SOUTHOLD, NY, JULY 8 — The Sea Tow Foundation, in cooperation with its Boating Safety Advisory Council, announced the official call for entries for the “2022 National Boating Industry Safety Awards.”
“The Sea Tow Foundation is excited to enter its fourth year hosting the National Boating Industry Safety Awards and to present this year’s awards just prior to the start of IBEX 2022 in Tampa, Fla. With a streamlined application process, we’re looking forward to learning more about the many ways companies throughout the marine industry have been promoting responsible boating,” said Gail R. Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation.
The awards recognize efforts to promote safety on the water within the for-profit sector of the boating industry in the following categories: • Marine Manufacturer • Gear/Equipment Manufacturer • Marine Media Firms or Companies • Public Relations, Advertising, or Marketing Effort • Small Marine Retailer/Dealership (up to 3 locations) • Large Marine Retailer/Dealership (4 or more locations)
“I encourage all who have spearheaded boating safety initiatives to take the time to apply as the industry and consumers deserve to see your hard work and dedication to keeping us all safe on the water,” said Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager at the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “This is also an important opportunity to highlight the various ways boating safety initiatives take place and can inspire future initiatives while highlighting best practices that resonate throughout the boating community.”
More Information: • No cost to enter • Deadline to enter is Saturday, July 23 • Participants may submit multiple applications for different efforts. • The application process has been simplified this year to make it quick and easy to enter. • Awards will be presented Monday, September 26, at the Soundings Trade Only Most Innovative Company Awards event.
The Sea Tow Foundation is eager to see the creativity across the boating industry as the 2022 contest will recognize a wide range of efforts honoring boating industry companies including those in the manufacturing, media, retailer, marketing and advertising realms. View a list of winners from previous years to see examples of the types of campaigns that could be considered for entry. ABOUT SEA TOW FOUNDATION The Sea Tow Foundation – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – was started in 2007 by Captain Joe Frohnhoefer, founder of Sea Tow Services International, after he witnessed too many preventable accidents and fatalities on the water. Through its flagship programs which include the Life Jacket Loaner Program, Sober Skipper Campaign, and the National Boating Industry Safety Awards, the Sea Tow Foundation strives towards its vision of a world where boaters are safe and responsible. To learn more, visit boatingsafety.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.
TechForce Foundation Details Solutions to Address Transportation Industry’s Technician Problem
June 29, 2022 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ – TechForce Foundation®, the only nonprofit 501(c)(3) committed exclusively to career exploration and workforce development for technician professionals across all transportation industry sectors, today released a critical new whitepaper addressing the role that women techs can play in solving the ongoing technician workforce shortage. Women Techs: Solving the Tech Shortage Problemgoes into detail on how the automotive, aviation, diesel, collision, motorsports and other transportation industry sectors can recruit and retain women technicians and offer professional growth opportunities throughout every phase of their careers. TechForce Foundation interviewed women technicians across multiple sectors from the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK. The interview group spanned every career stage, ranging in age from 19 years old to 60.
“Women make up more than half the population but account for less than 3% of the technician workforce,” said Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation. “The women techs we spoke to are thriving, and with demand for qualified technicians across the service and maintenance sector greatly outpacing supply, there is a huge opportunity for the industry to recruit women into these important ‘new collar,’ STEM careers.”
“Today’s technician role has transformed to meet the increasing complexity and advancements in automotive technology and with that the need for qualified and diverse talent is great,” said John Roth, GM global vice president, Customer Care and Aftersales. “At GM, we are committed to being the most inclusive company in the world. We invest everyday in a culture that allows everyone to bring their whole self to work which includes steps to support and attract more women to consider the skilled trades as an attractive career option.”
In addition to collecting and sharing the real-world experience and insights of women techs today, TechForce articulates key steps that employers can take to enhance their ongoing recruitment, retention, and growth strategies.
“It’s clear that women seeking technician careers will play a vital part in the service and maintenance industry, where the need for talent at all levels is enormous,” said Dana Rapoport, TechForce’s Chief Consultant, DE&I. “We hope employers take full advantage of this opportunity, and implement the findings in this whitepaper to welcome this growing pool of diverse, skilled workers eager to contribute to the technician workforce.”
