How can I use social media to promote MICD?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, etc.) are where it’s at. They’re probably the best places to connect with customers and interact with them on a personal level outside the dealership.

Take advantage of valuable social media outlets to promote your MICD status. If you’re new to the program, make the announcement across all social media channels; if you’re recertifying, remind folks what you’re up to. Share pictures on Facebook and Instagram that show the new MICD logo proudly displayed at the dealership.

Make a video and post it to YouTube that highlights what it means to be Certified and why consumers should want to buy from a Marine Industry Certified Dealership. Brainstorm fun contests you can release through social media channels — like the next 25 customers that “like” you on Facebook can come in and get a free dealership-branded hat, t-shirt, gift card, etc. The sky’s the limit, so get creative and have fun!

MRAA Partners With Priority One to Offer Equipment Financing Services

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) is pleased to announce that the MRAA Rewards Program and Priority One Financial Services of St. Petersburg, Fla., have expanded their existing relationship to now include financing for marina and boatyard equipment.

The new program will allow MRAA members to finance essential heavy equipment required to run their respective businesses. Everything from boat hoists and forklifts to company trucks and tractors can be financed as part of the expanded relationship. Finance options include leases, loans, flexible terms, low interest rates, and programs for new and used equipment.

“What’s nice for these dealers is that they can finance multiple types of collateral under the same note, versus having a bunch of different loans,” says Jared Zimlin, business development director at Priority One. “It’s now possible that dealers can lease or loan a company truck, forklift and hoist all together, making it easier to keep track of.”

“This new partnership opportunity will help simplify operations for our dealer members,” echoes MRAA president Matt Gruhn. “MRAA members expressed to us that this would be a valuable benefit to offer, and we’re pleased we could partner with Priority One in order to bring this request to fruition. Our relationship with Priority One stretches back several years, and we’re excited to strengthen that bond through the creation of more valuable MRAA member benefits designed to improve dealers’ business performance and efficiency.”

Priority One is a long-time partner of MRAA. They are the exclusively endorsed, preferred provider of retail F&I (finance and insurance) services for MRAA members. Together, in addition to the latest equipment financing option, MRAA and Priority One created the “Bonus Bucks Program” as a direct benefit of MRAA membership. The program provides marine retailers access to outsourced F&I services if they do not employ a full-time F&I professional on staff. Through Bonus Bucks, Priority One gives MRAA members the exclusive benefit of $5 back per transaction on every loan the company helps fund.

To learn more about the expanded MRAA Rewards Program benefits with Priority One or any of the other 30-plus MRAA membership benefits the association currently offers, contact MRAA membership coordinator Hannah Muerhoff at 763-333-2420 or hannah@mraa.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 About Priority One Financial Services
Priority One Financial Services Inc., the recreational marine industry’s oldest and largest F&I outsourcing provider, is the official endorsed F&I provider of MRAA. It has served the marine industry since 1987. For more information, visit P1FS.com.

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Congressional Expectations in 2014

Over the past few months, Congress has been making headway when it comes to breaking up the gridlock of previous years in the House and Senate and finally getting some much-needed legislation passed.

In December, the House and Senate easily passed a budget bill for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015. Then, in January, Congress passed a bill to fund government appropriations through September 30. Both parties likewise stepped back from the brink of closing the government to pass a bill raising the debt ceiling through March 2015.

All in all, given the logjam and partisanship we’ve seen on Capitol Hill in recent years, it’s been a remarkable few months of actually getting things accomplished.

So… what can we expect Congress to do next? Since it’s an election year and one in which public approval ratings are near all-time lows (10 percent of the public now believes Congress is doing a good job, up from just 8 percent a few months ago), Congress will concentrate on government funding bills; a tax extender bill (this will include continuation of the estate tax exemption at last year’s level); a GOP alternative to Obama Care (likely to struggle in the Senate); a minimum wage bill (likely to struggle in the House); and an energy-efficiency bill. MRAA is looking to the latter as a possible means for repealing the current ethanol mandate.

Ambitious Tax Reform on Deck for 2014

Tax reform will be hotly contested in Washington this year, as groups campaign to retain valuable tax breaks for their clients and respective industries. Partisan divide over the goals of tax reform may be even more controversial in 2014, with Democrats seeking to raise revenues and Republicans advocating for a revenue-neutral reform bill.

MRAA remains concerned that 2014 tax reform will include elimination of (or a significant reduction in) the second-home mortgage interest deduction that’s often used to validate the cost of boats purchased by many middle class Americans.

Tax-writing Congressional leaders Rep. Dave Camp (R- Michigan) of the House Ways and Means Committee and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) of the Senate Finance Committee worked on a major tax reform bill last year that closed several loopholes and deductions — including consideration of the second home mortgage deduction. But Congressional gridlock prevented the bill from being presented for a vote.

Rep. Camp is pushing forward in 2014 to complete the tax reform. He does not support the budget-busting tax extender bill, and both Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) omitted reauthorization of tax extenders from their two-year budget bill passed in December 2013.

MRAA is monitoring the issue of tax reform closely and will provide updates as new information becomes available throughout the year.

