Preparing for “Top 100 Season”

I had a dream a few nights ago that I was working a boat show for a dealer. It’s not unusual for me to dream about work these days. When we’re on deadline, I often find myself trying to write articles or headlines in my sleep. It’s too bad the outcome is never as brilliant in the light of day.

Like most of you, the Boating Industry team has great passion for our work – and that often means thoughts of how to improve it spread beyond the hours we spend in the office. I find some of my best ideas come to me while I’m out for a walk or run, on a family car trip or discussing the day with my husband.

I’m betting that trend will continue in the summer months ahead. I expect to be out of the office on maternity leave in July and August, returning some time in September. And while my focus will be on my family at home, I can’t imagine Boating Industry and its readers will be too far from my mind. After all, it’ll be prime boating season for most marine retailers (not to mention boating families like mine) – and the height of what our team likes to call “Top 100 Season” at our magazine.

It won’t be long now before the 2010 Top 100 Dealer applications will start rolling in for our July 16^th deadline. And we can all have great confidence in those who will be there to accept them. As always, Matt Gruhn – now the trade group’s publisher and editorial director – and Jon Mohr, managing editor, will be reading and evaluating this year’s applications, as will be Mike Davin, Boating Industry’s new online editor. While this year will be Mike’s first as an evaluator for the program, he helped us out quite a bit last year. He’s read most of the 2009 applications, and he met several of you at the 2009 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo and Top 100 Gala. In fact, some of you may have already heard from him this year as we call you to offer our assistance with the 2010 applications. And when I return to work in September, I expect to be reading your applications as well.

So, between now and the end of June, please don’t hesitate to contact me – or any of the other team members – with any questions or comments about the Top 100 Dealer Application process. In July, August and early September, Matt, Jon and Mike will be your best contacts and, as always, happy to hear from you. Our contact information is on our website at www.boating-industry.com/contact_us.cfm.

All of us are looking forward to reading the 2010 Top 100 Dealer Applications you’ve been working so hard on. (For those of you who haven’t begun yet, there is still nine weeks left until the deadline – plenty of time if you get started today.) While 2009 was a tough year for most of us, the smaller boating industry that now exists is smarter, more innovative and better positioned to serve its customers than before the downturn. In fact, I recommend every dealer who has survived the past few years apply to this year’s Top 100. I’m sure each one has a story to tell we can learn from.