About TechForce Foundation TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion all students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians. TechForce powers the technician workforce by awarding more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually to financially-disadvantaged students; changes perceptions towards this evolving, ‘new collar’ STEM career; and provides local career exploration and workforce development programming. TechForce’s online, social network of students, working technicians, instructors, employers, industry professionals and enthusiasts committed to championing the technician workforce is the conduit through which the charity delivers its free resources, programs and career hub for the benefit of aspiring technicians. For more information, visit techforce.org. Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin.
WASHINGTON, D.C., June, 29, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that members of the U.S. House and Senate have stepped up and highlighted their support for the MRAA’s recent submission to the Apprenticeship Building America grant program hosted by the Department of Labor. Members of both chambers sent letters to the Department of Labor highlighting their support for the program and the immense impact it would not only have on citizens and businesses in their districts, but also the recreational boating industry at large.
“The MRAA and the recreational boating industry cannot thank the members who have stepped up to support the BOAT Jobs Grant Application enough,” said Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager at MRAA. “Your support for this initiative and the workforce of the recreational boating industry is laudable and further highlights your commitment to your constituents and improving the outdoor recreation economy as a whole.”
Again, the MRAA wholeheartedly appreciate the members below who supported our grant application: • Sen. Reed (D-RI) • Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) • Rep. Dingell (D-MI-12) • Rep. Stevens (D-MI-11) • Rep. Waltz (R-FL-06) • Rep. Cicilline (D-RI-01) • Rep. Langevin (D-RI-02)
As submitted, the grant application outlines that MRAA would create multiple Registered Apprenticeship Programs, in coordination with industry partners, along with several Regional Registered Apprenticeship Hubs. Those Hubs would allow MRAA to deliver the necessary resources and programming for meeting the program’s goals through regional partners. The grant proceeds, which could provide MRAA with as much as $8 million over four years, would fund the creation of technician and other service department apprenticeship and education programs, in addition to providing seed money for industry businesses to subsidize the costs of hiring apprentices. Grant funding will also support the development of a national career awareness and a recruitment marketing program to increase the visibility of the marine workforce.
Over the last decade, the boating industry workforce shortage has grown. A 2017 MRAA survey solidified that notion, revealing that by 2019, the number of open positions in dealerships would exceed 31,000 — that number does not even include vacancies of manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and other marine related businesses. The expected workforce deficit was much higher than predicted, in part due to the number of dealerships growing nationwide, and was no longer only a human resources issue, but also an economic concern. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The MRAA is awaiting the Department of Labor to announce the winners to the Apprenticeship Building America grant program. Slated to start in July, we expected the announcement will come shortly. If you have any further questions about the marine workforce or our grant, feel free to reach out to Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager, at Chad@mraa.com or 978-569-5127.
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.
WASHINGTON, DC, June 29, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is proud to announce today that 100 percent of the MRAA Board of Directors has contributed to BoatPAC, the federal political action committee representing the recreational boating industry.
The joint PAC fund of the MRAA, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Association of Marina Industries (AMI), BoatPAC’s mission is to support federal candidates that champion the recreational boating community and help propel its agenda in the halls of Congress.
“BoatPAC is the most effective vehicle the boating industry uses to ensure that the MRAA and our partners remain at the table and engaged in all conversations that impact the well-being of our industry,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “The MRAA board continues to demonstrate its leadership in contributing to this mission and hopes that all boat dealers and others throughout the marine industry will follow suit and keep our industry’s advocacy efforts strong.”
To learn more about BoatPAC and how you can get involved, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at chad@mraa.com/202-737-9779 or NMMA’s Senior Director of Political Advocacy and Engagement, Erica Crocker at ecrocker@nmma.org/202-737-9776.
