Discover Boating, powered by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and MRAA, recently launched a new video series, “A Way of Life: A Float On Story,” which features the story of David Callejas, owner of Float On Boat Rentals in Austin, Texas, and his family’s boating journey.
The new series will be distributed across emerging Hispanic and national media platforms throughout the summer and during Hispanic Heritage Month this September and tells the story of how David Callejas’ was introduced to boating by his father and turned his passion into a thriving business and enduring tradition with his wife, Santana, and their three children.
‘A Way of Life: A Float On Story’ includes two mini-documentary style long-form videos — the first focusing on the significance of boating as a family tradition and the second highlighting boating as a successful business venture, in addition to shorter cutdowns that will be deployed across a variety of social media platforms.
TAMPA, FLORIDA, July 11 — Skier’s Choice recently announced it has selected the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ (MRAA) Dealer Week Conference & Expo as the location of its annual dealer meeting this December. The meeting will take place in the days leading up to Dealer Week 2023, held Dec. 4-7 at the Tampa Convention Center in Florida, allowing attendees to participate in both events.
“We are very excited this year to be combining our Skier’s Choice national dealer meeting with MRAA’s Dealer Week,” said Chris Crysdale, VP Marketing & Sales, Skier’s Choice. “Every year we look for guest speakers with a powerful message to come to our dealer meeting, so this year we are bringing our dealers to those speakers.
“Our meetings are not just about our products, but we also like to train their entire dealerships on how we can all improve and grow in every aspect of the dealership,” he added. “Combining with Dealer Week gives us a great opportunity to focus on our products with our dealers and then give them a great opportunity to educate their entire staff on how to be the best dealership possible by utilizing the Dealer Week training.”
Dealer Week’s in-person attendance continues to grow. Last year, more than 1,300 attendees joined the event. That is the highest number of attendees ever at a conference hosted by MRAA, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Dealer attendance was up more than 20 percent over 2021 and up 5 percent over the all-time high at an in-person MRAA conference of 650 dealers in 2017. Additionally, the event set a record with 125 exhibitors; a 24 percent increase over 2021.
“Skier’s Choice cares a lot about hosting great meetings for their dealers every year, so we were honored when they decided to partner with us to bring this year’s meeting to Dealer Week,” said Mike Davin, MRAA VP of Business Planning. “By bringing the events together we make both more valuable for everyone who attends, which is always our goal.”
Exhibitor registration for Dealer Week is now open. Dealer registration opens later in July. See DealerWeek.com for complete details.
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.
This guest MRAA Blog was authored by Parker Stair, Co-Founder of Radian IoT and represents his opinions on dealers and manufacturer inventory management, in response to MRAA President Matt Gruhn’s column on the same topic in the July issue of Soundings Trade Only.
As someone responsible for managing the MasterCraft dealer network inventory levels back in the day, I felt a massive responsibility to thousands of people during the Great Recession. The management team was tasked with addressing the rapid rise in inventory while managing to keep the factory in business. It was a very stressful situation, but we ultimately succeeded. It pains me to see the same mistakes being made again today.
You ask a great question in your article; “What must the marine industry do to change the structure of our game?” From first-hand experience, I believe it starts and ends with improving the timeliness and transparency of retail sales data.
There’s a solution to this challenge and it’s available today with Radian. This must sound entirely self-serving, but Radian’s existence was born from the challenges of dealing with inaccurate dealer inventory data from that devastating 2007- 2009 era. Eliminating manual inventory counts is an enormous benefit of this approach.
Radian IoT is a Partner Member of the MRAA.
To win the game of inventory management, it’s critical to get boat builder and their dealers on the same page, and one of the primary objectives of our platform development was to provide an early warning to dealers and manufacturers about too many or too few boats in dealer inventory. The premise is simple: Put a self-powered Radian device aboard each boat during the production process and count the total number of days that boat lives in inventory until it retails to the end user. And I mean the exact time and day the unit was delivered to the customer, as verified by the Radian device attached to the boat exiting the dealer’s geo-fence and not returning.
Then, we take this “days-in-inventory” information and process it into averages across other retail-sold boats by model, length, engine configuration, colors, etc. so that both the dealer and the manufacturer have actual real-time data to make better decisions, collectively. The days of waiting to receive a warranty registration before a manufacturer classifies a boat as “retail sold” can’t end soon enough! There is so much time and opportunity lost through our current, manual process, that the lack of accountability contributes greatly to the inventory imbalance we find ourselves in again.
