I could use some ideas on marketing to try to expand our sales. We are a high end boat dealer in a small niche market in Upstate New York. We sell high end in board tow boats and runabouts if you are un familiar with the brand. Our problem is getting people in the door. There is definitly a market for these boats here as most homes on the lake are very expensive and most everyone in this are owns a boat. We are trying to shoot more for the family aspect as most people see these boats as only watersports oriented and they are not. Most people go with I/os here but in reality inboards are a much better choice for a boat. They just see the i/o as what everyones been doing and continue to follow. We have not had one person ever go back to an i/o after owning an inboard and most people as soon as they drive one buy it just because they are so impressed with every aspect of it as compared to the traditional i/o. Looking for any kind of information on how to market and marketing ideas to get people in our boats so they can see the difference themselves. any ideas woul be great incentives, ideas on where to advertise, slogans anything at all would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.

Here'a an idea for a mail campaign. Assuming you have a brochure ready to go, mail to your local market. Here is the twist:

Make the envelope look like a personal correspondence, not like solitication. Everybody can spot a solicitation a mile away and often times they just throw it out without opening. However, if you can handwrite the address (you don't even really need the homeowner's name, but if you have it, all the better) people will stop and open it. That's half the battle.

Now to take it a step further, use personalized stamps! USPS approved stamps with your business name or even your business' picture can be created and used for your mail campaign for a reasonable cost. People will stop and look and open. I have a link for this in my site below:

Sylvia
http://businessplanmentor.com
Business plan and start up resources

>I could use some ideas on marketing to try to expand our
>sales. We are a high end boat dealer in a small niche market
>in Upstate New York. We sell high end in board tow boats and
>runabouts if you are un familiar with the brand. Our problem
>is getting people in the door. There is definitly a market for
>these boats here as most homes on the lake are very expensive
>and most everyone in this are owns a boat. We are trying to
>shoot more for the family aspect as most people see these
>boats as only watersports oriented and they are not. Most
>people go with I/os here but in reality inboards are a much
>better choice for a boat. They just see the i/o as what
>everyones been doing and continue to follow. We have not had
>one person ever go back to an i/o after owning an inboard and
>most people as soon as they drive one buy it just because they
>are so impressed with every aspect of it as compared to the
>traditional i/o. Looking for any kind of information on how to
>market and marketing ideas to get people in our boats so they
>can see the difference themselves. any ideas woul be great
>incentives, ideas on where to advertise, slogans anything at
>all would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.

Never mind what you are selling... WHO are you selling to? You need to get your product in front of them.

I assume you are doing all the local boat shows? Are you at all the regattas, are you at all of the fishing rallies??? Offer free test rides. Set up a table in front of your slip and schedule potential buyers to go for a spin... I wouldn't recommend doing it at the local free access pier though, you would miss your target market.

The most difficult thing about being in a niche market is that your customers buy within that niche... So, if you aren't where your niche customers are, then you'd best get there.

T

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!

I have a marketing consulting business I am starting up and would be hapy t see how and can help you in exchange for using your plan as a model on my site.

The keys I need to know before I can suggest proper avenues to pursue are the following:

1) Who are you trying to target from a customer standpoint?
2) What is the price range of the sales you are trying to make?
3) Do you have a website or can you tell me more about the products/services you sell?
4) Where is upstate NY are you? City or atleast region would help.

Thanks


Joanna Swank

Jswank Marketable Concepts
www.jswank.com
info@jswank.com