OperateBeyond to buy lunch for dealership teams during Dealer Week

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but don’t tell that to OperateBeyond. To keep your team fueled, they’ll buy lunch for dealerships that register four or more staff for Dealer Week.

Working on your business takes
 a lot of mental energy, which is why marine dealership platform provider OperateBeyond wants to buy lunch for dealers who register four or more staff to attend MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference and Expo this December.

For any dealership that registers
four team members from the same location, OperateBeyond will send a $100 Visa gift card to buy lunch from the venue of their choice. The “Lunch and Learn” promotion starts today and will continue for a limited time while supplies last.

“OperateBeyond
 wanted to think outside the box about how they could support dealers during Dealer Week,” says Allison Gruhn, Director of Business Development at MRAA. “With the cost of Dealer Week greatly reduced this year — especially with no flights and hotels to
book — and more dealerships able to bring a larger number of staff members, OperateBeyond thought it would be great to buy those teams lunch to fuel their learning and brainstorming.”

In addition to the $100 gift card, OperateBeyond is also offering
another $100 for dealers who sign up to view a demo with them during Dealer Week.

“The MRAA is an essential organization for marine dealers and we are thrilled to be partnering with them for the annual Dealer Week Conference and Expo this year
to help bring some energy and excitement to the event,” according to the OperateBeyond team.

Dealer Week takes place online Dec. 8-11. Registration, which costs half of what it does in a typical year, is now open at DealerWeek.com.

About 
OperateBeyond
Based out of Grand Rapids, Mich., OperateBeyond is an all-in-one digital platform built for dealers that manages inventory, CRM, classifieds, website, and leads in one convenience place. Their web-based platform allows users to post and
update current inventory to multiple online marketing avenues (Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.). Learn more at OperateBeyond.com.

About Dealer Week
For nearly 50 years, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has delivered world class
educational programming to dealers, retailers and service operations that power the boating industry and serve today’s boaters. Dealer Week is MRAA’s annual conference and expo, designed to engage, energize and empower the dealer community. Learn more
 at DealerWeek.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, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Dealer Week announces schedule, session topics

Earlier this month, MRAA’s Dealer Week announced that it would be hosted this year online. Today the schedule and education topics for the event were posted at DealerWeek.com/schedule.

“Since we announced that this year’s Dealer Week would be hosted online, naturally people have been curious how the schedule would compare to last year’s event,” said Mike Davin, Brand Director at the MRAA. “What people will find is that it is very similar to what they would expect from an in-person MRAA conference, with a few tweaks to take advantage of being online.”

Dealer Week’s schedule remains anchored by its education sessions, which will again be divided into three pathways. The pathways focus on challenges related to “The Dealership,” “The Employee,” and “The Customer.”

Session topics planned for the event solve problems including:

· · · · · · The event will also feature live Q&As with the event’s expert trainers, roundtable discussions with other attendees, and time to meet with solution providers in the Expo.

“Like a lot of things online, this year’s edition of Dealer Week makes some aspects of the event more convenient,” said Davin. “The fact that there’s no travel time comes immediately to mind, but there are other advantages as well. For example, you can set meetings from within the app or on your computer, so there’s no chasing someone down in the convention center or waiting in line at a booth. And obviously you can only attend one session at a time, but every session will be available on-demand after it concludes, so you can actually attend them all if you want.”

All sessions will be available to attendees through March 31, which was designed for dealerships that want to use them for training after the live event. Prior to the event, the MRAA is hosting a series of Dealer Week exclusive “Ask the Expert” webinars to help dealerships start working on their business before the conference kicks off. The topics for the webinars will be listed on the schedule page as they are announced.

Dealer Week takes place online Dec. 8-11. Registration, which is available now, has been reduced by half to make it more affordable for teams to attend the event together. To register, go to DealerWeek.com .

MRAA Applauds Introduction of Legislation to Protect Small Businesses from Natural Disasters

On Thursday, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Angus King (ME-I), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act.