As you pointed out in your article, achieving balance is something that can be better managed. The challenge of accomplishing balance is tremendously reduced for those utilizing the Radian platform. Radian supports balanced inventory levels with data continuously being updated and shared with the manufacturer and the dealer in real-time. For the first time ever, both the dealer and the manufacturer have exactly the same retail sell-through data at precisely the same time. The dealer can use the data gleaned from past sales to order new boats, in quicker selling colors, with quicker selling engines, and quicker selling options. You get the idea.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that the builders and dealers that have the best data will be in the strongest position going forward. The truly visionary boat dealers and manufacturers are already equipping their boats and trailers with Radian devices. They will be the first to benefit from this newfound transparency. Those who continue to go it alone will find themselves increasingly behind the eight ball. Before you know it, those with superior data will outperform the those who rely on antiquated, manual processes.
• Discover Boating shares timely web and social content with consumers interested in boating tips, resources and ways to get on the water
With summer in full swing, boating is top of mind as many Americans prioritize experiences, outdoor recreation and work-life balance. Discover Boating, powered by MRAA and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), is sharing timely and relevant web and social content with consumers interested in boating tips, resources and ways to get on the water. Among the topics covered in June included boating safety best practices, how to plan a boating vacation and how to prepare for a visit to a dealership.
A snapshot of the most popular and engaging Discover Boating content from June:
Industry stakeholders: We welcome you to share these articles with customers via social, e-newsletters and your other communication channels. And for additional resources and tools, visit Discover Boating Industry Resource Center.
MINNEAPOLIS, — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces the addition of Outer Armor by Commercial Sewing, SureShade and Viaggio Pontoon Boats as Partner Members.
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 in MRAA members’ business.
Outer Armor by Commercial Sewing (Torrington, Conn.) utilizes unique materials with advanced technical methods to create world-class covers for recreational vehicles.
SureShade (Bradenton, Fla.) designs and manufactures innovative marine sunshade systems that enhance and facilitate the boating experience.
Viaggio Pontoon Boats (Bristol, Ind.), named after the bold angled lines resembling a ‘V,’ are hand constructed by top-tier talent with high-quality materials.
“Partnering with manufacturers who can provide a better boating experience to marine industry customers is invaluable,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Vice President of Business Development. “These organizations’ commitment to MRAA demonstrates their devotion to the boating industry and marine dealers throughout North America.”
Dealer members are encouraged to explore the list of companies that actively support the MRAA across four partnership levels. View the full list.
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.
Discover Boating, powered by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and MRAA, launched episode three, “Captain’s Duties,” in its five-part digital video series Discover Boating Safety Basics, in partnership with Progressive® Insurance.
In this episode, boaters will learn expert tips on being a responsible boat captain. The video covers best practices regarding topics such as fueling, speed, navigation lights, docking, and more.
Industry stakeholders are encouraged to share these educational videos on social media channels, websites, in showrooms and emails to help educate and connect with customers.
The Discover Boating Safety Basics video series can be found in the Industry Resource Center, where each episode will be added as they go live. Be sure to subscribe to the Discover Boating YouTube channel for more video content.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that Shurhold Industries, an MRAA Member Benefit Provider, has increased its level of support to a Platinum Partner Member.
Through Platinum Partner Membership, Shurhold Industries supports the MRAA’s programs and the opportunities we provide the dealer body in an effort to fuel the success of the industry. Commitments from Platinum Partners like Shurhold allow for the expansion of MRAA’s offerings and creates a positive, long-term impact for our members.
Shurhold Industries began in a garage in 1973 with William E. Peach making a unique interchangeable brush and handle that became the cornerstone of the company’s product line, the “One Handle Does It All” system. After 25 years of building the company and nearing retirement, Peach and his wife Mercy decided to sell it. The couple hand-picked Barry Berhoff, a young entrepreneur and someone whom they saw as Shurhold’s new guiding light. Berhoff recognized Shurhold’s untapped potential and set the company on a success trajectory through process modernization, marketing, product innovation and expanding into international markets. He also built a company around the idea that it would support boat owners’ passions by providing not just versatile, professional-grade detailing products, but also empowering them with the knowledge and enthusiasm to use them.
