trend towards offering digital documents, considering how much time people spend on computers and mobile technology, and we wanted to take all the great details about MDCE and make them available in the way people are consuming most of their information,” says Boating Industry editor-in-chief Jonathan Sweet, a co-producer of MDCE. “The digital brochure is a time saver and condenses all the important 2014 MDCE offerings in a convenient, easy-to-read package.”

The MDCE online brochure tabs feature a complete schedule of events; conference highlights, including Opening and Closing keynote presentations; complete descriptions of all seven Pre-Conference Workshops; a tab for each of the Educational Tracks, including Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus; and a registration form to attend the conference.

“The digital brochure is a perfect way to learn about all the incredible educational content and offerings we are bringing to conference attendees at this year’s event,” says Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “This online brochure is an excellent complement to all the content we have been publishing about the conference thus far.”

The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever offered, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.

The MDCE is scheduled for Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. In 2013, MDCE featured double-digit growth in dealer attendance, for a total of 615 marine retail professionals. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees. To learn more, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

About the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo
The Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ annual conference and member meeting. As the marine industry’s only dealer-specific educational conference, the MDCE offers an in-depth lineup of educational topics, a full-featured expo hall and a series of fixed networking opportunities, all of which are designed to help marine dealers connect with and learn from others who can foster their success. The MDCE is co-produced by MRAA and Boating Industry, and it features Pre-Conference Workshops, Opening and Closing keynote presentations, four tracks of educational content and 30 sessions in all. It will be held Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit MRAA.com/MDCE.

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