MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces the addition of Comparion Insurance Agency as a new Partner Member.
Marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, through Partner Membership, commit to aligning their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA offers in its efforts to fuel the success of the marine industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact on MRAA members’ business.
Comparion Insurance Agency, headquartered in Boston, Mass., is a Liberty Mutual company that delivers first-rate customer experience through consultative insurance experts located in your community.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the team at Comparion for their collaboration and shared commitment to our goals,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Vice President of Business Development. “I am confident that our partnership will elevate our respective organizations within the marine industry.”
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.
• Great Dealership to Work For Spotlight: How a Certified Dealership in Regal & Nautique of Orlando is Making Quite a Wake in the Florida Boating Scene
Winning is often viewed as the definition of success by many. From sports to business, where you find winners, you regularly find strong leadership, purpose-driven tactics and people who understand that learning is also part of winning. But winning can also mean achieving great success on a personal and professional level, even if void of an authentic head-to-head competition.
Regal & Nautique of Orlando’s all-new, world-class Nautique Sales Showroom and Service Center officially launched on Saturday, Feb. 10 in Orlando, Fla.
American author, speaker and pastor John C. Maxwell explains one aspect of winning in his famous quote: “Wanting to win isn’t enough. You have to go through the process to improve. That takes patience, perseverance, and intentionality.”
Many of you have a winning mindset, can do great things and have had great wins in life and business. Jeff Husby, the outstanding Owner and GM at Regal & Nautique of Orlando, is one such dealer who has won consistently. He possess the desire to win and the discipline for supreme effort. His achievements have included making solid and successful business decisions to put RNO in a triumphant position in the marketplace and make a lasting impact in the recreational boating industry.
Here are just a few of Husby’s/RNO’s outstanding recent accomplishments:
Water Sports Industry Association’s 2023 International Marine Dealer of the Year (a two-time winner in this category).
2023 Sea Tow Foundation’s National Boating Industry Safety Award – Top Marine Retailer category.
Top CSI honors for sales and customer service including recognition from the National Marine Manufacturers Association for each of the brands it represents.
Recognition from Nautique for top sales and service.
PCM Engines Overall Dealer Excellence Award.
Orlando Style magazine names Jeff Husby as one of its “Men & Women of the Year” in Central Florida for 2023.
Husby hasn’t just rested on his successes, though. He has strived for more by proactively refining his business and reinvesting in his workforce and the boating community he serves. Regal & Nautique of Orlando has taken two extensive strides in February to expand its boating footprint, brand and compassion for its customers.
Nautique President Greg Meloon (right) presented Husby with the 2024 Visionary Dealer Leadership Award during the opening ceremonies, which included a crowd of 500 customers, industry leaders and staff.
The first was opening its all-new Nautique Sales Showroom and Service Center in downtown Orlando, Fla. Nearly 500 customers and industry stakeholders attended the grand opening. That’s also where Husby received more recognition, as Nautique President Greg Meloon presented him with the 2024 Visionary Dealer Leadership Award.
The new 19,036-square-foot Nautique showroom took more than 5 years to bring to fruition. The innovative, purpose-built sales and service facility puts customer experience at the forefront. Husby ensured every store component delivered the ultimate customer experience expected from a world-class establishment.
“We researched, studied and visited dozens of top marine and automotive sales-and-service showrooms regionally and throughout the country,” said Husby in an RNO release. “We have incorporated a winning series of intelligent designs, many of which are unique and set a new benchmark for our industry.”
The Nautique location also considered employee comfort and elevated customer experiences in service and parts as critical components of the new store. It features:
Easily accessible Service Department for customers features a large circular drop-off area completely under-roof, with an adjacent service window.
The 5000-square-foot service facility includes three interior and three exterior service bays, plus two inside and two exterior service bays for boat prep.
The climate-controlled service facility includes a dedicated resource area housing an overhead bridge crane, computer and document storage, shop supplies, custom tech toolboxes, plus private tech restrooms and a wash area.
The new facility also features eight private offices, an employee kitchen/lunchroom, separate customer and employee restroom facilities.
