Discover Boating Drives Introductions Across Digital Touchpoints

By Cory Waite and Katie Alteri

Discover Boating’s mission is to increase interest and participation in boating, maintain the current boating audience and help to grow the recreational boating industry.  

To successfully achieve this, Discover Boating connects potential and current boaters with manufacturers and dealers. These connecting points are referred to as “introductions,” and new and improved methods to drive these engagements are continually being developed. 

Through internal research and MRAA data, the Discover Boating team knows people use the Discover Boating website and digital tools to conduct significant research before visiting a dealership.

Digital is a critical component of the Discover Boating introduction strategy and will continue to evolve. Here are a few highlights of the digital introduction touchpoints that Discover Boating currently deploys:

Discover Boating Boat Type Quiz for customer introductions
Discover Boating Boat Type Quiz page.

1. Boat Type Quiz – When users visit the Boat Type Quiz page, they’re prompted with a “Find a Boat Type that’s Right for You” quiz. This quiz adds an interactive element that helps them begin their boat search.  

Once finding a boat type, Discover Boating showcases the brands specific to that type and encourages the next step in their user journey. Once the user clicks on the brand website to learn more, this creates an introduction to the brand.

2. Dealer Finder – Powered in partnership with MRAA, the Dealer Finder is a user-friendly digital tool that connects users directly with dealers. Users are prompted to enter their city or zip code to show dealers in their area. The dealers’ website links and phone numbers are displayed on the dealer listings, creating an introduction. Please fill out this form to get your dealership listed in the Dealer Finder.

3. Dealer-Focused Content – An additional resource for boaters, Discover Boating offers several content pages to promote visiting dealerships and make the experience easier for potential boat buyers. Some of the main content pieces that promote visiting boat dealerships are:

4. Boat Shows – Last year, Discover Boating rebranded boat shows to be a part of the Discover Boating brand. Boat shows are a valuable, in-person opportunity to form introductions between boat buyers, owners, brands and dealers. We offer a Boat Show Calendar to make it easier for boating enthusiasts to find a boat show near them. 

5. Boat Finder – Currently existing at the local boat show market level with plans to evolve in the near future, the Boat Finder platform is an interactive tool that assists with the boat search journey. 

Discover Boating Boat show Boat Finder tool connects customers and dealers
Discover Boating Boat Finder tool

Similar to an e-commerce or online buying experience, Boat Finder showcases boats from participating brands at Discover Boating boat shows. Users can browse the inventory of new model year boats and filter by boat type, price, length, NMMA Certified and more. Attached to each boat is the representing dealer showcasing the boat at the show. 

Similar to Dealer Finder, the website and phone number serve as an introduction touchpoint to connect the user directly with the dealer. To view a live version of Boat Finder and how it works, check out our New York Boat Finder here or the Atlantic City Boat Finder here.

Discover Boating deploys a multi-channel digital marketing strategy across search, email, video and social media along with the lifestyle campaign, “See You Out Here,” to drive users to these digital introduction touchpoints. With all these initiatives working together, Discover Boating’s goal is to continue to be a high driver of introductions year-round.

For any questions regarding Discover Boating’s digital strategy, please email Cory Waite, Director of Digital Marketing, or Katie Alteri, Sr. Brand Strategy and Content Manager.

Discover Boating Website Content Highlights Boat Show Experiences

Discover Boating kicked off the New Year with the beginning of boat show season and continued to provide exciting updates on all upcoming shows. In January, readers learned about exciting features at the Discover Boating Minneapolis Boat Show, Discover Boating New York Boat Show, and Discover Boating Louisville Boat, RV & Sportshow, which all occurred in January. Notably, the New York Boat Show guide was the most-viewed blog post on Discoverboating.com in January, receiving over 4,000 page views.

Readers also received a preview of the upcoming Discover Boating Atlantic City Boat Show. In addition to these show-specific guides, Discover Boating also highlighted the various educational opportunities that boat show attendees can take advantage of, including Fred’s Shed How-To Center (powered by Progressive), fishing seminars, and more, in Boat Show Education: What Boating Topics Can You Learn About at Shows?

Stay tuned for continued coverage of our remaining Discover Boating boat shows on the Discover Boating website and social media channels, and upcoming articles on preparing for the boating season ahead.