This bipartisan legislation, which matches companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, would allow the Small Business Administration to make low-interest, fixed rate loans of up to $500,000 to small businesses to invest in their properties to protect their facilities, real estate and contents from natural disasters.

“Across the nation, natural disasters continue to grow in frequency and severity, resulting in billions of dollars in damages to local communities and small businesses every year. Now is precisely the right time for Congress to invest in common-sense solutions like the PREPARE Act to make our nation’s infrastructure and economy more resilient to repeated storm damages,” said Adam Fortier-Brown, government relations manager at the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA). “This bipartisan legislation equips small businesses, like recreational boat dealerships and marinas, with an important tool to invest in modern, disaster-resilient infrastructure so they can keep their doors open and continue to fuel job growth and prosperity in their local communities. Our industry commends Senator Rubio, Senator King, Senator Cardin, Senator Kennedy, Senator Ernst, Senator Wyden, and Senator Collins for their leadership on this critical issue.”

According to FEMA, roughly 40-60 percent of small businesses never reopen following a disaster. Research shows that every $1 the government spends on disaster mitigation, such as improving existing infrastructure or elevating homes and businesses, saves taxpayers an average of $6—something that is particularly important at a time when the economic impact of disasters has cost the U.S. over $800 Billion in the last decade.

A study by the MRAA and the Association of Marina Industries found that marine business need significant funding to protect from flooding, requiring an average of $260,000 to invest in projects like elevating buildings, bulkheads, constructing flood barriers or levees, dry and wet floodproofing, yard regrading, and sewer back up protections.

“The PREPARE Act would allow small businesses the opportunity to invest in mitigation before a disaster strikes,” Chairman Rubio said. “Investing in disaster mitigation on the front end saves business’, as well as taxpayers’, dollars, while reducing potential risks to property. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would improve the SBA’s previous program and allow businesses to be more prepared and more resilient in the future.”

“If we didn’t already know before, the coronavirus pandemic further proves that it’s much better to prepare for a potentially catastrophic disaster rather than having to react to one after it’s happened,” Senator King said. “That’s why Senator Rubio and I are introducing this bill to help our small businesses and local governments strengthen their physical infrastructure in case of a flood – an issue particularly important to coastal small businesses in Maine given their proximity to the ocean. Now more than ever, small business owners around the nation need peace-of-mind, and this bill will support that by providing funding to prepare for natural disasters to minimize their impact rather than only paying after the fact.”

“Communities are enduring stronger and more frequent storms due to climate change, so it is now more important than ever for small businesses to be prepared,” Ranking Member Cardin said. “I am proud to join Chairman Rubio and Senator King to introduce the PREPARE Act, which will empower small businesses to build resilience to survive natural disasters by proactively investing in hazard mitigation efforts.”

“No one knows better than a Louisianian how to prepare for natural disasters, and this bill will make it easier for our small businesses to prevent loss,” Senator Kennedy said. “Too often, hardworking Americans are forced to weather storms first and federal bureaucracy second. I’m thankful to work with Sen. Rubio and colleagues to pass the PREPARE Act before another category four hurricane batters our state.”

“Between the derecho and recent flooding, natural disasters have caused significant challenges and economic harm to Iowa’s small businesses in recent years,” Senator Ernst said. “This bipartisan effort will help our small business owners access resources to protect their property from potential disasters, and help them avoid unforeseen expenses in the future.”

“With the rapidly growing climate crisis, our communities are being hit with bigger and more dangerous natural disasters,” Senator Wyden said. “In the West, this wildfire season has brought tragedy and destruction with massive infernos leveling entire communities to ash. “The federal government has an obligation to help our communities — especially our small businesses and the hundreds of thousands of workers they employ — mitigate the worst. Federal support for disaster preparation is especially important for states like my home state where small businesses are the backbone of the economy.”

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy, but one disaster could quickly wipe out a small business that a family spent years or even generations to build,” Senator Collins said. “This bipartisan bill would provide low-interest loans to allow small businesses to protect their property from future disasters, limiting potential damage and helping them to recover more quickly when catastrophes strike.”