“For most of our customers, a Shurhold retailer is the true face of our company and throughout its 50-year history, our partnerships with local dealers have helped us inspire generations of boaters to embrace their can-do spirits by detailing their boats and taking pride in their accomplishments,” explains Barry Berhoff, company Owner & CEO, “Now through our Platinum-level partnership with the MRAA, we can do even more to support those who have supported the Shurhold brand for over a half a century.”
“As one of MRAA’s current benefit providers, we are elated to see Shurhold elevate its commitment to MRAA through Platinum Membership,” says Jason Walz, Director of Benefits. “We look forward to collaborating with Shurhold Industries to enhance the opportunities and resources offered to our valued members, driving success and growth in our industry.”
Buckets are one of the most popular items on every boat and Shurhold now offers high-quality custom-printed rope-handle buckets in full-color 1200 DPI. These custom-printed buckets allow retailers and dealers to keep their name front and center. MRAA Members can receive generous discounts of up to $1,000 on select orders and other exclusive offers. Learn more & sign up for this MRAA Member Benefit
About Shurhold Industries Shurhold manufactures professional-grade detailing brushes, machine polishers, waxes and more. Our mission is to provide you with quality tools and the best techniques to achieve a showroom shine. Make sure to check out our “How to …” videos and articles where we help you keep your Boat, Car, or RV Clean-N-Simple. To learn more, visit https://shurhold.com/ or contact hello@shurhold.com, +1-772-287-1313.
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 Content to Help Your Customers Partake in the Global Celebration of Sailing
The Summer Sailstice, the international celebration of sailing held annually around the summer solstice, kicks off Saturday, June 24.
In honor of this celebration, DiscoverBoating.com published a Summer Sailstice Guide highlighting 10 sailing events happening around the country this weekend from Green Bay (WI) Sail & Paddle to Sunset Sail on San Francisco Bay.
Image courtesy of Discover Boating
Follow @DiscoverBoating on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram for more information and relevant boating-related content to share with your audiences.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that ZiiDMS is joining the Association for the first time as a Platinum Partner Member.
Through Platinum Partner Membership, ZiiDMS 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 ZiiDMS allows for the expansion of MRAA’s offerings and creates a positive, long-term impact for its members.
ZiiDMS is part of Recreational Dealer Solutions, LLC’s products and services which has a long history of serving the marine and powersports industries through software, advertising and consulting services. ZiiDMS revolutionized the way powersports dealerships run their business and will now be bringing business intelligence and efficient workflows to the marine industry. ZiiDMS and Recreational Dealer Solutions, LLC’s products and services have always been deeply involved in the industries they serve through partnerships such as this one with the MRAA.
ZiiDMS says a driving factor in becoming a Platinum Partner Member is due to MRAA’s longevity, experience and voice they give dealers in the marine industry.
“Supporting our customers and the industries we serve is paramount to our success,” states Jeffrey Littlejohn, President and CEO of Recreational Dealer Solutions, LLC. “MRAA’s mission aligns with our goal to provide dealers in the Marine industry with the technology to increase efficiencies and profitability. We understand the support, training, resources and tools we provide strengthen dealers’ businesses and the industry. We are proud supporters of the MRAA and look forward to our continued partnership.”
“It’s rewarding to have a first-time member like ZiiDMS sign on as Platinum Partner and commit its support to marine dealer success,” says Allison Gruhn, Vice President of Business Development. “Their team has been wonderful to work with and I’m excited to have them impart their knowledge and contribute to the marine industry.”
About ZiiDMS At the core of ZiiDMS, you’ll find a dealer management system (DMS) built for real-time business intelligence, analytics and retail management. In addition, machine learning helps dealers make informed decisions and take action to increase profitability. For more information about ZiiDMS and the BETA Dealer Program, visit www.ziidms.com/marine or contact: gene.lydick@ziidms.com, +1 770-337-5122.
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.
As a dealer, customers look to you as a leader within the recreational boating community, and for that reason it is important you champion safe boating practices and compliance with all state and local laws and regulations. Ultimately, we want you to feel confident as a business owner and your customers to feel the same level of comfort out on the water. When your customers are informed, educated and familiar with their vessels and state boating laws, your dealership can feel assured that you have contributed to a safer overall recreational boating community. This in turn will keep your customers boating longer and keep more folks in your dealership and on the water. To help with that, check out the resources below.