Members of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Board • Rob Soucy, Port Harbor Marine (Chairman of MRAA Board) • Jeff Strong, Strong’s Marine (Vice Chairman of MRAA Board) • Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center (Secretary/Treasurer of MRAA Board) • Joe Hoffmaster, Hoffmaster’s Marina • Craig LeBlanc, Allen Harbor Marine • Bob Petzold, Petzold’s Marine Center • Jason Murphy, Norfolk Marine • Stacy Greenwood, Cleveland Boat Center • Paul Berube, Boaters Exchange • Chad Taylor, Taylor’s South Shore Marina • Jason Shallcross, Reed’s Marine • Jeff Siems, Blue Springs Marine • Martin Boyer, Austin Boats and Motors • Craig Brosenne, Hagadone Marine Group • Bob Bense, Superior Boat Repair & Sales • Carly Poole, Buckeye Marine (As a Canadian-based board member, Poole is not eligible to contribute to the PAC fund.)
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.
When the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and MRAA teams set out to build an amplified, relevant Discover Boating, starting with a refreshed brand voice and look and a new campaign, both of which launched this year, first on deck was understanding the boating consumer and the potential boating consumer to be, especially in a post-pandemic world. In partnership with agency partner, Cutwater, a host of research was conducted that looked at everything from the feelings and mindset of long-time boat owners, first-time boat owners and potential boat owners to be, to their interests, and key demographics.
“We knew we couldn’t simply profile today’s boat owners to find the next generation. Given the shifts post-pandemic, and the overall cultural and demographic shifts in our population, not surprisingly, our research showed the next generation looks, acts, and thinks differently than current boat owners and yet their mindset and interests in many ways, remain similar,” said Ellen Bradley, chief brand officer for NMMA. “These key findings guided all aspects from our new logo and the “See You Out Here” creative to the media, influencers, and PR you’ll see in the coming months.”
Research findings showed current boat owners are: • Older than the average American, with a median age of 54, and they are six years older than the US median age. • High-income and high net-worth compared to the average American. • More likely to be male than the average American. • Much more likely to be Caucasian than the average American.
At the same time, demographic trends show this population shrinking as the overall population shifts younger and more multicultural. As a result, next generation boaters are naturally more diverse when it comes not just to age, ethnicity, and gender, but in attitudes, behaviors, and even location. What’s more, they’re less likely to come from boat-owning families than previous generations.
Three key segments emerged from the research: Traditional Boaters, Growth Segment and Emerging Segment. The Traditional Boaters are who their name suggests – they most closely resemble the current boat owner, while the Growth and Emerging segments are opportunities to expand the market for recreational boating, representing 91 million people and more than 1.5x the Traditional Boater segment size.
Traditional Boaters: This group looks most like today’s boat owners and has the highest penetration of boat ownership and participation in boating activities. They are older and more suburban/ex-urban than other groups.
Growth Segment: This group pursues boating-adjacent activities at high rates, including powersports, biking and hiking and is younger. In fact, they are younger than current first-time boat buyers. And, they are more ethnically and racially diverse and more likely to live in denser areas.
Emerging Segment: This group is a large, dynamic, and affluent segment of the potential future boat owner population. In their daily lives, while they are not pursuing the outdoor activities predictive of future boating, they are doing those activities on vacation with a potential “pull” via rental activity. They are the most diverse, most affluent segment.
Some shared characteristics of the Growth and Emerging segments include: • Likely to attend events like auto shows, food/beverage festivals and music festivals. • Consider themselves more environmentally conscious. • Are heavy users of social media including Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok. • Enjoy foreign and domestic travel. • Participate in outdoor recreation activities, including golfing, cycling, running, playing tennis, and yoga. • Watch sporting events online. • Own autos from brands including BMW, Jeep, Tesla, and Subaru.
Added Bradley, “A key takeaway is that the freedom of being on the water, and the feelings associated with that freedom, were significant unifiers and influencers for boating. Those feelings of freedom are what we work to capture in our creative and throughout our marketing efforts. At the same time, the social connections and opportunities that uniquely come with boating, align with what both future and current boat owners are looking for. “
Discover Boating, powered by NMMA and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, is focused on inviting the next generation of boaters while remaining connected with current boaters. Sharing the joy of life on the water with future boaters and let them know everyone is welcome. The insights gleaned from the brand’s research can help the recreational boating industry define targets for their own marketing initiatives based on the behaviors and demographics of these key segments.
For more information on the latest Discover Boating consumer research, visit b2b.discoverboating.com.
