Three actions dealers can take today
Dealers will see results for the industry and their businesses.
Dealer Outlook
Dealing with hurricane damage
As Florence approaches the Carolinas, here are some tips for what to do once the storm passes.
On-demand fueling is growing
UBER eats, DoorDash and Grubhub are fueling our propensity for convenience. Now suppliers will deliver fuel to your boat.
Expressing gratitude can mean more business
A good sales person in a dealership makes a habit of expressing gratitude for a prospect’s visit as well as a customer’s purchase. Saying thank you begins to build a relationship and future business is all about relationships. But in practice it can take more than just the ol’ thank you note or some canned email to build that relationship.
Better know what women want
Kicking back over the Labor Day weekend, we tuned in some old movies, including Mel Gibson’s “What Women Want.” The comedy reminded me of something more serious – the results of a recent study by Nielsen, the data analytics company, that examined that very question. The results should give us pause to consider how our dealerships, sales presentations and customer service are aimed at women ... or not.
IBEX is for dealers, too
The name really is misleading. Sure, when the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference began 28 years ago, it was just a small trade event for builders.
It’s time to legislate school starts
The trend towards earlier school starts is killing family boating summers. It may be time to push back.
Let the boat shows begin again
The North American Demo Boat Show starts today with 325 new boats on Lake Erie.
The Trojan Fax
An innocent fax number could allow hackers access to your most sensitive data.
Preventing the dealership tech shortage from getting worse
The RV industry will soon be poaching skilled technicians via a new, multi-million-dollar training program. Here’s how to keep your techs in your dealership.
It’s Slime Time from north to south
Algae in the Great Lakes and Red Tide in Florida are serious concerns for the marine industry.
Trade the Xbox for a tackle box
Fishing is the perfect antidote for our uber-connected digital lives.
‘Keep hookers off the pier’
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has initiated a campaign to ban fishing at Florida’s Naples Fishing Pier.
Sucking up to farmers puts boaters in danger
Become involved in the effort to educate boaters about the dangers of year-round E15 availability.
‘America’s Boating Channel’ hits YouTube
The videos provide dealers an opportunity to give customers access to sound, easy-to-understand education.
State marine trade associations are scoring wins
Here are a few of the policies and programs these groups are implementing.
Making a customer-service difference
Here are several examples of how people express their passion and pride in taking care of customers.
New battle for Lake Erie starts tonight
Ohio boating organizations will pack a hearing of the Ohio Power Siting Board to blast a recommendation that would give the green light to build wind turbines off Cleveland.
Five ways to annoy customers with your email
To be successful with email marketing, you must produce dynamic content and avoid pitfalls that hinder positive results.
BoatUS Foundation is expanding its hands-on training
Learning the skills to operate a boat with confidence creates a better experience on the water.
Great lessons from pizza’s music man
Tom Krouse uses music and songwriting as a model for running his business.
Some good news items for this holiday week
As we wrap up this Fourth of July holiday week, here are some good news items worthy of note going into the second half of our prime summer boating season.
The Modern Fish Act isn't sexy enough
I didn’t know good legislation doesn’t get passed because it’s “not sexy.”
It’s Electric! Should we expect major propulsion changes?
Will we see the slow pace of adoption in the United States pick up steam in the near future?