Discover Boating Boat Show Experiences and stories

New articles published to Discover Boating in January included:

  1. 8 Reasons Boating is the Best Hobby
  2. Beat the Winter Blues: 6 Ways to Get Ready for Boating Season
  3. The 20 Best Boating Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Streaming Services
  4. Winter Fishing Tips: Gear, Safety, and Expert Tactics
  5. California Boating Guide: Where to Boat in California
Discover Boating Boat Show experiences and stories

Articles that saw growth in page views in January (compared to January 2023) included:

  1. Renaming a Boat: The Do’s and Don’ts
  2. How to Fish: Fishing Tips for Beginners
  3. Boating While Pregnant: What You Should Know
  4. The Top 5 Fish Finder Options
  5. What is a Deadrise on a Boat?

All industry stakeholders are welcome to share these articles with their customers via social, e-newsletters and other communication channels. Learn more about Discover Boating here.

Meet Nichole Wishart, MRAA Business Development Specialist

MINNEAPOLIS, January 30, 2023 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces that Nichole Wishart has joined the MRAA team as MRAA Business Development Specialist.

MRAA headshot
Nichole Wishart, MRAA Business Development Specialist

“We are delighted to add Nichole’s unique talents and entrepreneurial acumen to the MRAA team,” says Allison Gruhn, Vice President of Business Development. “She possesses great leadership abilities and a business mindset that will help the MRAA deliver on its mission while also contributing to the continuous enhancement of our membership services.”

In her role, Wishart will work closely with Gruhn to develop and execute sales strategies for driving revenue for the MRAA through Partner Memberships, Dealer Week exhibits and sponsorships, and sponsorships of other MRAA-related programs and services. Wishart has over 25 years of customer service experience and a background in sales and marketing.

“I’m thrilled to join a passionate and authentic team at the MRAA devoted to helping marine retailers across North America find success,” says Wishart. “My role lets me use my skills to help support our Partner Members and sponsors to the fullest and create strategic avenues for growth for our members and the MRAA.”

Wishart has developed a lifelong passion for basketball, having spent most of her life in a gym as a player, coach, parent, or spectator. She also enjoys the lake life, active adventures and game nights with family and friends.  

To learn more about MRAA Partnership and sponsorship opportunities, contact Wishart at  nichole@mraa.com or 763-402-7238.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

MRAA Members may be Eligible for Share of $5.5 Billion Payment Card Settlement

If your business accepted payment from Visa and Mastercard payment cards between 2004 and 2019, you can file a claim for your portion of the $5.5 billion Payment Card Interchange Fee settlement. MRAA was contacted by the court-approved outreach team in order to ensure MRAA members are aware of the settlement and how to file their claim.

The settlement is the result of an antitrust class-action lawsuit that will provide relief for millions of U.S. merchants who allegedly paid inflated interchange fees charged by Visa and Mastercard over a 15-year period.

Payment Card Settlement form

Claims forms began going out in the mail in December of 2023 and have all the information you need to file your claim in just a few minutes. If you don’t want to wait to receive your claim form in the mail, you can begin your claim online at the court-approved website: www.paymentcardsettlement.com.

It can take as little as five minutes to submit online or by mailing the completed claim form to the settlement administrator.

  • The easiest and quickest method to submit is scanning the unique QR code on the claim form you will receive in the mail.
  • The QR code will open a personalized, secure page in the claims portal that is prefilled with your unique credentials.
  • For most class members, where data is available, it will also prefill your interchange fees paid during the 15-year class period, to the extent data is available.
  • No-cost assistance is available from the settlement administrator and Class Counsel.

Your claim amount will be calculated based upon a percentage of the interchange fees your business paid during the Class Period as well as a variety of other factors, including the total number of valid claims received. Claim amounts will be calculated and processed following the close of the claims period. Please be patient.

To receive a claim payment, a business must file a claim before the claim period ends on May 31, 2024.

Some class members will need to take additional steps and provide supporting data to show their share of eligible payment card transactions and / or interchange fees during the period.

If you didn’t receive a claim form or can’t find your claim form, contact the settlement administrator at info@PaymentCardSettlement.com or 1-800-625-6440.

Converting the Forever Shopper

As a boat dealer it is almost a guarantee that you have had repeat customers. Those customers provide such a great feeling. You sold them a boat and then they came back.

You did a fantastic job with the first sale. Then service took over and made the customer feel loved. Loyalty blossomed and that customer came back with “2 footitis” and moved on up. Hooray, it’s time to celebrate!

Then we all have the other repeat customer … the one that already has their own boat. They tell you “I like my boat.” They add, “I really like my boat, it’s just got a couple things that aren’t quite right. So, I’m here to see what you’ve got because it’s time to make a change.”

That was 3, 4, 5 years ago. Or maybe it was 7 or 8 boat shows ago.

I recall a personality test I took when I was younger which had the question, Are you happier with:

  1. The option to buy?
  2. Having purchased?

Most of us can answer that without a doubt about one or two of our customers. And the answer is, THE OPTION TO BUY!