ALBANY, N.Y. — June 22 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and the Coalition Opposed to Illegal Tampering have made immense progress in New York after meeting with Senator Breslin to inform him of the potential harms right to repair legislation could have on Marine and other off-road industries. Ultimately this outreach resulted in the New York State assembly passing an amended version the Digital Fair Repair Act (A.7006B and S.4104A) that would exclude the marine industry and the off-road sector at large from the law.
Introduced throughout the country, right to repair legislation will allow independent repair providers, including individuals or businesses, the same access to the firmware, source codes, and other proprietary information and tools needed for repair as authorized repair providers. While the MRAA and the Coalition Opposed to Illegal Tampering support repairs done by owners, we recognize the inherent safety and environmental implications making this information available to unauthorized or “independent” repair providers.
Unamended, the Digital Fair Repair Act (A.7006B &S.4104A) introduced by Representative Fahy and Senator Breslin respectively, would have allowed uncertificated technicians and users to access the source code of Marine engines, electronics, and additional products like farm and forestry equipment. As originally written, this legislation was intended to provide users and owners of computers, cell phones and other consumer electronics the ability to make repairs without the need of authorized repair providers. However, due to the unspecified language of the bill, it would have expanded those allowances to marine technology, farm equipment, medical devices and more.
However, due to continued outreach with Senator Breslin, a last-minute amendment to the bill was made to exempt the marine industry and other off-road sectors. The MRAA, National Marine Manufacturers Association, and other industry partners appreciate Senator Breslin’s willingness to engage with the marine industry and off-road segment at large to not only hear our concerns, but amend the bill accordingly.
“On behalf of the recreational boating industry, thank you Senator Breslin for amending the Digital Fair Repair Act to exempt Marine products, and for looking out for the vitality of New York boating businesses,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “We hope that this legislation can serve as a template, and that other states follow the leadership of Sen. Breslin to also exempt the marine and off-road sectors.”
As Right to Repair legislation continues to surface throughout the country, the MRAA and the Coalition Opposed to Illegal Tampering continue to monitor these bills and educate key members of state legislatures on their environmental and safety implications for the marine and comparable industries. Changes to exempt the marine sector are also critical as Certified technicians, like those who receive training through the American Boating and Yacht Council, provide a high skilled labor force for our members and dealers to consistently deliver quality repairs and service.
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.
• Joins NMMA, WSIA to testify on behalf of recreational boating access at Lake Minnetonka meeting
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, June, 22, 2022 – Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas testified in front of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD) board in support of fair and equitable boating access on the state of Minnesota’s most populous boating destination. Tokowicz joined representatives from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) to highlight the positive contribution wake surfing makes to the Lake Minnetonka community and the importance of access for all types of recreational boating activities.
In Minnesota, where boating reigns as the supreme warm-weather activity, wake surfing and the regulations surrounding the sport are a hot topic. The LMCD Board’s meeting, coined as a listening session, kicked off the process to evaluate whether additional restrictions are needed on Lake Minnetonka. The Board, established by the Minnesota State Legislature in 1967, is the governing body of Lake Minnetonka and is charged with overseeing regulations, safety, access and much more on the lake. To ensure the LMCD is consistent with its mission, the Board is charged with providing an enjoyable resource for all recreational users while also minimizing user conflict and ecological impact.
Conversations on how wake surfing, which has grown in popularity over the last few years, impacts waterbodies and other recreational users have sprung up across the country, and MRAA and its partners at WSIA and NMMA have been there to contribute their expertise on the subject.
In their remarks to the Board, recreational boating industry representatives focused on three key topics: the immense boating economy supported by Lake Minnetonka’s boating culture; the safety impact of the Wake Responsibly Campaign; and recent industry-led efforts to pass mandatory boater education legislation in Minnesota.
“While the boating industry at large and members of the Lake Minnetonka community appreciate the focus of the LMCD, we hope that the board is able to come to a conclusion that balances access for all types of water sports,” said Tokowicz. “Wake surfing is an important activity for the Lake Minnetonka community and helps support a vibrant recreational boating economy around the lake.”
Chad Tokowicz of the MRAA
There was considerable news coverage on the meeting, including feature stories from the “Star Tribune,” KSMP– Fox News affiliate, and KSTP – NSBC News affiliate.
