• MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference and Expo offers marine dealerships an unmatched experience for education, networking and advancement. After removing the covering for the temporary tattoo on my right shoulder, the words in the bright red heart with an arrow piercing through it read, “Mom!” But from my inverted angle, those same three letters read […]
Tag: jerrod kelley
Let Data Be Your Pathway to Insights & Predictive Solutions
We have all been there, sitting in a meeting when someone says the word. Everyone around the room instantly thinks: is it DAY-ta or DA-tuh? It doesn’t matter how you say it! Both forms are considered acceptable English pronunciations of the word data. Don’t believe me? Watch this! What DOES matter about data is that […]
The Magic of Dealer Week
The 2023 MRAA Dealer Week Conference and Expo was the largest Dealer Week on record, from its attendance to its sheer size! I feel honored to play a role in helping make the annual event happen. But, as some of my co-workers have stated, Dealer Week 2023 just hit differently. Maybe it’s because of the […]
Pitch & Catch: Throwing Strikes with Robust Education
• Two Dealer Week educators to deliver soul-stirring keynotes. Imagine this. You put on baseball catching gear and squat down on your toes 60 feet 6 inches away from a hard-throwing pitcher on a mound of dirt. Your goal is catching his 102-mph fastball and arsenal of sliding and sinking pitches while framing each one […]
Dealer Week Industry Celebration – The Rockin’ Good Time You Deserve, Cool Cat!
MRAA’s Dealer Week is about learning, growing and educating your dealership team for even more success in the year ahead. However, it’s also about having fun, seeing friends, making new connections and celebrating another year of being part of the greatest industry ever! Last year in Austin, Texas, the MRAA held a 1970s-themed Industry […]
Leadership Requires Strength & Humility
William H. McRaven, retired U.S. Navy Admiral and author, discusses the word hope in chapter 9 of his book “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy).” Anyone in a leadership position has either used hope or have heard something said like “I hope it all works out.” McRaven goes on to […]
Discover Your Unique Identity to Become a Great(er) Dealership
Last year, 27 MRAA Certified Dealers earned 90% positive responses on their annual Employee Satisfaction Surveys (ESS). They were honored with an MRAA Great Dealership to Work For award live on stage at Dealer Week in Austin, Texas. This year, on Wednesday, Dec. 6, dozens more Certified Dealers will receive this valuable recognition amongst their […]
7 Courses to Help Your Service Department Reach the Next Level
“If you were to recommend three courses for a service department, what would you suggest?” This recent question popped up in one of the MRAA internal Slack conversations asking our entire team for their suggestions. We get regular questions about top courses from our our dealer members and MRAA staff for a couple of reasons. […]
22 Tips to Tackle High Rates & Finance More Deals
Higher interest rates are putting a damper on customers’ interest in financing their boat purchases. In a recent MRAA Pulse Report Survey, about 8 out of 10 dealers cited high interest rates as the biggest obstacle to customer financing. Low lender approval rates came in second, followed by “perceived values of trade-ins” and “other.” There’s […]
Begin with ‘GOOD’ to Become Great!
Have you ever uttered the word “good” when something goes wrong at your dealership? Chances are you’ve said a different word, perhaps one with a negative or “bad” connotation. Jocko Willink, author and retired Navy Seal officer, has shared on his podcast his philosophical approach to responding with “good” when problems crop up. How comfortable […]
