Features

Best Marketing Pride Marine Group Ltd.  Bracebridge, Ontario From social media to augmented reality, anything and everything digital was at the forefront of Pride Marine Group’s marketing strategy in 2016. The Canadian dealer group focused its marketing efforts – both increased digital and limited traditional – on their newly defined target market, known to the company as “Roger.” Pride Marine ...

Now in its 13th year, the Boating Industry Top 100 program finds the dealers on the list to be more successful than they have ever been. The Top 100 and Hall of Fame dealers topped $3 billion in revenue for the first time in the history of the program, achieving revenue of more than $3.1 billion in 2016. Total revenue ...

Best Training & Benefits Legend Boats Whitefish, Ontario Legend Boats uses a two-prong approach in making sure new as well as existing dealership employees receive the best training possible to serve customers. A new team member does not start until they have a completed a detailed two- to four-week training schedule, says Legend Boats Co-CEO Jamie Dewar. That training begins with ...

Best Customer Service Port Harbor Marine South Portland, Maine Port Harbor Marine places customer loyalty above CSI scores when it comes to fostering a dealership service focus. “Our strategy is designed to improve the store first and then use mechanisms to insure we are getting the scores we deserve,” says Port Harbor Marine President Rob Soucy. “The first thing we work ...

Boating Industry Top 100 Hall of Fame: MarineMax – Clearwater, Fla. Galati Yacht Sales – Anna Maria, Fla. Prince William Marina – Woodbridge, Va. Legendary Marine – Destin, Fla. Gordy’s Lakefront Marine – Lake Geneva, Wis.   The Boating Industry Top 100 Hall of Fame recognizes dealers who have won the coveted Dealer of the Year award twice. These companies ...

Best Boat Show Strategy Lake Union Sea Ray Seattle, Wash. Lake Union Sea Ray’s flagship Seattle location might be in the shadow of the Seattle Space Needle, but the company’s presence and performance at boat shows over the past year scales an equally impressive height. The dealership dedicated between 50 and 60 percent of its marketing budget for three 2016 boat ...

Below are the Best in Class award recipients for 2017. Boating Industry recognized eight companies with special “Best in Class” awards, for Top 100 companies that particularly excelled in one area of their business. Best Boat Show Strategy – Lake Union Sea Ray, Seattle, Wash. Best Customer Service – Port Harbor Marine, South Portland, Maine Best Events – Oak Hill Marine, ...

This month’s issue features Boating Industry Magazine’s Top 100 as we honor the best boat dealers in North America for the 13th time. This year’s Top 100 is stronger than we’ve ever seen in the history of the program. Total revenue for the 2017 Top 100 dealers and Hall of Fame topped $3 billion for the first time – up ...

Each year, Boating Industry’s Top 100 Dealer Application includes a query about 20 group participation. Dealers are asked to explain the role they play within this unique learning community, which delivers best business practices, peer reviews of financial performance, and the opportunity to improve professionalism and profitability. American author, scientist, and statesman Benjamin Franklin first used the 20 group concept ...

Boat sales grew by slightly more than 4 percent in November, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. The Bellwether report tracks sales of powerboats across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations on a rolling 12-month basis. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the U.S. boat market (varies by market segment and time of ...