A Familiar Face
We have had one customer that sees us every year at the boat show. Then we see him in the spring and again in summer. We know his wife, we know his kids, we know his boat. And we know he likes to look.

Our sales manager has worked with him. Now, I would describe our sales manager as a closer, period. If I want a boat sold, he sells it. But not with this customer.

Finally, after a couple years with our sales manager, my business partner gave it a try. Both of them have priced boats, created quotes, designed a “perfect boat” and yet the customer is back again in the winter at the boat show with the same storyline of him being “ready to make a change.”

This summer, it was my turn to try to convert him from a shopper to a buyer.

“We’ve got a demo in the water of that boat you like so much,” I said with growing confidence that I could close the deal. “So come on over and I will take you out on it.” Sure enough, that afternoon we were out on the water, and we had a clear, calm, sunny and beautiful ride.

He loved the boat. I was happy, too.

And yet, no deal!

I let him know the demo was a great price and that it wouldn’t hang around long. In fact, it sold the following week.

Guess what he said when we called to inform him that his favorite boat sold? “Well, that is the one I wanted, I guess I will have to keep looking.”\

A Need for Further Nurturing
We believe we have developed a relationship of trust and understanding with this customer. The value of his trade was realistic. We provided incentives multiple times, with an aggressive price. We invested plenty of time with him.

family on a pontoon boat for demo

So, what now? We haven’t given up, but we need some new or additional tactics to help this gentleman overcome his inability to make a final purchasing decision so we get him in the boat he desires to own and has spent so much of his (and our) time seeking.

We are turning to MRAA and its valuable best practices and resources, installing tactics to help our sales team close more deals. We will:

  • Provide an even more personalized demonstration of the boat.
  • Invite his family and friends to get out on the boat with him. Doing the demo ride at a time that is convenient and with optimal weather and water conditions. 
  • Allow his family to use the boat and its amenities and drive it as though they own it.
  • Emphasize the safety features of the boat and provide ongoing training to help them more comfort operating the vessel and gain confidence while on the water.
  • Listen to the family and “throw-in” an accessory like a tube, wakeboard, skis, or other item that helps fulfill the intended use plans.
  • Introduce the group of family and friends to our service department leader to learn about our services provided for storage, preparation and the priority of boat-buying customers receive in the service process. 

Help Them Decide
“If they don’t “pull the trigger” on the purchase on the demo day, we will:

  • Send a handwritten thank you note to the family.
  • Make ourselves available to the family for any questions they may have about the boat or the deal.
  • Provide a second vessel orientation / second demo if any questions about the boat come up once the family has a chance to discuss it.
  • Remind the family that last year the boat that really wanted sold within a week of the demo ride. To ensure they have a shot at their new boat, a deposit will hold the boat until they finalize their decision.

Helpful Resources
Here are four MRAA resources to review to help your sales team enhance its closing techniques to convert more sales and be sure to help your forever shoppers become buyers!    

  1. Blog: One Way to Make Customers Happy
  2. MRAATraining.com Course: How to Navigate Difficult Customer Conversations
  3. Discover Boating: Grow Your Business with First-Time Boat Buyers
  4. MRAA Data: Pulse Report Sales Tactics (MRAA Members Only)

Let us know your best practices for success and how your dealership is converting the forever shopper into a buyer. Email me at bernie@mraa.com.

Strengthen Your Service Department

Service Managers face tremendous challenges every day.  They confront workforce shortages, wavering efficiency and concerning proficiency numbers, increasing repair event cycle times, teamwork issues, quality control problems, lowering customer satisfaction scores and so much more. And to make it even more painful, there just hasn’t been a true training pathway to help them to overcome all the obstacles that meet them at the door every day.

Most service managers want to comprehend and manage their challenges and ensure that their department is outstanding. Now with the help of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) service managers throughout the marine industry can refine their skills and gain the training they need. 

Strengthen your service department with Service Management Certification from MRAA/ABYC

INTRODUCING – SERVICE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION –
Developed in partnership with the MRAA and the ABYC, and featuring Lead Instructor, Valerie Ziebron, this incredible Service Management Certification program guides a Service Manager through 11 courses covering an assortment of dealership topics, including:

  • Creating a proactive service department
  • Managing and developing oneself and their department
  • Managing specific details like facilities and technology
  • Evaluating and managing for financial success
  • Understanding and improving CSI
  • How to make the service the team and the manager better communicators
  • Developing and refining service department processes
  • Coaching and motivating team members
  • Tactics to handle workforce shortages
  • Techniques for staff discipline and termination
  • Goal setting
  • Onboarding

Every dealership service department faces daily tasks, weekly challenges and annual changes. The courses will help your team face these obstacles head on, while reducing service stress, boosting service loyalty and improving service performance.