The 411 on Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization

MRAA supports this year’s reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the primary law governing U.S. commercial saltwater fisheries.

The, named after former U.S. Senators Warren Magnuson (Washington) and Ted Stevens (Alaska), was originally enacted in 1976 and has been reauthorized several times. It’s due for reauthorization again in 2014.

Over the years, most Magnuson-Stevens Act amendments have been in response to overfishing. Fish management in the United States is controlled through eight regional fish councils that set per annum catch limits. Generally, the law does not address concerns of recreational anglers.

Recognizing the strong connection between recreational fishing and boating, MRAA is closely monitoring progress of the Magnuson-Stevens bill through Congress. MRAA supports a more localized fish management program that’s community based and voluntary, where the economic needs of a local community are considered in any fish management decision; the implementation of science-based catch limits to rebuild fish populations; and the avoidance of weak fish stocks (and subsequent targeting of more robust stocks).

MRAA believes certain regulations that apply to commercial fishing, such as designated fishing zones and mandates that dictate where or when to fish, should not apply to recreational fishing.

MRAA Signs Regulatory Reform Letter

MRAA joined several other pro-business trade associations under leadership of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce by signing a letter of support for H.R. 2804, the Achieving Less Excess in Regulations and Requiring Transparency (ALERT) Act. The letter was sent to all members of the House of Representatives.

H.R. 2804 includes major principles of accountability, transparency and fairness drawn directly from several bills. The bill passed the House by a vote of 236-179, with the support of 10 Democrats.

Taken together, reforms of the ALERT Act would allow Congress and the public to reassert control over a federal regulatory bureaucracy that is unaccountable and unfair to business. Specifically, provisions of the bill would: (1) Require federal agencies to submit monthly and annual reports of planned new rulemakings, including estimated costs and benefits to the public; (2) Ensure greater transparency during rule development by allowing public access to data on which an agency relies and requiring agencies to consider lower cost options; (3) Allow stakeholders to receive notice of draft settlements and be given an opportunity for involvement in the drafting process; and (4) Expand the required scope of regulatory impact analysis.

Bill Takes Aim at Great Lakes Invasive Species

On February 5, Rep. Candice Miller (R-Michigan) introduced H.R. 4001, the Defending Against Aquatic Invasive Species Act, to authorize swift preventive action to stop Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The bill has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, where no action has yet been scheduled. H.R. 4001 has four co-sponsors.

At an estimated cost of $16 billion, Rep. Miller’s bill would authorize the Corps to completely seal the boundary between the Illinois River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal by building a barrier to keep the invasive carp out. Miller maintains it’s the most foolproof way of stopping advancement of this destructive species.

Since the 1970s, our nation has been working to stop Asian carp from migrating up the Mississippi River watershed. MRAA has previously sought protection against carp migration by asking the Corps to install electronic barriers at the northern end of the Illinois River and along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (to date, three have been built); promoting fish processing plants to prepare for exportation of Asian carp (two have been built on the Illinois River); promoting fishing tournaments aimed at catching Asian carp; and authorizing a study examining how to further curtail the advancement of Asian carp form the Great Lakes. Today, the canal is the only link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.

MRAA is working with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to develop a position on the bill.

MRAA Hires Membership Coordinator

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) today announced the hire of Hannah Muerhoff as MRAA membership coordinator. Muerhoff assumed the role in late January and now serves as the primary contact for all MRAA membership-related inquiries from both current and prospective members.

“Hannah comes to MRAA with a solid background in fundraising,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA president. “She has an excellent understanding of association management, and her skill set as it relates to member outreach and development will be of tremendous value to association members moving forward. We’re excited to have Hannah on the team and look forward to her leading the charge of maintaining and growing the current MRAA membership base.”

Muerhoff is a recent graduate, with honors, from Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University and earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science and International Relations. She brings with her to MRAA more than three years experience in association development and outreach, including an internship with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota at which she helped secure donations for several association initiatives and participated in regular member outreach.

In her role as MRRA membership coordinator, Muerhoff will be responsible for all member relations, outreach and solicitation efforts. She will serve as the main contact for member-related questions, including helping current members learn and understand the myriad benefits MRAA offers as a perk of membership, as well as working to recruit new members to the association. Muerhoff will likewise serve as a liaison to the MRAA Membership Committee and maintain the MRAA membership database.

Among her goals as membership coordinator, Muerhoff plans to make the MRAA membership renewal process more efficient for existing members and will work to engage and interact with both new and renewing members on a more personal level. With 30 tangible benefits available to both U.S. and Canadian MRAA members at present, she also seeks to further expand these offerings and ensure members throughout North America are able to take full advantage of their association benefits.

“These are exciting times for MRAA, as the association is growing at an impressive pace, and I’m thrilled to come on board and be a part of that continued growth and success,” says Muerhoff. “I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm for this new role with both current and prospective MRAA members in the hopes of delivering them a rewarding membership experience.”

