Hurricane Laura Shows the Need for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

Hurricane Laura made landfall on Texas and Louisiana’s coasts early Thursday morning as the strongest hurricane to hit the region since 1861. The Category 4 hurricane with a life-threatening storm surge brought significant inland flooding and 150 mph winds. Fortunately search and rescue teams have found no reports of widespread fatalities.

Hurricane Laura is the seventh named storm to make landfall in the U.S. this year, an all-time record. The storm intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm overnight before making landfall, being just shy of a Category 5 strength storm. Winds from Category 4 storms can level communities, causing long-lasting power outages and leave entire swaths of land uninhabitable for weeks and months.

According to the Associated Press, nearly 470,000 homes and businesses are without power.

The Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act, landmark bipartisan legislation that would give small businesses the opportunity to access much needed capital to invest in disaster resilient infrastructure — a top priority for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. This bill 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 like Hurricane Laura.

This will preserve small business job gains in communities that depend on them and prevent against the existential threat of permanent business closure. According to FEMA, roughly 40-60 percent of small businesses never reopen following a disaster.

This program would be the only SBA program focused solely on small business disaster prevention, and would complement rebuilding efforts through the government agency’s disaster loan programs. 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.

A study by the MRAA and AMI found that marine businesses 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. This is an issue that transcends industries where all small businesses across the country face similar needs to mitigate damages caused by an increase in frequency and severity of natural disasters, costing the U.S. over $800 Billion in the last decade. 

See MRAA’s press release outlining the bill here.

For additional information, please contact MRAA government relations manager Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.

MRAA Adds Three Employees to Enhance Membership, Education and Content Channels

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has hired three new employees in Education Specialist Cecelia Pallotto, Content Manager Jerrod Kelley and Membership Manager Sherri Cuvala.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sherri, Cecelia and Jerrod
 to our MRAA team and to bolster all of the great resources we create and contribute to this great industry of ours,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “Education, membership and content generation are all key drivers within MRAA. We know these three
 individuals can help us make great strides in these areas, which, in turn, will help us build a more solid foundation and support system for our vast marine audience.”

Cecelia Pallotto — Education Specialist

As Education Specialist, Pallotto will facilitate online course creation, content and tools for MRAATraining.com, Dealer Week education, webinars and more. Pallotto has a Masters of Arts in Communication and is a professor of public speaking.
 She also gained educational and training experience as district manager for a seasonal photography set company. Pallotto finds joy in biking, gardening and being on the water with her husband and two children.   

“I’m so excited to
 be a part of such a talented team of people who share a passion for education and customer experience,” said Pallotto. “I consider myself a lifelong learner and am so passionate about these things, so to be a part of a group whose main purpose and
 shared goal is exactly this is invigorating and powerful.”

Jerrod Kelley — Content Manager
As MRAA Content Manager, Kelley oversees strategic and timely distribution of on-brand MRAA content and is responsible for generating and managing
 the creation of content across all MRAA channels. Kelley’s history as a creative content supplier has included sports journalism, magazine editorial, TV co-host and freelance writer. For the last nine years, he served as a public relations consultant
 for Can-Am Off-Road Vehicles (BRP, Inc.). When he’s not working, he can be found spending time with his wife and three children, fishing and both coaching and playing baseball.

“Joining the MRAA is rewarding because of the devoted group of
 employees that make up its heart and soul,” he said. “I’m honored and blessed to join such a well-respected team and association that excels at helping its members succeed and achieve greatness. The MRAA has many avenues of content generation, so
 it will be fun to create and manage strategies to share these messages with the marine industry and media.”

Sherri Cuvala — Membership Manager
Cuvala will manage membership recruitment and renewals for MRAA, in addition to facilitating
 outstanding experiences for member and non-member dealers and other retailers. Prior to joining the MRAA, Cuvala worked for nearly 30 years with the National Marine Manufacturers Association, building strong relationships through interactions with
 marine manufacturers, dealers and retailers. Outside of the office, Cuvala enjoys spending time with her family, two children and friends.