“Recreational boating businesses – most of which are small and family owned operations – are among the most susceptible to the devastation of erosion, rising water levels and many additional effects of climate change,” said Nicole Vasilaros, senior vice president of government and legal affairs at the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Thanks to the leadership of Senator Rubio, Senator King, Senator Kennedy and Senator Cardin, we are one step closer to passing the PREPARE Act and providing coastal communities with the resources they need to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure.”

“The marina and boatyard industry often faces the brunt of repeated natural disasters and flooding damages each year, which is why the PREPARE Act has wide-reaching benefits to our industry,” said Eric Kretsch, legislative and outreach coordinator for the Association of Marina Industries. “Small businesses constitute a large portion of our industry, and by nature, we’re located in vulnerable areas. The PREPARE Act will provide a key mechanism to marina and boatyard operators so they can upgrade their infrastructure and increase their resiliency to natural disasters. Thank you to Senator Rubio, Senator King, Senator Kennedy and Senator Cardin for their leadership on this important issue.”

“The many businesses that make up the marine industry in South Florida are no strangers to the disastrous effects of damage and flooding being at the epicenter of many of the seasonal hurricanes and tropical storms,” said Lori Wheeler, vice president at the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. “Passing the PREPARE Act will provide the means for businesses so affected to prepare better and recover more quickly. We applaud Senator Rubio, Senator King, Senator Kennedy and Senator Cardin for their work on this.”

The Senate’s PREPARE Act, which builds upon similar legislation (H.R. 7552) introduced by U.S. Representative Joseph Morelle (D-NY):

  • Creates an updated Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program for small business concerns to proactively take out a low-interest loan (up to $500,000) for the purpose of implementing mitigation measures to protect their property from future disaster-related damage.
  • Authorizes $25 million annually (FY2021 to FY2025).
  • Tasks SBA with establishing and carrying out an advertising and outreach program related to pre-disaster mitigation.
  • Tasks SBA with issuing guidance to ensure borrowers purchase and maintain insurance coverage over the duration of the loan.
  • Requires SBA to conduct initial reporting and a program evaluation annually thereafter.
  • Increases, from 20 to 30 percent, the limit on existing SBA Physical Business Disaster Loans a borrower may use towards post-disaster mitigation.

If passed, this landmark legislation would significantly increase the tools that small business owners have at their disposal to prepare their facilities for natural disasters, and would be the only SBA program focused solely on small business disaster prevention. The PREPAE Act would also take steps to expand SBA’s Disaster Loan program to provide more resources for disaster mitigation when repairing and rebuilding private sector disaster losses.

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, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Congress yet to reach deal on stimulus deal

Yesterday, the latest COVID-19 economic aid package was proposed by a 50-member bipartisan group of House legislators. The Problem Solvers Caucus announced a $1.5 trillion package dubbed their “March To Common Ground” that split the difference between the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act passed by House Democrats in May, and the $1 trillion HEALS Act proposed by Senate Republicans in July.

The Problem Solvers Caucus, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, had over 75-percent of its members endorsed this package, allowing the group to move forward. The caucus is co-chaired by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Tom Reed (R-NY), both of whom spoke at the American Boating Congress this Spring.

With so many different proposals floating around at this point, it can be easy to get things mixed up. The table below outlines each of the three proposals being discussed.

What is particularly interesting about this bipartisan proposal is its inclusion of automatic triggers based on hospitalization rates and progress towards vaccine development, seemingly preventing future benefits to fall off due to partisan disagreements.

White House negotiators have signaled that they are open to a $1.5 trillion package, but House Democrats have openly said they would not negotiate on a package that is less than $2.2 trillion. House party leaders have not openly come out against the Problem Solvers Caucus’s March To Common Ground, but they have not openly stated they are open to working with the proposal. On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) traded blows blaming the other for refusing to come to the table, and this bipartisan deal is evidence that the other’s caucus was upset with a lack of progress.

It is unclear whether House and Senate leadership will move forward with this bipartisan proposal, or if it will meet the same end as the previous proposals.