To learn more about becoming an MRAA member or discuss current MRAA member initiatives or benefits, contact Hannah Muerhoff at 763-333-2420 or hannah@mraa.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 ###

American Boating Congress Draws 36 Industry Organizations as Co-hosts

In 2013, the American Boating Congress (ABC) was co-hosted by 31 industry organizations who worked together to create a dynamic and engaging program, that met the needs of the entire recreational boating industry. This year, driven by 2013’s success, 36 industry partners have agreed to co-host ABC, answering the call to strengthen the industry’s collective advocacy impact. ABC will be held in Washington, D.C. on May 5-7, 2014.

This year’s co-hosts are an integral part of planning ABC by contributing their time and expertise to develop the overall ABC program, and by encouraging their members to attend and participate in ABC. Co-hosts include:

• American Boat Builders & Repairers Association
• Association of Marina Industries
• Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association
• Boating Industry Magazine
• BoatUS
• Boy Scouts/Sea Scouts
• Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston
• Center for Coastal Conservation
• Connecticut Marine Trades Association
• Florida Yacht Brokers Association
• International Boat Industry Magazine
• Lake Erie Marine Trades Association
• Marina Dock Age
• Megayacht News
• Michigan Boating Industries Association
• Marine Recreation Association
• Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
• Marine Trades Association of New Jersey
• National Boating Federation
• National Marine Lenders Association
• National Marine Distributors Association
• National Marine Manufacturers Association
• National Marine Trade Council
• National Safe Boating Council
• North Central Marine Association
• Northwest Marine Trade Association
• Professional Boat Builder Magazine
• Rhode Island Marine Trades Association
• Sail America
• Soundings Trade Only
• South Carolina Marine Association
• States Organization for Boating Access
• U.S. Superyacht Association
• Wisconsin Marine Association
• Yacht Brokers Association of America
• Water Sports Industry Association

NMMA President Thom Dammrich says “NMMA is thrilled to once again see a growing number of organizations from across a broad industry spectrum partnering for this important event. Advocacy opportunities like ABC begin with each one of us. By joining forces we can use ABC to reach a much broader Congressional representation, educating them about the significant impact that recreational boating has on the U.S. economy and other important issues affecting our businesses, employees and customers.”

While the complete agenda is currently in development, ABC will once again feature prominent policymakers to discuss industry specific issues. Registration is now open this year. When registering two or more people at the same time, registrants will receive a $25 discount off each registration. For more information or to register, visit nmma.org/government/abc/registration.aspx.

For questions or media inquiries, please contact Lauren Dunn at 202-737-9752 or ldunn@nmma.org.

Interested in becoming a co-host? There’s still time! Contact Laura Genovese at lgenovese@nmma.org or 202-737-9764. For live updates on ABC, follow @therealnmma, #ABC2014.

 

About the American Boating Congress
ABC is the industry’s premiere legislative conference, bringing industry leaders together to help influence public policy and present a unified front on issues that impact the recreational boating industry. ABC offers attendees a unique opportunity to discuss and learn about state and federal legislation, get first-hand insight from policymakers and network with other industry leaders. To learn more about ABC please visit http://www.nmma.org/abc.

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Dealers Excited About New Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program (MICD) has unveiled a new online video promoting the recently restructured program, which makes it easier and more affordable for marine dealers to get certified, and so far buzz surrounding the changes has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I like the fact that you’ve made it a bit more affordable,” Jon Kukuk, owner of Nest Egg Marine in Marinette, Wis., says of the program. “This actually could end up making you money — on top of the fact that you’re going to be a better dealer and you should be making money anyway.”

The video highlights “the next generation” of the MICD Program, which emphasizes a lower cost of entry for dealers interested in becoming certified, as well as a structural tiered approach allowing certification at three different levels based on varying degrees of cost and commitment. In addition to making the program more accessible and affordable, the value of program participation has significantly increased, specifically in the areas of marketing, education and tangible benefits aligned with the various program tiers.

“Having the baby steps getting into the program and having that incentive is like, ‘OK; it’s not costing us anything to get started and get our foot in the door,’” says David deAndrade, general manager of White Lake Marine in White Lake, N.C.

Changes to the MICD Program were unveiled at the 2013 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, held in Orlando this past November. The video provides a brief, easily digestible overview of the new program and what dealer reaction has been to the rollout thus far.

“Excitement and enthusiasm for the new MICD Program is palpable throughout the industry,” says Sonja Moseley, director of certification and benefits at the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which manages and markets the MICD Program on behalf of Grow Boating. “Dealers are not only receptive to the new three-tier approach, but many have demonstrated renewed interest in becoming — and staying — certified. Just four months after the new program was unveiled, we’ve already seen a 33 percent increase in participation.”

Watch the full MICD Program video online by visiting mraa.com/cert_testimonials.

About the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program
Managed by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program (MICD) is dedicated to improving the customer experience at the retail level. The first step in the certification process focuses on establishing a high level of customer satisfaction through communication, appearance and quality. The second tier of certification continues to enhance the customer experience by implementing processes for overall dealership functionality. At the program’s Five Star level, established organizational procedures are implemented to ensure smooth operations and happy customers. To learn more about the MICD Program, visit MRAA.com/certification.

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