Tips to help make your customer’s experience on the water safer
Host Boating Basics Course
Consider holding regular classes that teach your customers, both new and experienced, how to safely and properly operate their vessels. Including on the water training is a great way to add extra value to a new boaters purchase while making them feel comfortable and confident at the helm. If your dealership is short on personnel, check to see if there is a certified boating safety instruction in your area by clicking here.
BoatU.S. Foundation Hosting
BoatU.S. Foundation is also looking for partners to host on the water safety courses, and your dealership may be the perfect venue. BoatU.S. Foundation has launched an initiative to deliver On-Water training with the intent of developing a national program. They are looking for several partners to conduct events around the country and are currently seeking venues. Typically, these events draw between 40-60 students per day and are a great opportunity to market your facility or boat inventory. All you need to provide are 4–6 boats to be used for instruction, access to bathrooms, have available parking for attendees and open slips or a header pier for practice docking. BoatU.S. Foundation will provide licensed USCG instructors trained in the approved curriculum, will market the event, handle all registration and billing and provide day of support with BoatU.S. Foundation team members. It also provides all relevant materials for the course, including life jackets, promo items and is fully insured. If you are interested in bringing safety to your customers, reach out to Alan Dennison at adennison@boatus.com or call 410-972-3004.
Advocate for Life Jackets
Although most boaters choose not to, wearing a life jacket while boating is one of the easiest ways to stay safe. Be a leader in your community and encourage your customers and the boating public to wear a life jacket while on the water. The National Safe Boating Council has a variety of resources, from flyers, pamphlets, draft social media posts, videos and more, click here to check it out.
Put Safety on Social
As a dealer your customers pay attention to your social channels. Aside from advertising about the latest models and deals you have; be sure you highlight the importance of smart and safe boating. Check out this social media toolkit to help you share the importance of boating safety with your community.
E15 Fuel – Attention Dealers!
As the boating seasons continues, it is important to remind your customers of the dangers of refueling with E15 fuel, which is available at pumps this season. Accidentally refueling with this type of fuel can spell disaster for your customers’ boats. Click here to learn more from our Blog and feel free to share this with your customers.
As the boating season floats on, it’s important to keep your customers safe while they are enjoying themselves on the water. Minnesota and South Carolina recently enacted new mandatory boater education legislation. Here’s a complete breakdown by state. or simply needing a refresher on safe boating practices, the below resources will help your customers stay safer on the water and comply with state boating laws. To learn more about the new mandatory boater education requirements in Minnesota, read our blog.
Additional Resources:
Discover Boating
Discover Boating has generated resources to help new boaters understand their vessel and stay safe on the water. Share these resources with your customers to assist with boating safety, boating etiquette, operation and ownership.
Created by the National Safe Boating Council, Boat On Course helps new owners understand the “rules of the road” as a boater. Complete with videos, graphics and various lessons, this resource is a great introduction and refresher on safe-boating tactics for your customers.
Takemefishing.org
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) has a “Get Started Boating” section on its site that helps customers know where to boat and fish, best practices for success and boat types. This page also includes a special section on Boating and Water Safety, complete with safety tips, checklists and more, you can use to supply your customers to help them with boat operation and ownership. Its Places to Fish and Boat page is also loaded with helpful tools (interactive map) and advice to help consumers create more successful fishing adventures from their boat.
RBFF also has a customer retention toolkit with customizable free content for you to add your logo to get your customers on board. Choose from digital banners, social media posts, press releases, infographics and a PSA video.
Your role in Advocacy & Boating Safety
As a boat dealer and a pillar of your community, your business plays a key role in advocating for boating and fishing, and championing safe boating practices. By creating an educational environment around boating basics, successful practices for safe operation and adherence to compliance with local laws, you’re creating a better experience for your customers and helping to keep them boating safer and longer. Knowing boater education and sharing it, along with your staff’s own expertise, will contribute to your customers making informed decisions and creating lasting memories aboard their boat. These efforts help you to create long-term customer relationships and more well-versed recreational boating community.
I encourage you to reach out to me – chad@mraa.com – about advocacy issues or to discuss boater education and how it pertains to making your customers happier and boating longer!
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