One of the most popular topics of discussion in the industry this year seems to be Internet technology. Whether it’s SEO, mobile marketing, social networking or e-commerce, marine professionals want to know how to expand and improve their online efforts to drive efficiencies and increase sales in their businesses. Read more >>
By Jeff Scherer, Associate Partner, Callbutton LLC – Many years ago, before the Internet was “cool,” I was the Internet sales manager for one of the largest automotive retailers. This was a very interesting time because prior to this, no auto entities had really stepped out to try to market vehicles through this new budding medium known as “the Web.” To say that many of the old-school general managers in our dealer groups were skeptical would have been a tremendous understatement. They said over and over that this Web thing was a fad, and would never work to sell cars. Our team was often looked at as the “geek squad,” (no offense to the Best Buy’s guys) and as competitors to the retail sales team. Much of this doubt and fear was understandable as we were jumping quickly into territory that was undefined and unknown. Read more >>
By Mike Davin, online editor, Boating Industry — These days, building a Web site is pretty easy. There are free templates more advanced than the sites major companies used a few years back. And if you need something more robust than what’s available for free, there are plenty of individuals and companies out there more than happy to meet your needs. Read more >>
Tags: Internet
By Mike Davin, online editor, Boating Industry — Since the iPad has been on the market for a full 24 hours now, I’m going to go ahead and assume you all have one. Read more >>
Tags: Internet
By Mike Davin, Online Editor, Boating Industry — A year ago, had you ever tweeted? Boating Industry hadn’t, though now it’s a big part of how we share breaking news.
We hadn’t launched this blog yet either (that happened in March) or our Facebook page (April) or our LinkedIn group (April again). Actually, it’s been a pretty big year for us and our online social circle, and we hope the expanded offerings have made it easier for you to communicate with us and your fellow marine industry members. Read more »
By Nancy Mac, Spark Gap Marketing — Hey Neighbor!
I’m all agog at the social media mindset in the marketing world. Did you know there are people offering certification in Social Media Marketing? This makes me laugh. A lot. Uproariously, in fact.
Marketing geeks in the business world are yammering back and forth. The tweets rip. The blogs are on fire. Analyzing the trends. The numbers. The percentages doing what and how. What utility? Say this! NO! Say that! Be Authentic. Be Transparent. Yada yada yada. It’s amazing how complex people want to make things. The technology and getting used to the environment are the hard part. Twitter and Facebook had me scratching my head just trying to figure out what went where and how it did what it did so I could do what I do. Read more »
Tags: Internet
By Bob McCann, Director of Client Education, ARI Network Services & Channel Blade — When we started Channel Blade years ago, most of the marine dealer Web sites we designed were focused on the lifestyle of boating. Back then, many conversations with dealers often led to a familiar phrase: “We don’t just sell boats … We sell Fun!” Over the last year and a half or so, we have seen more and more dealers shifting their focus from selling “the fun” to selling “the deal” because of huge inventories of aged units in these tough economic conditions. Read more >>
By Erin Skinner, Senior Pay Per Click Analyst, ROI Revolution, Inc — As the years move on, it becomes more and more apparent how big of a part the Internet is going to play in the success of small businesses. In the current economic downturn that we’re all struggling to get through, using the Internet to market your marine business is not only a good idea, it’s a necessity. Read more >>
Tags: Internet
There’s a dinner tomorrow night for the Sea Ray Owners Club at a restaurant on a lake near Austin, Texas. No RSVP is necessary. Members just need to show up and a seat will be waiting for them, courtesy of Sail & Ski Center – a dealership based in Austin – and each table of Sea Ray owners will receive a free appetizer platter. I’m not one to pass up free chicken wings, but I’m also not a Sea Ray owner (and I live in Minnesota) so I won’t be able to make it. But thanks to an e-mailed newsletter I received from Sail & Ski on the last day of April, I now know about the dinner; a boating lifestyle expo the dealership is hosting this weekend; a maintenance seminar on Saturday; and every other event the business has planned for the month of May. Read more >>
A month and a half ago, when I spoke at the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey annual conference, I touched on the growing number of marine businesses participating in social networking, as did the person who followed me, Sam Natello of Dot Com Design Studio. This is a subject that holds particular interest for me as our team has been developing a social networking strategy for Boating Industry in recent weeks. In the question and answer period after the presentations, a member of the audience shared his concern that launching a page on Facebook or another social networking site would give any customers with a bone to pick with his dealership the chance to ruin its reputation. Read more >>