“I strongly believe in the benefits of the boating lifestyle, and when I saw the open position for Membership
 Manager at MRAA, I instinctively knew I found my new home,” said Cuvala. “I’m thrilled to be able to continue my relationship with dealers and retailers that I have previously worked with and look forward to building new relationships as well.”




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.

“Second Opinion Service” – Business and Personal Wealth Evaluation Now Available To MRAA Members!

Second Opinion

MRAA logo The Marine Retailers Association has announced a new benefit for members designed to assess their personal and business wealth to bring them closer to their most meaningful financial goals. The “Second Opinion Service” benefit is provided by with The Stanek Group at Morgan Stanley.


Many of you have built up successful dealerships and concentrated on their business wealth. The Second Opinion Service evaluates how you can become financially independent of your business by taking a detailed view at your key financial documents and addressing areas such as:



•    Navigating your business succession, exit, and transfer of dealership to the next generation or third party.
•    Finding ways for your wealth to be tax efficient and to eliminate debt.  
•    Preserving your wealth through thoughtful insurance, long term care and disability insurance policies.


Here’s how the benefit works.


The Stanek Group will meet with you for a Discovery Meeting. Assuming both parties agree there is a basis to work together, you provide key financial documents for an in-depth financial review. A second meeting – the Wealth Planning Meeting – is then scheduled to review key findings, opportunities, and specific recommendations to help your wealth work better for you.

If you enjoy working with the Stanek Group, you can engage their services but are not obligated to do so.
Either way, you will receive:


•    A personalized written analysis of your current situation
•    Clarity on your wealth plan
•    Recommendations, suggestions and planning insights to help reach your most important goals.
•    Most importantly, a written plan that you can review, implement, and share with your other advisors.



If you would like to learn more, you can reach out directly to Tony Perrelli, Financial Advisor, with the Stanek Group at Morgan Stanley. Tony can be reached at Tony.Perrelli@ms.com or 312-648-3365.



Tony Perrelli
Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley – Chicago Merc #628
227 West Monroe Street
Suite 3400
Chicago IL 60606



Since life insurance and long term care insurance are medically underwritten, you should not cancel your current policy until your new policy is in force.  A change to your current policy may incur charges, fees and costs.  A new policy will require a medical exam. Surrender charges may be imposed and the period of time for which the surrender charges apply may increase with a new policy.  You should consult with your own tax advisors regarding your potential tax liability on surrenders.

Guarantees and contractual obligations are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice.  Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

Investments and services offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.  Member SIPC.
CRC 3176965  7/2020


The Boat House Chicago hosts Boat-In Movie Night on Pistakee Lake

The Boat House Chicago hosted the first ever “Boat-In” Movie Night on the Chain O’ Lakes! During these uncertain times, entertainment venues and entertainment in general is limited. That’s why we decided to help give our boating family and friends a lasting memory this summer!  

 

Starting at 8:15pm The Boat House Chicago showcased Finding Nemo and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl on a 24ft LCD screen stationed at our new facility and facing outward toward the water. 

 

Local boaters were encouraged to anchor in the no-wake zone and enjoy a socially distanced movie night “together”. Promoting the event through social media and local news outlets, well over 100 boats were anchored up prior to the start of the first movie with more arriving after dark! 

 

“We’re really excited to host this event and show off our new facility here in Johnsburg! It’s already been an incredible first year at our new home and this was the icing on the cake! To see so many friends and fellow boaters coming out to be part of this unique experience, we couldn’t have hoped for more and we’re really excited for what the future holds!” said Tyler Kraft, Marketing Coordinator and event planner.

 

Rick Gasaway, COO of The Boat House offered the following comments: “We were really looking forward to kicking off the year in a big way with our new facility. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our on-water events and traditional marketing efforts were limited, so we had to get creative. We love the boating lifestyle and what better way to exemplify that than to create events like this where boaters can get together and create lasting memories with family and friends!”

