3. Industry Insights
Are boat builders shooting themselves in the foot? Should dealer meetings be scheduled after the peak selling season? These are just a few of the boating industry’s eight issues that Ben Sherwood says need resolving.

4. Technical Corner
Essentially all outboard motors 5 hp and above come equipped with two important safety devices: ignition cutoff (“kill”) switches and start-in-gear protection. This month, Ralph Lambrecht explains the latest in outboard safety device technology.

6. Special Section: Winterization
Although many people picture winter as a cold, windy, snowy, bleak time, winterization services for boat and motor dealers across the country is just the opposite—it’s a gold mine. Those that are not aggressively pursuing winterization services could find themselves left out in the cold.

11. Winterizing Products
Items to stock that will generate revenue.

13. Promoting Winterization
Not all dealers recognize the importance of promoting their winterization services to boaters. It may seem like unnecessary work, but three dealers from different regions of the U.S. demonstrate that promoting winterization can work to both the dealer’s and customer’s benefit.

15. Distributors and Winterization
According to distributors, now is the time for dealers to begin ordering their products for winterization in order to take advantage of the best available pricing. This is also a great time for boat inspections and add-on sales.

17. Accessory Shows
Accessory shows are loaded with opportunities to improve a dealer’s parts and service business, according to Mike Keller, president of Keller Marine & RV. Aside from keeping up with new product offerings, dealers can also get tips on how to enhance in-store merchandising techniques.

19. Boat Lines: Pontoons
Pontoon boat sales have jumped more than 7 percent in the last nine years. Unlike their 1950s counterparts, today’s ‘Toons are faster, more maneuverable, and luxurious.

22. Boat Lifts
Boat and motor dealers can’t change fuel prices or stop people from trading in their SUVs for small cars without trailer hitches, but there are some things they can do. One easy way for dealerships to help increase boat sales and improve profitability is by educating consumers about today’s boat lifts.

24. Aftermarket Accessories
Even with a drop in boat sales, dealerships can still make money and remain competitive in a troubling economy. One way is to take advantage of the fact that many customers are enhancing the boats they own with aftermarket accessory purchases instead of buying new boats.

26. Finance & Insurance
As banks and other financial institutions tighten their lending requirements due to the state of the economy and the economic fallout of the depressed housing market, boat and motor dealers have to work harder than ever at fostering relationships with both lenders and customers in order to maximize each customer’s chance of getting a loan and each dealership making a sale.

28. Dealer to Dealer
Although written service estimates are standard in other industries, they are atypical for most marine dealers. But that hasn’t stopped Warner’s Docks from using them and setting the customer satisfaction bar high.

DEPARTMENTS

 2.  Editor’s Notebook
30.  Classifieds
32.  Ad Index

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