Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/416199
TOP 100 www.BoatingIndustry.com 50 | Boating Industry | December 2014 Like many dealers, Top 100 Hall of Fame company Prince William Marine has faced its share of challenges over the last several years. But one of the strengths that sets Prince William apart from other dealers – and helped it garner Dealer of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011 – is its willingness to adapt as the market changes. "As we take time each year to look at the complete business … in 2013 we took a hard look and continued to make some changes during the year as needed," said owner Carlton Phillips. After disappointing sales, Prince William opted to drop pontoon boats from its offerings last year. At the same time, the opportunity to add Bayliner gave the dealership an entry-level companion to its Sea Ray products. The company also revisited its trade-in policy to encourage more sales, most notably accepting trade-ins on brokerage boats. "With taking selective trade-ins we were able to produce almost 10 percent more good clean trades that were later sold," Phillips said. "As a result the used and brokerage sales in- creased 10 percent or better and all depart- ments benefited as a result of the sales." Prince William stayed committed to an ag- gressive marketing plan in 2013 playing to the strengths of the dealership's marina community. "We still stood by the philosophy we have to 'spend money to make money' as it contin- ues to work thru the years," Phillips said. "The content of the marketing plan for 2013 contin- ued to focus around the 'boating lifestyle' and what PWM had to offer to customers." As part of that plan, Prince William in- creased its presence at Costco Road Shows and tested the market at a local festival. The company focused more attention on local ad- vertising with print, Internet and local cable television. Prince William also continued with its community involvement and increased par- ticipation in several local events. The use of Prince William's rolling billboard also continued to be a great advertising invest- ment. The sign is two-sided, approximately 20 feet long and 10 feet high, attached to the top of an old trailer. Ahead of the boat show and other events, an employee drives the sign around the local area. Though MarineMax is the inaugural member of the Boating Industry Top 100 Hall of Fame, the dealership hasn't plateaued. It consistently evolves and grows in the ever-changing indus- try and is a role model to other Top 100 dealers. To continue its growth in 2013, Marine- Max introduced the United by Water cam- paign, a reflection of the way the dealership encourages its customers and staff to connect on the water, furthering dedication to selling the boating lifestyle – not just boats. This story was well marketed by the in- house MarineMax marketing team, who had its first full year in 2013. Through a new web- site design, extensive consumer research and an aggressive social media campaign including nu- merous Facebook pages and YouTube videos, the team was able to increase website traffic, brand awareness and revenue for the company. "This strategic move was put into place to better support the 55+ MarineMax stores across the nation and build consumer aware- ness of MarineMax as a premium brand," said CEO William H. McGill Jr. "[Our marketing team] continues to expand and develop [the website] to meet the needs of our current and potential customers." One element of this campaign was the Customer Getaway trips. The dealership spon- sors boating trips for all MarineMax new boat purchasers to various destinations, rendezvous gathering and on-the water organized events that promote the pleasures of the boating life- style. These trips vary in length, are without cost and continue to establish the MarineMax family environment for customers. "For us, it's about creating a relationship with the customer," said Josie Tucci, vice president of marketing at MarineMax. "Un- derstanding the lifestyle and providing the customer with the right boat for their needs and their family's needs is part of creating a lifetime relationship with them." In addition to its successful initiatives and events, MarineMax acquired Parker boats, which came with two new stores in Orlando and Daytona, and added Scarab jet boats, Sail- fish boats and national distribution for Azimut Yachts to its product mix. MarineMax also worked extensively with Sea Ray in 2013 on the launch of Sea Ray's new L-Class luxury yacht brand and on Sea Ray's Venture 370 hidden outboard model, as there was a significant interest among Marine- Max's customer base in the line. MarineMax's legacy within the industry has allowed it to see all of the ups and downs in a positive light. The company is seeing cus- tomers getting more and more confident and ready to purchase new boats, which is a relief after years of a difficult economy. "They've always been boating, boating has always been something our customers have been passionate about, but now there's more confidence," Tucci said. "2013 was a year where we saw people coming out, look- ing at boats again, buying new boats, partici- pating in events and feeling confident about the future." PRINCE WILLIAM MARINE MARINEMAX, INC.