 

The Boat House Chicago has served boaters on the Chain O’Lakes for over 10 years through the former store in Prairie Grove. In January of 2020, The Boat House acquired Bald Knob Marina and relocated the Chicago store to Johnsburg.  The combination of the two dealerships has brought many synergies as it ties together the strength of The Boat House brands and Bald Knob’s established in/out and slip rental services.  The acquisition continues to provide a full spectrum of services and products that support customers as they enjoy their lifestyle on the water. 

 

 

About The Boat House

The Boat House is a multi store marine dealership with 4 Midwest and 3 Florida locations. Our mission is to supply our customers with a superior boat buying and ownership experience by offering premium brands, professional staff, first class service and 360º solutions including: New & Used Boat Sales, On Site and Mobile Service, Storage, Parts, Gear, Pier and Lift Services, Long and Short Term Boat Rentals, In-House Financing, Consignments, On Water Demonstrations and Community Boating Events. We believe boating enhances our lives through meaningful relationships and time well spent. We are lifetime boaters eager to share our passion and experience with you.

Jeff Husby Named President and CEO of WaterSports Central

WaterSports Central LLC (WC), Georgia and South Carolinas premier boat dealership with six retail locations featuring Nautique, Crownline, Bryant, Xcursion, and South Bay brands, today announced and welcomed veteran marine retailer Jeff Husby as its partner, president and CEO. Preston Davis who has served as the organization’s senior executive since 2017, moves into an advisory and board member role.  

Husby brings a wealth of industry leadership experience including nearly three decades at the retail level. For six straight years, he personally earned the #1 global award for top retail sales for Correct Craft. In 2008, he founded his own dealership – Regal Nautique of Orlando – and has propelled it into a world class organization currently ranked in the #4 position of the Boating Industry Top 100 in North America. Other major industry accolades under Husby’s leadership include 8x Top 100 dealer ranking including designation in 2018 as the nation’s best-in-class service department; 2019 MRAA Top 10 Best Dealerships to Work For; 10 consecutive years as a Top 10 Nautique Dealer and winner of the 2019 highly coveted Nautique President’s Award; Top 10 Worldwide Regal Dealer with previous #1 ranking for single-store sales; along with multiple top-scoring CSI award recognitions.

Husby remains at the helm of Regal Nautique of Orlando as owner and GM. However, this new dual role provides ample opportunity to maximize the strengths and shared resources between both companies in a continued and focused effort to elevate the customer experience.  

“WaterSports Central is well respected in the markets it serves with a proven heritage of outstanding sales and customer service,” said Husby. “I am motivated to work with and lead this outstanding team into the next chapter and to further build and solidify our position in each market.”

Added former President and CEO Preston Davis, “Jeff Husby is the most capable and passionate leader I have met in the industry and is a proven leader who shares our organization’s values and passion. I take great comfort in knowing I leave WaterSports Central in better hands than my own, with a highly experienced and talented management team along with great employees, customers and the entire stakeholder network. The sky is the limit and our entire organization is excited about the future.”

New Boater Interest Drives Boat Leads to Soar Past Expected July Fourth Peak

  • New visitors to Boat Trader, YachtWorld and boats.com up more than +50% in July
  • Leads flourished across U.S. with over +200% YoY growth in nearly all regions
  • Boats Group’s soldboats.com database shows boat sales increased +30% YoY

Data from July for Boat Trader, YachtWorld and boats.com show traffic (+49% YoY) and leads (+193% YoY) continue to soar past the expected July Fourth peak, suggesting the boat buying surge won’t end anytime soon in the United States. The recent rise in traffic, leads and boat sales has largely been driven by people new to boating and those quick to realize that escaping to the water on a boat is the best way to ‘staycation’ and stick to COVID’s restrictions on travel and gatherings. In fact, new visitors on Boats Group’s marketplaces were up 56% last month.
 