As this conversation continues to develop and the board determines what action to take, the MRAA and its industry partners stand committed to advocating for boating access for all. This is just one of the many lakes throughout our nation considering a change to their regulations, if you are aware of any water bodies considering similar ordinances please contact Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager, at Chad@mraa.com or call 978-569-5127.
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.
Shopping online has become common practice for consumers. With 79 percent of smartphone users making a purchase online within the last 6 months, it’s important for dealers selling high-consideration products such as boats, to start considering how they can improve their websites to increase engagement. In the boating industry, it’s not about offering a “buy now” solution since most customers still want in-person engagement with the product before a big purchase. Your dealership’s website optimization strategy should be hyper-focused on elevating the inventory shopping experience and capturing as much pre-sales information as possible, so the deal can hit the ground running once customers enter the showroom floor.
Due to high demand, customers are expecting more from retailers as they look to purchase their boats. Also, inventory is beginning to normalize which could also be an indicator of leads/opportunities starting to soften. In a study conducted in April 2022, Rollick analyzed website data for 17 boat and RV brands and found that year-over-year website traffic is down 18 percent. While not a massive decline, the trend line suggests that boat brands and dealers need to start developing a strategy to make the online shopping process easier, so your next sales opportunity doesn’t go to a competitor due to lack of engagement. The online boat shopping experience must be exceptional, which means thinking beyond traditional lead forms. Today’s modern consumer wants to know all their options up front, and they want them readily available at their fingertips.
If you put yourself in the customer’s shoes, you can see their frustrations. They are accustomed to living in a world with Alexa, who can answer any question at the drop of a hat, and of course Amazon, where purchases are delivered within 24 hours. These expectations are hard to live up to, especially when selling high-consideration products, which require a significant amount of upfront information from the customer.
Before visiting a dealership, customers want to understand their financing options, trade-in value, dealer fees, and qualifying incentives, so they feel comfortable reserving the unit and placing a deposit for the purchase. Historically, these transactional activities required customers to come in the dealership and sit through the sales process. The good news is that modern digital retailing solutions can save boat dealers time by allowing their customers to build and excel the deal online, creating a better (and faster) sales experience when customers enter the showroom floor.
How to Enhance the Online Shopping Experience Step one for any boat dealer is to build trust with their customers. Every part of the sales process is geared towards ensuring the customer feels comfortable and confident in the dealer’s ability to provide the best product and price available, even if it’s a digital transaction on their website. This can be tricky when a customer has to make assumptions about your dealership and your products based on your online presence and reviews.
For this reason, you want your online presence to be professional, transparent, and building trust in the sales process. One way to do this is to collect as much information as possible about your customers while letting them drive the transaction from the comfort of their homes. This means thinking differently about your lead acquisition strategy by leveraging a digital retailing solution and capturing information such as pre-qualification status, monthly payment and financing options, trade-in value, and the unit of interest. Collecting this data in the initial stages of the digital shopping process can tell the salesperson a lot about the customer, so it’s essential to provide potential buyers with the right digital shopping tools to help qualify and guide the sales conversation. The idea is to simulate the same experience shoppers are used to on popular e-commerce sites like Amazon or Chewy. Moving the needle for the recreation industry is a reality for boat dealers with digital retailing solutions.
Tips for Getting Started with Digital Retailing Adopting new technology and implementing enhanced sales processes can be challenging, but we have you covered with these five tips:
Tip 1: Let Go of Some Control First, you have to let go of some control in the upfront pre-sales process. The goal is to help your customers feel in control of the entire buying experience, so let them engage with your inventory and develop the deal on their terms. Increased customer interaction on your website vs. in-store will likely result in a better purchase experience.
Tip 2. Think Beyond Traditional Lead Forms Traditional lead forms are dead. Now, the focus has shifted towards a better way to acquire information, so customers feel in control and dealers have the data they need to close the deal without having to “sell.” Driving traffic to static landing pages with a call to action of “give me your name, email address, and phone number” will only get you 10 percent of the way in the sales process. Using a single-point digital retailing tool will allow your sales team to close deals faster because all pre-sales information is captured upfront, and the unit can also be reserved with a deposit in the same transaction. Rollick data shows that dealers who fully embrace a digital retailing experience on their websites are seeing a 50 percent* increase in close rates and leads that pass pre-qualification close at 2.4x* compared to traditional website leads.
