One of Boating Industry’s most popular and well-read editorial features will return early in 2020. Our editorial staff is now accepting nominations for our 40 Under 40 program, highlighting the best young leaders across the marine industry. The 2020 40 Under 40 will be featured in a cover story that will be published in the March/April print and online issues of Boating Industry. The 40 ...

Personal watercraft manufacturers strive to keep users on the water, longer By Adam Quandt Now in its eighth consecutive year of growth, the personal watercraft (PWC) of today continuously shatter expectations of who they’re for and what they’re designed for. Manufacturers all around speak of consistent growth between both current users moving up or trying new platforms and first-time buyers ...

By Jonathan Sweet When people talk about diversity, the first thing that usually comes to mind is ethnic and racial diversity. But the truth is most of us are now facing a workforce that is also diverse when it comes to generational differences. Consider that for some businesses, there are five generations in the workforce: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, ...

By Matt Sellhorst The past several years have been what I call “boom” years for most dealers. Sales volume is up, units are up in most segments and times are pretty good. But, could they be better? What happens if there’s a slowdown? Or what if the election cycle triggers the typical uncertainty that could impact sales? If your dealership ...

By Adam Quandt From humble beginnings in 1941 as a tent with 50 boats on display, to over 700 contracted exhibitors, an additional 300 working/support dealers and roughly 1,000 total companies participating, the Miami International Boat Show — produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association — continuously provides one of the largest stages for the recreational boating industry to shine ...

By David Gee The relationship between recreational boat builders and their dealer networks is a symbiotic one, with each needing the other to survive. And like any relationship, it requires dedication, diligence and constant communication to build and maintain trust and respect that go beyond contractual agreements and product portfolios. “Almost anyone will acknowledge that trust is the key to ...

By David Gee “What the new year brings to you depends a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” I don’t know who said that, but I like it. I like lots of quotes. Especially at this time of year. If you could see my office as I am writing this, you would notice all kinds of ...

By David Gee The economy, consumer confidence and the elections. Those three things will to a large extent likely determine what kind of year boat dealers are going to have in 2020. “Overall economic conditions” once again topped the list of biggest concerns for those Boating Industry readers who responded to this year’s industry forecast survey. About 82% of the ...

So, last time we talked about quality lead generation and I gave you a simple challenge.  Did you accept it? I hope so.  And, congratulations if you did take action. Now that you’ve taken action on the lead generation opportunity, let’s turn our attention to converting the leads we do have to face-to-face sales opportunities. Once you have a quality ...

Evinrude and Mercury Marine were both recently named Green Master campanies by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council (WSBC). Recognizing sustainable actions by businesses from across the state of Wisconsin, the Green Masters program works to identify businesses that have taken at least one action within each of the nine pillars of sustainability. Participants in the program receive recognition for their ...