New boaters appear to be drawn to boats with multipurpose use, and right now cruisers, center consoles and pontoons are the top in-demand segments based on magnitude of leads. In comparison to last year in July, sailboats and fishing boats were among the leading categories – an indication that buyers in 2020 are looking for functional, family-friendly boats. The heightened popularity of pontoons (leads up +271% YoY) in particular, an easy-to-handle, versatile boat for the masses, is further evidence of a new boat-buying audience.
 
Following the progression of the virus, certain areas in the U.S. have experienced drastic upticks in the number of recorded infections, which could help explain changes in demand geographically in places like the West Coast where lead volume outpaced the Great Lakes for the first time. Lead volume across all regions remained strong beyond the usual Fourth of July peak, signaling that the typical sales season may be extended this year.
 
The latest information reported to Boats Group’s soldboats.com and YachtCloser data sources also confirms the current buying boom underway and reveals that the number of boats sold in July in the U.S. grew +30% over 2019. The surge in sales, coupled with the slowed to halted production, has resulted in tightened inventory, pushing the average price per boat sold up 18% YoY, as well as total value sold, which grew 54% YoY in July.

The boating industry has not seen this level of entrants in recent years and may need to adjust its sales and post-sales approach to ensure that this new audience remains engaged long term.

Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating Joint ‘Get On Board’ Campaign Signals Success

In under two months, a collaborative marketing campaign from Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating has reached an audience of more than 640 million. Launched June 15, the Get On Board campaign is a joint effort between the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to help more Americans experience the restorative health and wellness benefits of boating and fishing safely while social distancing.

“While new boats are selling at an impressive level this summer, the real value of the campaign is the voice it’s giving our industry at a time we uniquely have the attention of our potential next generation customer,” said Ellen Bradley, Senior Vice President and Chief Brand Officer for NMMA. “By coming together with RBFF and MRAA during this unique time, we’re able to share the benefits of the boating and fishing lifestyle in a more impactful way and better position our industry for the future.”

An integrated campaign of digital advertising, public service announcements, social media and public relations, Get On Board took its inspiration from rising consumer interest in safe outdoor recreation amidst COVID-19. The same trend has contributed to record participation and sales for the boating and fishing industry this summer.

“As Americans seek out ways to recreate responsibly, one in five people have become more interested in taking up fishing,” said Frank Peterson, President and CEO of RBFF. “Through Get On Board, we’ve created a powerful platform to make the joys of fishing and boating more relevant than ever for new audiences — and already, the numbers are showing success. Year over year, fishing license registrations are up around the country.”

Highlights of the campaign’s success so far include:

  • An estimated 644 million impressions.
  • More than 15 million video views on YouTube.
  • More than 1,400 news media placements, including interviews with campaign spokesperson Dr. Sue Varma, a nationally recognized psychiatrist.
  • More than 1.4 million social media engagements across Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating’s social channels.
  • A public service announcement airing 5,778 times by more than 110 TV stations across the country.
  • More than 800 social media posts using the campaign hashtag #TheWaterIsOpen.
  • Social media influencers including @AmeliaKFarrar, @ChrisGarafola, @ReadySetJetSet, @Hey_Ciara and @Girlof10000Lakes reaching a potential audience of more than 675,000 and generating more than 500,000 likes, comments, shares, views and clicks.
  • Record-breaking web traffic to the Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating sites this year has continued since the campaign’s launch with a 78% year-over-year increase in visitors.

To date, nearly 200 industry members have joined the campaign, which is open to all brands and leaders throughout boating and fishing.

“We are off to an incredible start with sharing the Get On Board messaging, but we want to ensure that the entire industry unites behind this campaign to let consumers know that boating is a safe and enjoyable way to spend their family and recreation time,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA president. “We hope to continue our industry’s momentum by engaging even more dealers, marinas and manufacturers in using the Get On Board assets and messaging.”

