Focus on fun

As a writer, you never know what’s going to connect with the audience.

But clearly the idea of selling the fun of boating (the topic of my column in the March issue) is resonating in a big way.

In my two years here at BI, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten as much feedback on anything else I’ve written, with readers mentioning it in emails, phone calls, etc. The general consensus seems to be that we’re not having enough fun in this industry. And those veterans of the industry say it used to be a lot more fun.

The good news is that seems to be changing. From manufacturers to dealers, there seem to be more events getting people on the water than there were just a couple of years ago.

Since Miami, the invites have been coming left and right. If only the travel budget would allow I think I could pretty much get on a boat this weekend and not have to come back to the office for a few months as I travel around the country.

There are things we can’t control in this industry – from taxes to E15 to the economy – but emphasizing the fun, well, that’s right in our wheelhouse.

You can read more ideas for boosting sales through events and other undertakings in the April issue, but in the meantime we’d like to hear how you’re selling the boating lifestyle. Get ‘em on the water and bring back the fun!