All interior doors include biometric digital security locks and facial recognition security cameras.
A fully secured Parts complex features an automatic roll-up door that opens to the retail showroom, improving customer access.
Second, Husby continued along the leadership and modernism pathway by lifting the veil off Wake United, a cutting-edge, professional pro shop dedicated to serving the global water sports community. Meeting its customers where they are and with determined customer service, Wake Uniteddelivers a seamless blend of virtual online and brick-and-mortar shopping convenience with extraordinary customized sales support to build trust, loyalty and enriching encounters.
Regal & Nautique of Orlando recently opened Wake United, a cutting-edge, professional pro shop exclusively dedicated to serving the global water sports community.
“We believe that the pro shop sector is a critical component of the customer journey in boating and water sports,” said Husby in the release. “The pro shop is a vital element in the over-arching eco-system, providing products that excite customers and allow them to continue to progress in their water sports experience and better enjoy their time on the water. Our goal is to deliver the top brands in the industry and to provide exceptional service to our customers by leveraging the vast knowledge and passion of our team of highly experienced water sports professionals.”
Regal & Nautique of Orlando, an MRAA Certified Dealership and Gold Member, is dedicated to continuous improvement. Husby has taken RNO and the brand to new heights, helped foster a culture of accountability and trust, invested in employee development and committed to improving customer experience at every touchpoint. Along with his team, Husby and RNO, are making a royal effort to create a lasting legacy in Florida that rewards the marine industry and keeps customers boating for generations.
As accolades continue to roll in, Husby continues to put in the hard work necessary to keep winning. His team annually attends MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference & Expo. Through MRAA’s Dealership Certification and Continuous Certification, RNO continues to work on the fundamentals and seeks improvement every year. As MRAA Members, RNO staff gains access to world-class education and a library of continuous education to encourage growth and adaptability.
Not only has Husby’s commitment to excellence produced amazing recognition for him and his team, but also confident decision-making and resiliency have helped RNO stand out from the masses and withstand economic challenges.
MRAA Lead Certification Consultant Bob McCann reinforced this level of hardiness in a blog that included these words: “Dealer Certification is entirely focused on the customer experience – before, during and after the sale … the results are not only better customer experience, but also a more efficient, effective and profitable dealership with staying power. Case in point? If you were the average dealer heading into the Great Recession, you had about a 65 percent chance of survival. But if you were a Certified Dealer, you had greater than a 91 percent chance to make it through. Certification makes that much of a difference.”
Need help taking your dealership to the next level? Explore these five things today:
During the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show Industry Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 15, NMMA President, Frank Hugelmeyer’s state of the industry address included a sneak peek of the growing list of real boaters sharing their real stories of life on the water as part of the industry’s Discover Boating “See You Out Here” campaign.
Gary Sheffield hit 509 career home runs in the MLB with eight different teams during his 22-year career.
One of these boaters is nine-time Major League Baseball all-star, Gary Sheffield. Having played for eight teams in his career from 1988 to 2009, including the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, Sheffield has a passion for boating that’s played an important part of his life.
Sheffield joined Hugelmeyer on stage, sharing words of thanks to the manufacturers and industry executives who make boating possible and help create memories for him, his family and friends. Research shows boaters are more likely to be aspirational than most. With this in mind, Sheffield’s inspirational story will help ignite more people to experience boating. Sheffield is one of a handful of real boater stories being added to the 2024 Discover Boating campaign this spring.
Discover Boating, powered by the NMMA and MRAA, will share these stories across paid digital, streaming, social media, events and PR.
• Paves the Way for a Culture of Safe Boating in the Grand Canyon State
Minneapolis, MN, February 15, 2024 – Wednesday, Feb. 9, the Arizona House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted 9-2 to pass H.B. 2149: Watercraft operation; minors; safety education. This marks the first step toward adopting boater education in the Grand Canyon State. As of today, Arizona is one of five states across the U.S. without mandatory boater education for any group of people.
