Create a better tomorrow

Over the past five years, the Boating Industry team has taken a number of steps to improve the health of the marine industry.

We changed our editorial content from yesterday’s news to real-world solutions. We recognize and celebrate dealer excellence through our Top 100 Dealers Program. We distribute numerous e-white papers, providing expert, actionable advice in a single-topic digital format. We’ve published more than 1,000 best practices in the magazine and on our Web site. And we continue to present strategies for tackling the market’s biggest challenges and capitalizing on its biggest opportunities at several industry events, in countless dealerships and at dealer meetings.

Now, arguably at a time when the industry needs it the most, we’re entering a
partnership that will allow us to help the industry grow in yet another way: We recently signed an agreement with the Marine Retailers Association of America that will give Boating Industry magazine responsibility for the overall creation and development of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. This five-year deal will allow us to orchestrate and deliver to you — in-person — the same standard of content that you’ve come to know from our printed and digital pages. You’ll experience a focus on best practices and expert advice that you can’t find elsewhere.

Boating Industry played an instrumental role in creating the content lineup for last year’s convention, and attendees of the event raved about it in an independent, third-party survey. Under the new agreement, we’ll take the content to yet another level.

We plan to double the amount of educational opportunities, compared to last year’s event, which means you will have access to an unsurpassed amount of take-home knowledge to apply to your business. And let’s be honest — can you remember a time when your need for insight into the industry’s top trends, advice and best practices was greater?

With a theme of “GPS: Growth, Profitability and Solutions for Navigating Today’s Market,” the 2009 MDCE will focus on real-world, proven strategies that top dealerships are using today to shape their businesses for tomorrow.

Although this content will prove to be the most timely and useful package of
information ever offered at a national dealer conference, it isn’t the only reason you should attend. You’ll also find numerous supplier exhibits, including boats and engines, and endless networking opportunities. Many dealers have asked for greater boat builder participation in this event, and this year, we’ll deliver that. In fact, a number of boat builders are piggybacking on the MDCE’s educational component, taking advantage of its timing (not to mention its move to Orlando, Fla.) to host a downsized dealer meeting in conjunction with it.

For our team, this represents not only a furthering of our partnership with the marine dealer body, but also an incredible opportunity to bring together all sectors of the marine industry at a most critical time for everyone. As we move forward in redefining how the marine industry fulfills the needs of our customers, this event stands to serve as a platform for us to unite in creating a better tomorrow. We hope to see you there Nov. 16-18. Check it out at www.boatingindustry.com/mdce.