Sea Tow Foundation Announces Official Call for Entry for “National Boating Industry Safety Awards”

The Sea Tow Foundation in cooperation with its North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, announced the official call for entry for its “National Boating Industry Safety Awards.”

The 2020 contest features an enhanced series of categories which recognize top boating safety programs and campaigns within the for-profit segment of the recreational marine industry. This year’s event includes 11 categories of entry, up from four the previous year.

“Due to the positive response from our inaugural contest in 2019, coupled with recommendations from our advisory council, we have nearly tripled the categories of entry in hopes of recognizing the outstanding work of many more boating safety advocates throughout all segments of the recreational marine industry,” said Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director Gail R. Kulp.

The 2020 National Boating Industry Safety Awards include the following categories for submission: Powerboat Manufacturer; Sailboat Manufacturer; Engine Manufacturer; Gear/Equipment Manufacturer; Human Powered (Canoe, Kayak, SUP) Manufacturer; Marine Retailer with up to 3 Locations; Marine Retailer with more than 3 Locations; Marine Media Outlets; Marine Marketing and Outreach; Marine Distributor; and a Multi-Year Campaign will also be available for any category.

Also new for 2020 is the title sponsorship from KICKER® Marine Audio, based in Stillwater, OK.

“KICKER Marine Audio is very pleased to contribute to this important effort that promotes boating safety within the recreational marine space,” said KICKER Marine Audio’s National Brand Manager Jeremy Bale. “The good work of leading marine organizations in educating and advancing boating safety messages benefits the entire industry, as well as boaters throughout the nation. KICKER is very proud to lend our support to this worthwhile and very important cause.”

“We appreciate the generous financial support of KICKER Marine Audio in helping to support our national awards program,” added Kulp. “We hope to continually build this program and involve many in the industry who share our passion and focus on boating safety.”

Entries may be submitted from September 3 through midnight, October 15, 2020 for any boating safety campaigns conducted between August 15, 2019 and August 15, 2020. A new multi-year category is also available to recognize ongoing boating safety programs and promotions.

Contest information and applications are available for download at www.boatingsafety.com/awards along with information and samples from the 2019 winners.

Winners for the 2020 awards contest will be announced live during the MRAA’s Dealer Week scheduled for December 8 – 11, 2020 in Austin, TX.

“We highly encourage all those organizations throughout the marine industry involved in promoting boating safety to apply in this year’s awards competition,” said Kulp. “The Sea Tow Foundation and our North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, coupled with the title sponsor KICKER Marine Audio, are very pleased to shine the spotlight on the best boating safety efforts by companies in the for-profit segment of the recreational marine industry.”

About Sea Tow Foundation
With a focus on safe boating practices that result in fun on the water, the Sea Tow Foundation – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – was established in 2007 by Sea Tow Founder Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer. After his passing in 2015, Captain Joe’s legacy continues as the Foundation brings attention to the number of preventable boating-related accidents, injuries, and deaths, and directly addresses prevention methods through education and awareness. More than 650 life jacket loaner stands are now available across the United States and the Foundation’s Sober Skipper program continues to grow.

Correct Craft To Display Boats At The White House

Correct Craft is honored to represent our industry, North Carolina, and Florida at the White House’s fourth annual Made in America event on Monday, October 5th.

President Trump invited 50 companies, large and small, to showcase their products in this year’s celebration. Parker Boats and Nautique Boat Company will represent their respective states. The Correct Craft companies, along with other U.S. companies, will join the President, Vice President, and members of the Administration to highlight American-made products.

Bill Yeargin, CEO of Correct Craft stated, “Our team is thrilled to represent not only our industry but also Florida and North Carolina in the White House Made in America event. We build uniquely American made products which are sold throughout the U.S. and into dozens of countries around the world. Our American made quality is second to none and people around the globe aspire to own our products.”

Yeargin added, “I look forward to sharing the story of our company and boats with the President, Vice President, and other officials; I am certain they will be impressed. Our Nautique and Parker teams could not be more excited to show off our product at the White House!”