I have spent time in the service department manager’s chair and walked several miles in their shoes. Countless hours have been spent developing these details and reviewing best practices working with both Valerie and numerous service department leaders across the country. I have reviewed every script and looked at every slide within the program. 

The courses and education provide knowledge that applies to every service manager, from those just starting out to the most experienced service department leaders.  I found the time spent on key performance indicators and on managing customer expectations especially insightful. You will be introduced to fantastic opportunities to improve throughout the program. Completing the certification will create positive change in your dealership. 

As the lead instructor, Valerie provides a suitable level of concrete examples mixed with her wealth of experience. Her focus on “golden nuggets of best practices” connects the learning directly to the service shop and the service desk. An industry expert and renowned speaker, Valerie founded VRZ Consulting in 1989. Throughout the certification process, her insights, and her dedication to increasing your service department success shine through. Be assured that the learning is “on point,” directed where it needs to be on the service department and focused on excellence.  

Not only do the courses provide an expansive amount of learning but also the printed study guide (114 pages!) and the downloadable workbook, which we consider your toolbox, give rock-solid, hands-on tools easily used and implemented with the service team and throughout the dealership. 

This is the time to review, refine and strengthen your service department to take it to the top tier of performance, and now there is a way to help make that happen. 

Learn more and register before the first window closes on this opportunity at:  MRAA.com/ServiceCertification.

Premier Marine Commits to Platinum Partner Membership with MRAA

MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces that Premier Marine has joined the MRAA as a Platinum Partner Member.  

Through Platinum Partner Membership, Premier Marine supports the MRAA, its programs and the opportunities the association provides the dealer body in an effort to fuel the success of the industry. Commitments from Platinum Partners like Premier allow for the expansion of MRAA’s offerings and create a positive, long-term impact for its members.

“The strength and success of our dealer partners is critical to not only the success of Premier, but more importantly for our customers and their overall boating experience,” said Chris Carlson, Premier Marine Owner and CEO. “Partnering with MRAA will provide our dealers with additional resources to further help them grow.”

In 1992, the founders of Premier Marine, headquartered in Big Lake, Minn., set out to fast-track the evolution of the pontoon by infusing levels of performance and luxury. They did this by incorporating luxury furniture, creative seating configurations, premium flooring, and renowned PTX Technology to change how a pontoon looked, felt, and performed. The response to these changes was nearly instant, and Premier became a hallmark brand, setting new standards in luxury, comfort and performance, and introducing innovations that have since defined the category.

“It’s rewarding to partner with a boat manufacturer that is committed to not only providing the best experience to boaters, but also to the success of marine dealers and retailers,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA VP of Business Development. “Our shared vision for the future aligns seamlessly, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.”

About Premier Marine
Premier Marine, LLC is a manufacturer of luxury performance pontoon boats under the Premier brand. Premier Marine holds numerous patents and trademarks on manufacturing elements such as the Premier Ricochet Ladder System and the PTX® Technology performance package. The 30-year-old company sells its pontoons through boat dealers located throughout the United States and Canada. Premier Marine is headquartered in Big Lake, Minnesota and owned by Envision Company located in Elk River, Minnesota. To learn more, visit: https://www.pontoons.com/.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

New MRAA Advocacy Toolkit

• Your Ticket to a Seat at the Legislative Table

Your business is affected by policies and regulations that are written in state legislatures and Congress, so naturally we want to ensure that you have a voice in how those laws are crafted.

MRAA Advocacy Toolkit

For that reason, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is excited to share our new Advocacy Toolkit with the industry in hopes of generating a greater understanding of the importance of government relations engagement and enhancing retailer awareness of how they can tap into our ongoing advocacy efforts. The Toolkit was designed to give marine retailers a baseline understanding of what advocacy and lobbying entail, as well as ways to get engaged with the MRAA and resources for dealers to begin outreach to their elected officials.

To download the Advocacy Toolkit, go to the “Get Involved” section of the MRAA.com website under the “Advocacy” tab.

A major focus of the Toolkit is giving marine retailers the tools they need to reach out to elected officials in their area and set up a tour of their business. Inviting elected officials to dealerships is a great way to build a relationship, allowing them to learn more about your business and pain points, and it provides a glimpse of the economic impact of recreational boating for small businesses and communities alike.