In 2022 alone, boating accidents killed 13 individuals, injured 60 and caused $1 million in damages across Arizona. Sponsored by RepresentativeDavid Cook (R-07) and Senator Brian Fernandez (D-023), H.B. 2149 establishes a boater education program to ensure the safe use of Arizona’s expansive waterways. By requiring those born on or after Jan. 1, 2007, operating a vessel over 50 HP to take a NASBLA-approved boater education course or presenting a boater safety card from another state, Arizona recognizes the importance of boating and the safety of its users.
The MRAA and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) worked in close collaboration with the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA), the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), and local stakeholders to garner support for this legislation and highlight the need for increased recreational boating safety measures.
“Recreational boating safety continues to be a top priority of the recreational marine industry and we are excited about the potential to pass this legislation in Arizona and give boaters the tools they need to have a fun and safe experience on the water,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “The success we are seeing so far in Arizona would not be possible without the support of our Arizona dealers and the work done by coalition members to highlight the broad range of stakeholders who support this measure.”
Driven by Arizonans, H.B. 2149 has been championed across the state. Bullhead City resident Bart Anderson recently penned a letter to the editor in the Lake Havasu News and, calling upon his experience as a Coast Guard Auxiliary Member, stated that it is time Arizona pass boater education. After spending several hundred hours on the river as a deckhand on the police boat, Anderson says, “[Even though] there may not have been [a boating] accident … it doesn’t have to be an accident to be a huge safety concern.”
“In the Grand Canyon State, there are over 126,000 registered watercrafts, and as the boating industry experiences record growth, it’s imperative the boating community advocate for strong, commonsense legislation that establishes safety standards and best practices to protect boaters,” said Rachel Fischer, NMMA Western Policy and Engagement Manager. “Mandatory boater education and training will support a safe environment on our waterways, and allow for recreational boaters to continue to have peace of mind while enjoying time on the water with their families and friends.”
Across the state, Marc Lamber, a Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent-rates trial attorney and consumer advocate, published an op-ed in the Arizona Capitol Times supporting H.B. 2149. Lamber has written extensively about boating safety in the past and says, “H.B. 2149 is a common-sense measure” and that the bill does not curtail enjoyment of recreational boating, rather aligning Arizona with 45 fellow states across the country. As Arizona increases in population and popularity, boating has as well, which Lamber believes is up to the state legislature to move forward in passing mandatory boater education.
With more than 125,000 boats registered and a $2 billion annual impact, Arizona is a hub for recreational boating. By bridging the gap between education and boating, Arizona takes the next step in ensuring that recreational boating is here to stay in the state.
If you live in Arizona and would like to support H.B. 2149 in passing the House, please take action on Boating United: LINK
If you have any questions or are interested in scheduling a visit with Arizona members, state legislators or their respective staff members, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com. Click here to learn more about MRAA Advocacy.
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.
MIAMI, February 15 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) has announced that Aimie (AI for Marine Industry Education), its artificial intelligence-powered content delivery system for boat dealers, has earned the Best Use of AI 2023 Neptune Award.
The MRAA received the 2023 Neptune Award Best Use of AI for its Aimie artificial intelligence content-delivery system. Representing the MRAA at the event was Anna Eaton, Marketing Specialist.
“It’s inspiring for the MRAA to receive a Neptune Award for Aimie because she delivers innovative technology to the marine industry and is a direct extension of our staff, resources and world-class education,” said Anna Eaton, MRAA Marketing Specialist. “Aimie provides MRAA members with ideas and answers to solve their current problems in their time of need, 24/7, helping them to automate tasks and find exactly what they need from MRAA educational materials.”
The Neptune Award: Best Use of AI celebrates innovators harnessing cutting-edge AI in their marketing strategies. These disruptors exemplify creativity by using AI for personalized content recommendations, chatbots for real-time customer interactions, predictive analytics for targeted campaigns and AI-generated content for social media. They leverage AI to enhance customer experiences, optimize ad spending and craft hyper-personalized marketing messages.