Industry members are urged to help ensure that boating and fishing continue providing lifelines to health and wellness for Americans throughout the pandemic. Interested readers are encouraged to use the campaign hashtag #TheWaterIsOpen and access easy partner toolkits from Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating, where they can download free social media assets, website banner ads, videos and imagery. For customized boating assets, please contact MRAA’s Matt Gruhn at matt@mraa.com.

For additional questions about Get On Board, please contact Take Me Fishing’s Stephanie Vatalaro at svatalaro@rbff.org or Discover Boating’s Ellen Bradley at ebradley@nmma.org.

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.

About RBFF: RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. RBFF’s recently announced 60 in 60 effort strives to attract 60 million anglers to the sport by the end of 2021. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns creating awareness about boating, fishing and conservation, and educating people about the benefits of participation. These campaigns help boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign websites, TakeMeFishing.org and TakeMeFishing.org/es, feature how-to videos, information on how to get a fishing license and boat registration, and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots.

About NMMA: The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading trade organization for the North American recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, marine accessories and gear used by millions of boaters in North America. The association manages the industry’s Discover Boating campaign and serves its members and their sales and service networks by improving the business environment for recreational boating including providing sales and marketing platforms, decreasing the cost of doing business, and helping grow boating participation. Learn more at www.nmma.org and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

MRAA launches virtual program for post-sale follow-up

In an environment where dealers are seeing unprecedented levels of activity and struggling to keep up, one area that can get missed is post-sale follow-up. To solve that issue and promote strong relationships with customers after the sale, MRAA today announced its new Virtual Business Development Center (vBDC) for dealerships.

Business Development Centers, which have grown in popularity in the marine industry in recent years, provide a way for dealers to keep in better touch with customers.

“It’s a method of plugging a lot of profit leaks,” says Bob McCann, MRAA Lead Certification Consultant. “What I mean is, when phone calls come in, or web leads, and they aren’t responded to properly, it’s a missed opportunity. A BDC is designed to address that.”

However, the investment to set up and maintain a BDC prevents some dealerships from implementing the concept in their business. That’s why MRAA has partnered with Customer Service Intelligence, Inc. and is introducing a virtual option specifically created to address one of the most critical profit leaks — new boat buyers who leave the sport.

According to a study released by InfoLink in 2018, almost 40 percent of 2013’s first-time boat buyers sold and did not replace their boat within five years. That is scary in normal times, but recent data from CSI, Inc. shows that Customer Satisfaction Scores were down for the dealers they track in Q2 of this year, and the leading cause was follow-up, or a lack thereof.

MRAA’s vBDC will personally conduct post-sale follow-up via email, text or phone call (depending on the customer’s preference) to ask how the dealership did. In instances where a customer has a major issue, it will connect them directly with the dealership to get it resolved. For everyone, it will record areas where a customer was not completely satisfied and provide weekly, monthly and year-to-date reporting to help dealerships improve.

The service offers 1 branded email, 2 text conversations, 1 phone call, daily alerts, and weekly reports that cover every new boat customer submitted.

“If you can stay in touch with your customers yourself, great,” says McCann. “But for those who say ‘there just aren’t enough hours in the day” we put this program together with CSI to help you stay connected.”

The program is currently available for a set-up fee of $500 (Non-Members) or $300 (MRAA Members) and a per customer fee of $15 (Non-Members) or $14 (Non-Members). So, for example, an MRAA member who sells 100 boats per year would pay $1,700 total.

To view a webinar overview of the program, click here.

For more information and to get started, contact Becky Thompson, President, Customer Service Intelligence, Inc., at 800-835-5274 or bthompson@tellcsi.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.

Level Up Your Customer Experience Efforts by Getting Certified

As your dealership begins turning up the dial on customer experience efforts, you’re likely looking at several options to better serve your customers and prospects. You may be considering steps, such as adding a customer experience representative, outsourcing some of your follow-up efforts, integrating more digital retail into your processes, and more to improve the experience customers have with your dealership.

