Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/459961
MARKET FOCUS SECTION { CLEANERS, WAXES & POLISHES } February 2015 | Boating Industry | 45 www.BoatingIndustry.com You can't just buy deck cleaner one time and use it. You're going in there and once it's gone you get it again and again." Tom Bingham, director of marketing at Gold Eagle/303 Products, agrees with that and also notes the "great opportunity" for at- tachment sales. "If you get someone who runs in and is looking for some lube or 2-cycle oil, these folks tend to be very high-involvement consumers," he said. "By giving them even a small selec- tion of very core items, [dealers] can source revenue that they don't have today." CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNER(S) When deciding to add a chemical line or in- crease offerings, it's important to be working with the right companies. There are several factors to consider from the company's repu- tation to the amount of marketing it does to display options to customer service. Find a company that stands behinds its products and will be there to support you, said John Thompson, president of Sudbury Boat Care. "We've been around since 1950, when we were selling bilge cleaner for $1.25," he said. "We're a chemical manufacturer, not a market- ing company. I'm not having someone manu- facture it for me and then put my label on it." A company with integrity and a long his- tory is important, Bingham agreed, noting Gold Eagle's 83 years in business. "There are people that are trying to sell snake oil and there are people that are deliver- ing a quality product," he said. Customer service is important, too, notes Applegate. Star brite knows that boaters often need guidance in deciding which product to use and that it can be difficult for dealers to have depth of knowledge about every last item they carry. That's why the company offers a help line that customers can "call and talk to a real person," Applegate said. While those are all major factors, in the end, the company has to carry the right prod- ucts to meet customers' needs. Knowing your clients – whether they be owners of high-end yachts, aluminum fishing boats or everything in between – is the key to making the right decisions. "Every marina is a different circumstance, but clearly the higher-end clientele … drive more product revenue," Bingham said. That said, "there are a lot of premium products out there that aren't appropriate," he said. "You've got to match your clientele to your product line. It comes down to high- volume products, products that move." In general, those high-volume products are items such as protectants for vinyls and bimini tops, waxes, hull and deck cleaners, rust-stain removers and mold and mildew removers. Eco-friendly "green" cleaners and other chemicals are also becoming more important. Consumers are growing increasingly environ- mentally conscious in their buying and new government regulations continue to affect the industry as well. "We feel that the green will come more into play as we go forward," Thompson said. "We are really pushing our 'Eco' products, which work just as well as our traditional cleaners." "By giving them even a small selection of very core items, [dealers] can source revenue that they don't have today." — Tom Bingham, Gold Eagle