MRAA launched Aimie in December 2023 at its Dealer Week Conference and Expo in Tampa, Fla. The closed AI model, created in partnership with BettyBot.ai, provides MRAA Silver and Gold Members credible answers to their questions. Think of Aimie as a marine industry specific ChatGPT, trained only on reliable educational content from MRAA’s online courses, case studies, webinars, white papers, educational guides and other additional resources. She (Aimie) is really your co-captain in running a smooth dealership.
“Aimie contributes immensely to our mission to fuel dealer success, helping marine retailers find exactly what they need to train their staff and get right to the answers they need,” said Eaton. “AI will not replace people, but people who don’t use AI to improve their business will be replaced by those who do!”
Check out Aimie here: mraa.com/aimie. For more information, email Anna Eaton, Marketing Specialist atanna@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.
Minneapolis, February 14 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ (MRAA) Board of Directors recently approved its 2024 legislative and regulatory advocacy resolutions as recommended by the Advisory Council of Marine Associations (ACMA).
The advisory council and its annual resolutions are an integral part of the MRAA’s advocacy efforts. ACMA was created to advise the MRAA on its annual policy agenda and comprises state, regional and national marine trade associations. ACMA helps highlight the MRAA’s collaborative approach to working on issues impacting the industry at large and its dedication to championing the dealer voice. The inclusion of recreational boating industry stakeholders from around the country ultimately results in a set of resolutions that cover issues and priorities impacting every aspect of the industry. These resolutions will guide MRAA’s engagement in state legislatures across the country throughout the year.
The 2024 resolutions are as follows:
Create an Advocate for state and federal programs to assist with marine industry workforce development.
Support Federal and State Blue Economy Legislation.
Advocate for waterways access and policies to minimize user conflict.
Work with Federal, State, and Local legislators and regulatory agencies to prioritize or protect the interests of the recreational marine industry, including dealers, manufacturers, and consumers.
In addition to working with ACMA on the resolutions, MRAA leads bi-weekly calls where ACMA members provide updates on State and Federal policy priorities as well as other relevant industry news in their region. These calls provide an opportunity to discuss legislative and regulatory actions impacting the industry and updates on the work any ACMA member is doing on policy priorities in their region. The MRAA began leading these calls in late 2019 to increase collaboration among ACMA members and ultimately create a tight-knit network of marine trade associations that engage together on legislative and regulatory priorities.
State marine trade association involvement allows for direct stakeholder input, providing MRAA staff a comprehensive understanding of the issues impacting dealers throughout the country. Furthermore, collaborating with regional stakeholders ensures that local voices are leveraged where possible and provides an opportunity for those who stand to be impacted most to get engaged and provide meaningful input.
“These resolutions represent significant input from ACMA members, and I am eager to continue to work with our marine trade association partners on our shared priorities across the country,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “As the MRAA continues to grow and increase our advocacy engagements, it is imperative we stay true to our mission and work collaboratively with partners throughout the country while leveraging dealer voices.”
“The National Marine Manufacturers Association looks forward to working with our industry partners to accomplish the shared resolutions set forth by the ACMA,” said David Dickerson, Vice President of State Government Relations at the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Our commitment to collaboration across the industry continues to strengthen the recreational boating community.”
“I am the only employee at our association, and it is challenging enough to keep up with Maine’s state legislation, let alone federal issues,” said Stacey Keefer, Executive Director of the Maine Marine Trades Association. “Our association is always grateful for the collaboration and guidance from our national partners with ACMA. It makes us feel like we are not just one small voice advocating all alone from the corner of the country.”
“The Advisory Council of Marine Associations’ is an influential resource for the recreational marine industry with the leadership provided by MRAA,” said Brian Dursi, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association. “I value the collaboration of advocacy efforts amongst the state marine trade associations to create a national voice to promote our industry and its impact on the economy.”
“Working in a collaborative manner with our national partners at the MRAA has been extremely important to how our association is able to support our member businesses,” said Randall M. Lyons, Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA) Executive Director, a member of the ACMA council. “The MMTA looks forward to continuing this relationship in the future, with the common goal of supporting the recreational boating industry.”
