Guest Blog

By Mark Overbye Try this right now. Whether on your computer keyboard or an imaginary one, type the word, “typewriter.” Notice the letters are all on the top line? This isn’t a coincidence, it’s intentional. In 1873 E. Remington and Sons acquired the manufacturing rights to a new invention called the typewriter.  As the story goes, Remington’s engineers altered the final keyboard to ...

By Myril Shaw F&I has earned a bad reputation, thanks, largely, to the way it was handled for far too long in the automotive industry.  The recreational industry can and should refresh the way people think about F&I. For purchasers of recreational vehicles – boats, RVs, ATVs, off-road, Powersports – F&I should not, cannot, be a pressure-filled, must do, frankly, ...

By Pete Batten Summer sales are wrapping up and the hype of buying a new boat may be dying down, but that doesn’t mean now is the time to be idle. Consumers will be turning their attention to units and parts for the fall season, and while you may not have this inventory on the lot, you can begin investing ...

By Joe Iribarren The lyrics “I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation” sounded fun and rebellious when Joan Jett sang them. But adopting that attitude when it comes to your dealer’s online reputation will prove to be disastrous. Your online reputation consists of more than a carefully-thought-out website and social media posts. For the most part, your online ...

By Pete Batten Imagine a customer walks into your dealership showroom and there are no units on display. Do you think that customer will still make a purchase? Probably not. So, what about your online showroom? Today most consumers begin the shopping process on the internet, browsing images of units before they ever visit the dealership, which is why it’s ...

By Myril Shaw While the times and circumstances require social distancing and limited direct, face-to-face interactions, and while dealers have clearly developed great virtual/no-touch showrooms and selling techniques, one aspect of consummating the sale has not changed for boat dealers. When a customer wants to finance, the compliance requirements (Red Flag and Patriot Act laws) have not been reduced in ...

By Mark Overbye We need a table, but not just any table, for our new boat brand soon to be in production. My wife’s an awesome cook and the prospect of her preparing food on the seat or the gunnel when boating with friends and family isn’t right. You’ve seen it too. Holding a drink between your legs while juggling ...

By Joe Iribarren These are hard times for many businesses across the globe. Local government is forcing companies to stop operating, while others are voluntarily doing so. And everyone is trying to figure out how to adapt to this ever-changing landscape quickly. I want to give you an update on some changes to Google and how they can impact your ...

By Bill Yeargin The global community is dealing with a crisis unlike anything those of us alive have ever experienced. It feels like we are in some sci-fi movie with a pandemic slowly (or not so slowly) moving across the globe. A crisis like what we are experiencing requires great leadership and, unfortunately, some leaders who are excellent in a ...

By Mark Overbye In the olden days of business, a manufacturer drove the product cycle, internally deciding how products got developed and presented in a controlled manner. Developed in the 1960’s, the “4 P’s” representing Product, Price, Place, Promotion comprised a business strategy that helped define success in that bygone era. It’s a supplier-sided mindset that defines how products get ...