Tip 3: Rethink Your Follow-Up Strategy For most dealers and sales teams, digital retailing may feel a bit uncomfortable at first since traditional lead forms have been the primary source of customer data for boat dealers for the last 20+ years. The key is to be patient, give the customer some time to build their deal, then follow up with specific questions or next steps related to their boat purchase. For example, your first outreach to customers shouldn’t be focused on product discovery or financial questions, as you will already have all the pre-sale information at your fingertips when leveraging digital retailing.
Tip 4: Use The Data to Your Sales Advantage With digital retailing solutions, you can expect to see up to an 87 percent* increase in lead submissions. You may be thinking to yourself “I don’t need more leads – I need more transaction-ready customers.” This is where the power of digital retailing comes in to play. Providing potential customers with more digital shopping tools will increase interest and engagement in the shopping process, resulting in more leads. For dealers, you will have a wholistic view of customers, their interest, and the various activities they took on your website in one lead vs. multiple leads from different forms. The data collected in digital retailing opportunities will help your sales team prioritize follow-ups and aid in the process of developing customized nurture content (via email, text, and phone) to close the deal.
Tip 5: Communicate with Customers in their Medium of Choice To make the buying process as seamless as possible, ask your customers upfront how they want the flow of communication to go. For example, they may not want to come into the dealership right away, so don’t force them into your showroom for a face-to-face meeting. Offer up alternatives methods of communication, such as text or video chat to make the prospect feel as comfortable as possible.
To Sum It Up
Gathering information about financing, trade-ins, and realistic pricing in a digital transaction benefit both the customer and the dealer. This helps customers feel in control and confident about their purchase while also creating a seamless sales experience. Armed with this data upfront, the odds of your digital shoppers converting are significantly higher, and a sales rep can reach out with all the information they need to complete the sale. As a boat dealer, your online presence and capacity to deliver a seamless digital retailing experience online are your two most powerful tools to edge ahead of the competition.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jason Riley is the Director of Marketing for Rollick, which is an MRAA Education Champion. The company’s mission is to provide a seamless customer experience from pre-purchase through re-purchase by helping dealers, manufacturers and F&I companies connect with their customers through an ecosystem of marketing and technology solutions. They want to change Rollick is changing the way the boating market thinks about retailing in a digital age by making the shopping experience fun, easy and lucrative for our customers. Learn more at gorollick.com/company.
• National and regional groups launch effort to protect the health of the Bay and coastal economy
RICHMOND, VA, June, 14, 2022— The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and a coalition of 10 national and 10 Virginia-based groups is urging Governor Glenn Youngkin to move menhaden reduction fishing out of the Chesapeake Bay. The recreational fishing community is concerned that years of localized depletion from the annual harvest of over 100 million pounds of menhaden in the Bay has deprived gamefish like striped bass, bluefish, and weakfish of a critical food source.
Organizations including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), American Sportfishing Association, Coastal Conservation Association, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, and the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association (VSSA) are dedicated to maintaining the health of the Bay, the region’s economy, and the broader marine ecosystem in the Atlantic. The coalition, which represents thousands of anglers and conservationists from Virginia and beyond, sent a letter to Governor Youngkin today asking that reduction fishing for menhaden be moved out of the Bay until science shows that it isn’t having an impact on fish and habitat.
“Our members have witnessed years of decline in our striped bass, and we believe there is a causal relation to the menhaden reduction industry in the Bay,” says Steve Atkinson, President, VSSA. “Large-scale reduction fishing is outlawed by every other state on the East Coast, so it’s high time that Virginia took action.”
The striped bass fishery is the largest marine recreational fishery in the U.S., driving $166 million in recreational fishing activity in Virginia alone. However, the economic value of striped bass fishing to Virginia has declined by over 50 percent in the past decade.
“Industrial menhaden fishing in the Bay has almost wiped out striped bass fishing charters in the fall and winter,” says Bill Pappas, Owner, Playing Hookey Charters in Virginia Beach. “Nobody will book a trip when striped bass fishing is this bad.”