Email Chad Tokowiczto learn more about ACMA or to get involved in the MRAA’s government relations efforts.
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.
It’s evident through dealership conversation and feedback that many sales teams could use a refresher course on sales tactics. Many dealers have mentioned the need for training or revisiting selling basics and strategies to help their sales teams chip off the rust and add polish so they can become more effective and achieve better results.
Sales basics refer to the foundational elements of the sales process (Watch this five-course package). Along with analyzing your current sales methods, these are critical skills that any sales team should possess to master sales and gain success.
In the MRAATraining.com course “Fill the Gaps in Your Dealership’s Sales Process,” educators Jim Million and Bob McCann emphasize being positive, setting high expectations and having advanced preparation. You can hone the sales process by researching prospects, knowing the decision-maker and understanding the buyer type. Your team can then develop effective communication strategies for each prospective buyer. Bob and Jim advocate for product knowledge, rapid response to customer questions and projecting positivity and confidence. You are more effective when you invest the time to study, learn, practice and gain insight into your prospects and customers.
Let’s explore some of these core principles:
Prospecting: Identify and qualify those leads who have shown interest in your products or services. [Get lead management tips here.]
Building Rapport: Connect with potential customers by finding common ground and creating a sense of trust and understanding.
Needs Assessment: Asking the right questions to understand customer needs, desires and pain points. This crucial step helps you tailor your approach for each customer, offering them a unique experience.
Presentation: Showcasing your products or services to match your customer’s needs, highlighting the benefits and value proposition.
Handling Objections: Listening intently to customer concerns or objections so you can address them effectively. Listen more than you speak to provide clear, persuasive responses. [Get better at listening here.]
Closing: Know when and how to ask for the sale using the information you’ve gathered throughout the sales process. Be ready to make a compelling case for why the customer should buy now.
Follow-Up: Enrich the ownership experience with post-sale follow-up to ensure their satisfaction, address any issues or question and maintain the relationship for future sales opportunities.
Revisiting Selling Basics & Fundamentals Getting back to fundamentals works in sales as it does in sports. If a baseball hitter struggles with his swing, he works with a hitting coach and trains with a batting tee to get back on track mentally and physically. Similarly, sales pros can work together by role-playing, practicing customer scenarios and providing helpful feedback to improve training and process.
By refining your approach based on desired sales outcomes, customer feedback and demands for a superior experience, your sales team can enhance their effectiveness and boost closing ratios.
Aimie, MRAA’s AI for Marine Industry Education reports that the common benchmark for close ratio in the retail industry is roughly 20-25%. That compares with a recent report from HubSpot regarding the average close rate of 20% across numerous industries.
Put simply, for 100 qualified leads or prospects your sales team would need to close a quarter of them. Of course, we all know that ideal closing ratios for dealerships vary as do the tactics and processes used. Boat types, market conditions, cash buyers and financing concerns also play a role. Ultimately, it’s about converting shoppers into buyers!
This blog shares actual real-world feedback from dealers who have implemented tactics to improve close ratios at their dealerships.
Do you know your sales numbers and where your individual team members currently sit? Knowing your numbers is Strategy No. 2 in the MRAA’s Guide to Navigating 2024.
We understand it’s not always easy to get a handle on everyone and everything you do at your dealership, but it’s time to make every possible effort to do it and to track it.
11 Helpful Tactics It’s one reason we ask dealers like you to share tips and best practices for success in improving closing ratios. Here are 11 tactics to explore to help your team and dealership improve.
Manage Customer Expectations for Trade Values: The goal is to build trust with customers and to help them feel confident and comfortable with a purchasing decision. It’s vital to be upfront and honest about trade-in values.
Reinforce Product Availability: Chances are you have good inventory levels of new and used vessels. It’s wise to take advantage of that and inform customers of their options.
Value Proposition: You’re not just selling a boat but also your dealership and your team. Be sure to emphasize the long-term relationship and the quality of service customers will receive by working with your dealership.
Educate and Slow Down the Sale: Take the time to educate the customer about why now is the best time to buy. Discuss dealer discounts, brand incentives and the benefits of the inventory you have on hand.