About Parker Boats: Parker Boats builds premium offshore and inshore fishing boats in Beaufort, NC. A subsidiary of Correct Craft, Parker delivers a lifetime of enjoyment and rugged fish-ability focusing on strength, simplicity, and seaworthiness.

About Nautique Boats: Nautique is celebrating its 95th anniversary of delivering excellence in the marine industry. A subsidiary of Correct Craft, Nautique has been on the waters of the world with a passion for innovation since 1925. Delivering the very best waterski, wakeboard and wakesurf boats on the market, Nautique continues to drive progression with their award-winning technology and dedication to building the highest-quality boats imaginable. New technology, performance innovations and attention to detail are the cornerstones of what makes the Nautique brand the industry leader. Through the Nautique Cares initiative, employees and athletes dedicate themselves to not only making a difference on the water, but to extend their support to people in need around the world. The world’s best ski boat, world’s best wake boat, and a company that cares.

About Correct Craft: Celebrating 95 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is a Florida-based company with global operations. Focused on “Making Life Better,” the Correct Craft family includes Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk, Parker, and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Group, Watershed Innovation and Aktion Parks.

Bonnier, MRAA Partner to Promote Certified Dealers

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has announced a partnership with Bonnier Corporation, one of the largest consumer-facing, special-interest publishing groups in America, in order to promote the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program and the retailers who are Certified.

With this year’s influx of boat buyers, especially new boat buyers, saturating the market, it has become more important than ever to promote and explain the importance of working with a Certified Dealer.

“Our Certified Dealers put in a lot of work to become Certified, and much of that effort is focused on the customer experience. We’re entering into this partnership with Bonnier to tell consumers all about Certified Dealers and how Certified Dealers can serve them,” says Liz Keener, MRAA Certification Manager, “Our hope is that as consumers see these marketing efforts, they’ll make a larger effort to seek Certified Dealers when they’re ready to buy.”

Readers of Boating and Salt Water Sportsman will experience marketing campaigns through various channels, including print magazines, websites, email sends and social media platforms.

“Bonnier is committed to growing participation in boating and the enjoyment of the boating lifestyle. Nothing is more important than having a great dealer get you started in boating and guide you along the way,” says Glenn Sandridge, Vice President and Managing Director at Bonnier Corporation. “Choosing an MRAA Certified Dealer is the best way to ensure you are choosing a trained professional partner to maximize you and your family’s fun on the water.”

The MRAA continues to build and evolve the Certification program to help boat dealers establish efficient and effective processes that lead to an exceptional retail experience for everyone. Certification offers dealers the blueprint to developing a world-class business.

This partnership and the promotion of the Certified Dealer program will run through 2021 and 2022.

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, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Increase Your Social Media Engagement in 5 Easy Steps – Operate Beyond

Image of Tweets Likes and Shares

In 2019, 79 percent of U.S. Americans had a social media profile and that number has only continued to grow since. As a result, everyone from politicians to teenagers use the most popular social media sites daily. Search practically any business on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and you will find a page where the business can interact with its audience in real-time. Staying connected to family, friends, businesses, and our personal interests is what social media is all about.

The expansiveness of the online platforms have created an entirely new standard for communication, and with the plethora of updates, posts, and tweets how do you stand out amongst the crowd? Fortunately, following these five steps will help you increase your social media engagement and reach your target audience.

Step 1: Share Valuable Content
First and foremost, you need content. Even if it’s not yours, share it. You want your social media page to be an authority by providing valuable information, that includes specific business and industry-related info. Whether it be a post from a major news source or one of your dedicated followers, this content is the lifeblood of your social media.
Updating content allows users to see that you are active and attempting to engage with them, which can lead to more positive impressions of your business. Just remember that this content should be about what your audience finds interesting, helpful, or newsworthy. The more engaged users, the more likely they are to stay on your page and view your products.