The Toolkit is just one of many new areas of focus for the MRAA Advocacy Team, which also includes onboarding new software to track state and federal legislation and other efforts to further grow the impact of MRAA’s Diamond Ambassador Program. As the 2nd session of the 118th Congress gets underway and state legislatures across the country begin their new 2024 sessions, the MRAA is excited to continue to advocate for marine retailers and recreational boating as a whole.

If you have any questions about the Advocacy Toolkit or want to connect to discuss our advocacy work, please do not hesitate to reach out to Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager, or Mike Sayre, Director of Government Relations.

Discover Boating Content Engages Consumers

• Informative website content helps boaters connect with their passion for boating even during the winter months.

Discover Boating’s website content continues engaging people who are seeking timely boating information, even during offseason. In December, as part of the site’s ongoing series of boating holiday gifts, DiscoverBoating.com published the Ultimate Boater’s Holiday Gift Guide: Top Gear and Tech Edition, spotlighting the most coveted gear and cutting-edge boating technology. Alongside the holiday-themed content, readers gained valuable insights into safe boating practices during the winter months.

With Discover Boating boat shows kicking off, Discover Boating continues to be a one-stop destination for boat show enthusiasts and newcomers alike. In addition to specific show guides, articles such as Family-Friendly Fun: What Boat Shows Offer for Kids, help educate new boaters on what they can expect at Discover Boating shows.

website article about important boating events and dates for 2024

New articles published to Discover Boating in December included:

Articles that saw growth in page views in December (compared to December 2022) included:

Industry stakeholders are welcome to share these articles with customers via social, e-newsletters and other communication channels. For additional Discover Boating resources and content, visit: https://b2b.discoverboating.com/toolkit/default.aspx.

MRAA Announces 2024 Young Leaders Advisory Council

MINNEAPOLIS, January 16, 2024 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today Co-Chair officers and six new members for the Young Leaders Advisory Council (YLAC). As young marine professionals working within the recreational boating industry, council members help to further the industry for business stakeholders and consumers. Along with possessing ambitious leadership and industry awareness, YLAC ambassadors influence future programs and shape marine business.    

YLAC Chair Susan Duquette, President of Lakeview Marine, Inc., in Webster, Mass., maintains her role as Chair, representing the council on the MRAA Board of Directors. Joining YLAC last year, Wendy Ramsey, General Manager at Pirate Cove Marine Inc. / Owner of RBK Distribution Inc., in Ontario, Kemptville, Canada, returns in 2024 as Co-Chair.

“We are grateful for the commitment of our council members in donating their time and passion to benefit our industry. I look forward to what we can accomplish in addressing challenges that we all share in our dealerships,” says Duquette.

“YLAC has taken the opportunity to redefine their purpose over the past few years and is gaining traction. It’s great to see new faces ready to contribute and represent MRAA and the next generation of boat dealers,” says Sarah Korbel, MRAA Events and Operations Manager and Staff Representative.

New YLAC Members:

  • James Cimino, Owner, Sierra Hills Mobile Marine, Auburn, Calif.
  • Justin Dysert, Lead Sales Consultant, Taylor’s South Shore Marina, Waynesville, Ohio
  • Will Monson, General Sales Manager, Moose Landing Marina, Naples, Maine
  • Braden Panasiuk, General Manager, Gibbons Motor Toys, Salmon Arm, B.C., Canada
  • Briley Phillips, Sales Associate, Phil Dill Boats, Lewisville, Texas
  • Zack Ryden, Controller, Ryden Marine & Minocqua Yamaha, Minocqua, Wis.
  • Jon Stovall,General Sales Manager, Ocean Blue Yacht Sales, Stuart, Fla.

Additional Returning YLAC Members:

  • Christian Hansen, General Manager, Idaho Water Sports, Idaho Falls, Idaho
  • J Hurless, Owner, Reeder-Trausch Marine, Rockville, Ind.
  • Kenda Kennard, Business Development Representative, Huntington Distribution Finance (Industry Representative), Schaumburg, Ill.
  • Ashlynn LaLonde Olson, Vice President, Hutchinson’s Boat Works, Inc., Alexandria Bay, N.Y.
  • Heather Mess, National Marina Manager, MarineMax, Inc., Clearwater, Fla.
  • Krista Sparkes, Regional Director, Smoker Craft, Inc. (Industry Representative), New Paris, Ind.

The mission of the YLAC is to supplement and support the mission of the Board of Directors of the MRAA. YLAC provides guidance as to the current state of the marine retailers’ day-to-day operations, both in challenges and opportunities. YLAC strives to set the example in identifying, inspiring, recruiting and onboarding key younger generation members to participate in the association, facilitating the future growth and success of MRAA.

The MRAA will hold a call for applications this fall. Click here to learn more about YLAC, or email sarah@mraa.com.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.