Incentives and Promotions: Any available incentives, promotions, or rebates on new boats —boat show deals – can help entice customers to buy.
Maintenance and Service: Certain dealers have encouraged regular maintenance and offered to schedule bigger jobs over the winter, which helped their customers spread out their spending. [Need a service process map?]
Sales Basics: Returning to basic selling strategies and holding regular sales meetings to refresh your approach is an effective practice.
Overcome Financing Objections: Address concerns about higher interest rates by explaining that they have returned to historical norms. Remind them that the value and enjoyment they will get from boating will outweigh these costs. Encourage them to buy now because it’s currently a buyer’s market, interest rates will likely drop and it’s feasible to refinance down the road. [Get more tips.]
Lifestyle Selling: Boating had a spotlight on it during the pandemic as a sanctuary and safe escape from societal pressures. Emphasize to your customers both the lifestyle and aspirational aspects of boating persist and the rewards of the enriching on-the-water experience.
Quality of Life: People focus a lot on short-term needs, but with boating, it’s smart to sell on long-term quality of life-objectives. By taking this approach, you can shift the focus off price and redirect it to the overall value of boating experiences.
Social Media and Online Presence: Use your social channels to connect and engage with potential customers to showcase the joys of boating and the value your dealership offers. Use these touchpoints to nurture relationships.
These suggested dealership tactics to improve close ratios might not reflect every perspective in the industry. However, they are a valuable starting point for improving your sales team’s closing ratios. Ongoing training and empowering your sales team with knowledge and tools can help them succeed in today’s market.
• Use the MRAA Guide to Navigating 2024 as a Tool to Find Success
Fear can be demobilizing for some, almost as if you’re stuck in quicksand and panicking about your next move. The fear of failure can cause some to push for the status quo.
For others, fear can act as a motivator to change, innovate and explore solutions. For others, searching for answers to issues and problem areas is a proactive effort to find resolve and search for meaning. They overcome fear with action!
Most marine retailers have questions and concerns about 2024 and beyond. The post-pandemic business surge is over! Talk has shifted to suggestions of treating your boat business as it was in 2018 to 2019 rather than the early 2020s, which was an anomaly, not the norm. Midway through 2022, we saw a shift back to normalcy for most in the marine industry. Customer demand decreased, inventory levels climbed and curtailments resumed in 2023.
Along with these business changes, negativity, distrust and uncertainty are prevalent. War exists overseas, involving many nations and political agendas. Here, at home, in 2024, it’s an election year, creating new anxiety and shaky consumer confidence levels. It’s no wonder why fear creeps in, takes control and we become reactive instead of taking action.
So what’s a boat dealer like you, sitting barely two months into a new year, supposed to do if you’re already staring a murky 2024 in the face? Take action!
11 Success Strategies We understand the worries and concerns that exist for you and your team. The Guide to Navigating 2024 provides you with tactics to implement to help strengthen your dealership’s position in the market no matter what happens this year. We encourage you to use the more than 60 tools and resources to implement these 11 strategies for success.
Strategy 11: Recruit and Retain the Employees You Need
To learn more, visit the Guide to Navigating 2024 MRAA web portal.
These strategies take you from fear and a state of inertia to one of momentum-generating action. Your ability to proceed helps you understand your hurdles and gain the necessary speed and confidence to leap over them! With each challenge comes opportunities to adapt and change, giving you the assurance you need to move forward.
This MRAA guide serves as both a tactical roadmap and an encouraging tool – arming you with proven processes and education from the MRAA, industry educators, partners and Discover Boating – to help drive your team forward to find the success you need in 2024 and beyond.
Overcome Fear with Action! We understand that you may be onboard with taking 2024 by the horns, but are not an MRAA member. We’ve created a handy preview that includes a portion of Strategy No. 1 – Manage Your Mindset. Download a copy today! For full membership and access, contact Sherri Cuvala, Director of Membership at sherri@mraa.com; 763-333-2420.
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 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 Boatingoffers 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 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.
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