Step 2: Use Video and Photos
Using visuals and having quality content go hand-in-hand on social media. By nature, we tend to be drawn to visuals more than plain text. Not only is it more aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also proven to receive higher engagement online. According to a content preferences survey, “91% of consumers now prefer interactive and visual content over traditional, text-based or static media”. Visuals work well on practically any social media platform and help the reader to remember content better. Platforms such as: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are ideal for posting visual content like photos or videos.

Consider investing some time into creating educational and informative videos to show your expertise and authority in your industry. These can be displayed across websites and social platforms to increase engagement among followers. Remember you don’t always have to use a video, as they can be time consuming to produce by yourself. Consider opting for quality images or even short clips to share on the regular. Without visual aids a follower may scroll through their entire newsfeed and not give any notice to your stand alone text.

Step 3: Facebook Ads and Boosts
To begin, Facebook ads are not free, but they do resemble the typical “pay-per-click” campaign, which makes them well worth it. Pay-per-click means you only pay for the ads that actually worked i.e., by getting someone to click on them. When it comes to budgeting, Facebook allows you to specify your budget and manage all spending from the platform. Facebook ads can be successful and a more budget friendly option for smaller businesses.

If you choose to “boost” a post, that post will show up as “sponsored” in the newsfeed, unlike traditional ads that appear in the sidebar. If you “boost” a post, ensure it is concise and engaging to pull interested users in for a click.

Facebook also allows you to choose an audience based on the age, location, or time of day you want to reach them. These specifications and many more enable businesses to reach interested buyers in no time. With Facebook’s 1.69 billion active users a day in 2019, advertising and boosting on the platform can be crucial to your businesses exposure.

Step 4: Use Tags
If you have partnered with a company or you and that company have a relationship in some way, tag it. The tag likely will be seen by their followers and can encourage them to click on your organization. Recognition is always a good thing and using tags will often get your business more of it. Tagging important or relatable content will also allow a larger user base to see and interact with your posts. Many businesses use custom tags to follow giveaways, important events, or even social movements. Use tags across all social media platforms for the greatest impact.

Step 5: Post in Groups
Online platforms that have “Groups” give you the opportunity to engage with people interested in what you have to offer. Facebook has a multitude of local and national “For Sale” groups that you can advertise on free of charge. These communities are receptive to content that strikes their interests. In addition, many users receive notifications of new group postings, so remember to participate frequently and stick to the subject matter. Frequent participation is always a good practice and applies to any social media groups that you may join.

If you incorporate these 5 easy steps to your social media routine, you’ll begin seeing an increase in your media engagement. The truth of the matter is, you will get out what you put into it. Be engaging, create strong content, and use advertising and tags to reach the audience you want.

F&I Stands For Fun and Inspiration – Enable The Lifestyle (And Make Some Money Too)

F&I has earned a bad reputation, thanks, largely, to the way it was handled for far too long in the automotive industry. The recreational industry can and should refresh the way people think about F&I.

For purchasers of recreational vehicles – boats, RVs, ATVs, off-road, Powersports – F&I should not, cannot, be a pressure-filled, must do, frankly, uncomfortable experience. Rather, F&I aids in creating and/or sustaining a lifestyle of pleasure.

No one “needs” a boat or an RV. They want one. They want what a boat or RV promises for them – freedom, relaxation, entertainment, and simply a way to breathe freely. F&I facilitates that promise – that dream.

The F in F&I stands for Finance. Financing makes it possible for your customer to afford the great lifestyle – so the F really stands for Fun The I for Insurance offers all the Protective Products then ensure that all your customer has to worry about is enjoying themselves, comfortable in the knowledge that if anything goes wrong, they are protected and will be able to continue their lifestyle enjoyment without added cost. Save in that knowledge, your customer is able to relax and open themselves up – when that happens I stands for Inspiration.

Everyone involved with the customer’s F&I experience must fully internalize the fact that they are not pushing profit – they are enabling and delivering a lifestyle – they are delivering Fun and Inspiration. That said, “not pushing profit” does NOT mean not making a profit – it simply means delivering that profit with the lifestyle message and not with the pressure and fear technique that so many are so familiar with.