 

But one of the ways to really amplify your efforts is to go through the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program.

 

The customer experience is one of three key pillars that the Certification program is based off of, so going through Certification will allow you and your Certification Consultant to analyze your current processes and how they impact your customer experience, and then use proven best practices to improve your efforts.

 

The following are just a few parts of the Certification process that can impact the customer experience you offer:

  • Marine Industry Consumer Commitment
  • Employee Satisfaction Survey
  • CRM process
  • CSI tracking & trending
  • Sales process, including 100 percent follow-up
  • Delivery
  • Customer product orientation
  • Website standards
  • Facility standards
  • Service process, including 100 percent follow-up
  • Repair orders
  • Quality assurance process
  • Service comeback tracking
  • Parts process
  • Mystery shopping

 

Through Certification, you’ll go over each of these areas and more, to cover your customer experience, employee engagement and dealership operations. It’s a surefire way to shore up your customer experience efforts, learn from your Certification Consultant, implement best practices of other Certified Dealers and improve upon the experience offered to your customers, which, in turn, should improve your dealership as a whole.

 

On top of that, after you’re Certified, you’ll enter into the Continuous Certification program in each subsequent year, offering you exclusive customer experience education annually. Thus far, the Continuous Certification has covered the following customer experience topics: Take Your Dealership From Good to Great with CRM, Improve Loyalty with a Customer Experience Mindset, Align Your Dealership with Today’s Customer, Supercharge Your Customer Experience and Update Your Sales Process for Today’s Marine Market. Other courses in Continuous Certification have also touched on customer experience as well.

 

If you’re interested in Certification but still have questions, reach out to Zane Stevenson at zane@mraa.com or 763-402-7234, or Liz Keener at lizk@mraa.com or 763-333-2417. Or enroll at MRAA.com.

Continue to Train Your Customers in Boating

When your customer received their boat, hopefully you were able to give them an in-depth orientation and demo at delivery. But, as many of us know, one hour or a couple hours of training do not make for an expert boater.

Now is the time to think about how you can offer additional training opportunities to your customers to make them safer boaters and offer them a better experience going forward.

Here are few ways you can continue to train your customers:

Women on the Water classes: Popular among many dealers, Women on the Water classes take the recent female boat buyers and offer them a class with their peers to learn how to drive, dock and trailer a boat. These sessions are no pressure, allowing the participants to ask questions and try each skill themselves. While having large class sizes is not advisable during the COVID-19 outbreak, you may consider hosting one-on-one or small group classes (with local safety regulations in mind).

Boat captains: If you don’t yet offer a captain’s service, this may be something your dealership could offer. Pair your new boat buyer with a captain either on staff or a captain service nearby, so the new boat buyer can get a hang of boating and a better understanding of the rules of the water, while on their own boat with a trained captain.

Wake boarding, wake surfing, or skiing classes: Have your on-staff or nearby watersports expert take customers out on their own boat, or a similar dealership-owned boat, to demonstrate the best way to use the boat for watersports. Allow the customer and their family to have a chance to try wake boarding, surfing, or skiing themselves, so they can get a hang of the sport.

Safety courses: Host safety courses either on site at your dealership, or virtually. This offers boaters a better idea of what they should be thinking about when it comes to safety. Some dealerships even host courses after which attendees can earn a license or certification.

Video training: Many dealers are getting into video creation, and one of the great things to do with video is to offer product demonstrations. In each video segment, released periodically, teach your customer about a different part of the boat, offering them tips and tricks for a successful day out on the water.

Second orientation: We all know it’s hard to soak in all the information during the initial delivery orientation, so if you have the time, you can offer your customers a second demo, after they’ve gotten the hang of the general of the boat. During a second orientation, the buyer would be armed with questions that relate directly to what they’ve been experiencing, and it gives your team an additional touchpoint with that new customer.