Science Points to Striped Bass Numbers Decline
According to the latest science, menhaden reduction fishing contributes to a nearly 30-percent decline in striped bass numbers coastwide. Omega Protein, part of Cooke Inc., is responsible for this immense menhaden harvest, which is harming the most important striped bass nursery on the East Coast and undermining the sportfishing economy and small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. It is up to Governor Youngkin and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to implement commonsense regulations until science demonstrates that menhaden fishing can be allowed without negatively affecting the broader Bay ecosystem.
“Boating and fishing in the Chesapeake Bay are primary drivers of business for boat dealers across Virginia and largely depend on a robust menhaden population and strong striped bass fishery,” says Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “For that reason, the MRAA and our Virginia members hope that Governor Youngkin will support small businesses and the state’s outdoor recreation economy by ending menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake.”
A Call for Change
Local and national groups are calling on their Virginia members, as well as boaters and anglers across the East Coast, to push for change.
“Virginia has an immense responsibility to the Bay ecosystem and anglers up and down the East Coast, where recreational fishing for striped bass is a way of life,” says Whit Fosburgh, President and CEO, TRCP. “We’re making sure that there is national attention on this effort to move menhaden reduction fishing out of the Bay, an iconic fishing destination in its own right, and working closely with fisheries managers in the Atlantic and Gulf to account for the critical role of menhaden in the marine food chain.”
Important Facts for Media: • Reduction fishing for menhaden is the industrial harvest of an oily baitfish that is then ground up and “reduced” for use in pet food and other products. • This practice contributes to a nearly 30-percent decline in Atlantic striped bass. • Virginia is the only East Coast state where reduction fishing for menhaden has not been outlawed. • A single foreign-owned company, Omega Protein, removes more than 100 million pounds of menhaden every year from the Chesapeake Bay, the most important striped bass nursery on the East Coast. • The striped bass stock has been struggling to recover for over a decade, affecting fishing opportunities and coastal businesses. • Anglers are complying with an 18-percent reduction in striped bass harvest, with more cuts expected this year. • Omega Protein would still be able to harvest menhaden in state and federal waters. • A coalition of 11 national and 10 Virginia-based groups is urging Governor Glenn Youngkin — and the Youngkin-appointed Virginia Marine Resources Commission — to regulate menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.
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, MN, June 6, 2022 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas today announced its expansion of offerings for Marine Industry Certified Dealership (MICD) Program participants through its strategic partnership with Boat Trader.
The new benefit includes banner ads (sample below) for MRAA Certified Dealers on Boat Trader, the largest online boating marketplace in America, who are also Boat Trader members. The banners will be paired with dealer listings on boattrader.com, directing consumers to the dealer’s website while reinforcing the message to “Buy with Confidence from a Certified Dealer.”
“By partnering with Boat Trader, MRAA Certified Dealers can proudly promote their MICD recognition on all of their boat listings across the site,” says Liz Keener, MRAA Certification Manager. “This gives Certified Dealers a competitive advantage in an accelerated market and gives consumers more confidence when shopping for boats.”
Boat Trader draws more than 7 million visits per month and nearly 16 million boat listing views, providing significant brand exposure for Certified Dealerships.
“As the demand for boats remains strong and first-time boat buyers hit historic highs, connecting buyers with professional dealers is more important than ever for the long-term health of the industry,” said Courtney Chalmers, Vice President of Marketing, Boats Group. “Dealerships often provide the initial opportunity for shopper engagement. We’re excited to promote Certified Dealers to further reinforce the value of their professionalism and service in the boating 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.
About Boat Trader Boat Trader is the largest online boating marketplace in the United States, creating simple solutions for anyone looking to buy or sell a boat. Founded in 1991, Boat Trader expanded from a weekly classifieds publication found in local markets nationwide to an online marketplace in 1996 and now offers boat dealers and private party sellers comprehensive options for selling their boats online with ease. Boat Trader reaches more than 9 million online boat shoppers and delivers over 170,000 leads each month to its sellers. Boat Trader is based in Miami, FL, and is owned and operated by Boats Group. For more information and to experience the marine industry’s leading classifieds marketplace, visit www.boattrader.com or download the Boat Trader app on the iOS App Store and Google Play.
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