Why does a customer want to finance? Well, it could be for a couple of reasons, or perhaps both reasons. First, Finance allows the customer to acquire the unit that they want without needing or using liquid cash to do so. It frees them to get want they want while conserving more cash to help enjoy the lifestyle even more. Beside Fun, the F means Free – Free, to get what they want and Free to do what they want

What about Insurance or, in this case, Protective Products? These are NOT scams or rip-offs – ever. These are the products that allow your customer to relax without concern about things that might happen and in this relaxed mode, they can be Inspired. Warranties, Interior/Exterior Protection, Tire and Wheel Protection, GAP provide the assurance that their lifestyle can be Idyllic.

With all of this, your message to your customers needs to be clear.

Yes, you offer Financing and that needs to be advertised early and often so that there is no reason for your customer to seek that elsewhere.

Your messaging needs to let customers know that be Financing through you, they do not simply get F&I, they are getting Fun and Inspiration. They are getting a lifestyle that you understand and that they are looking for or maintaining that is Fun and Inspirational and that truly does offer a Free and Idyllic lifestyle.

F&I never needs to mean, “Oh no, not that” ever again – change your attitude about F&I and watch the profit skyrocket!

Dealer Profit Services – Driving Profit Through Fun and Inspiration

Dealer Profit Services, LLC can help you achieve F&I excellence – no matter where you are in the development and/or maturity of your store or stores F&I success model. As the industry’s best Finance Solutions Provider and the only one to take your customer to Fun and Inspiration with a Free and Idyllic lifestyle through F&I, thus driving industry-leading levels of F&I profit, Dealer Profit Services can and will equip you with what you need to take that next step in your F&I success – regardless of what that next step might be. Whether you want someone to help you take over take over your F&I and with our experienced personnel just help you drive profit to your store, provide help to you some of the time, need some quick advice, or just provide F&I Training/Consulting, we are here to help you. If you are not fully equipped with all of your Compliance Manuals and Training, Dealer Profit Services can do that too. Contact us anytime at info@dealerprofit.com or give us a call at (470) 326-0966.

Dealer Week 2020: More Accessible Than Ever

If you’re like most dealers, you can simply shake your head in amazement over what happened in 2020. A fast start, a sudden stop, and an unparalleled, dizzying re-acceleration to the business of selling boats.

 

The pressing question now appears to be: What does 2021 have in store?

 

There’s so much to consider with that question. Will I get the inventory I need? Will record sales resume? Will Covid concerns persist? Are there economic challenges ahead? What impact will the election have on my business? And how will my customers respond to it all?

 

Of course, these are questions you ask when you are at the mercy of whatever the market throws at you, but smart dealers know that the actions they take are what dictate their level of success.

 

The real question you should be asking yourself is: How will I steer my company to prosperity in 2021? Because the results are in your control.

 

As you seek to manage inventory levels, sales strategies, the customer experience, service department profitability and more, you can turn to Dealer Week, MRAA’s annual conference and expo, for direction. With the industry’s top experts and leading solution providers gathered in one event, Dealer Week is our industry’s only event geared to helping you maximize your success.

 

What’s more is that this year, as we move Dealer Week to an online-only event, this educational content becomes more accessible to you and your team than ever before. With no travel, hotel, or meal expenses, or required days out of the office, Dealer Week will be delivered to your dealership, making it the perfect way to train and prepare your team for the year ahead.

 

 

If you have not attended Dealer Week previously, you should know that dealers just like you have noted numerous strategies and tactics they have implemented based on what they learned at the event. And for 2020, MRAA has not only increased our investment in the educational content, but we are working with our experts to ensure that it’s as timely and relevant as possible in this rapidly changing business environment. That means you can trust that Dealer Week will provide you with the absolute latest trends, insights, strategies and best practices from the absolute best speakers and trainers.

 

As you seek to answer the questions that 2021 presents you — as you seek to remain in control of your business’ future — Dealer Week will take the guesswork out of your operations and help you run your business with clarity and confidence. I hope you’ll register today.