Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/264625
www.BoatingIndustry.com www.BoatingIndustry.com 20 | Boating Industry | March 2014 Marketing is loosely defined as promoting and selling a product or service. "The way I look at marketing is basically it's salesmanship in print, or sales- manship delivered in media," said Matt Sellhorst, head profits coach at Boat Dealer Profits. Marketing is the avenue in which dealerships draw customers to their doors, and it has become increasingly important, some argue, as in-store traffic has lightened post-recession. Starting a plan One of the keys to successful marketing is to have a written plan. Drafting one an- nually helps a dealership stay on top of its marketing efforts throughout the year. With a plan, fewer campaigns are likely to fall through the cracks as the boating season begins. "I think it's very, very important to plan it out because we don't have a lot of budget dollars, and as a dealer you're always trying to get as much for the money as you can, the most bang for your buck," said Paula Fulton, owner of BMC Boats in Longwood, Fla. P20x25-BI14MAR-MarketingPlan.indd 20 2/7/14 10:52 AM