Milehog":264enw78 said:
Has anyone heard what changes, if any, Sea Sport is going to make in the C-Dory dealership lineup? We need dealers that understand our boats strengths.
I'd like to see them support the existing network.
We also need people to buy boats. Important for the dealers and the manufacturer. There's frequently a lot of discussion about used boats on here, and occasionally the dealers do have one they've taken on trade or consignment. But, if people don't buy new boats, there won't be any support to be had.
Some of us like the smell of fresh fiberglass. We want to be the first one to put a ding in the gelcoat. :wink:
When cruising in the PNW, everywhere we went with Wild Blue, people knew about C-Dorys. When cruising in other parts of the country, we get more questions from other boaters who aren't familiar with the brand. While spending a couple months on the Erie Canal and the Trent-Severn last year, we had quite a few big boat owners ask about our boat... and a few that came up and asked us if they could just take a peek inside. The wife wants to know if there is a "real head" and the husband wants to see the helm. When we start talking about all the places we've towed this boat, you can absolutely see the wheels turning in their heads. Certainly, the big boats allow you to "live larger"... but at the cost of seeing a lot of the same water over and over. For some of these folks, it's less about the cost of fuel and more about the EASE of getting to the really good cruising areas. We were often the smallest boat on the wall or in a marina, but there was always interest in our boat. (Maybe it was the cat on a leash? 8) )
There's a lot of discussion here about the C-Dory being economical, and don't get me wrong, this IS important. But, if someone is trying to get into one of these boats as inexpensively as possible, they will be buying used. If I were a dealer or manufacturer, I'd be trying to get to the people who will buy new boats. When we ordered Wild Blue, the C-Dory factory would occasionally run an ad in PassageMaker magazine... they promoted the CD-25 and TomCat as "the Trailerable Trawler". SMART. Jeff left C-Dory, the ads went away... well, we know the rest of this story. If you want to sell new boats, it's important to understand who BUYS new boats.
Has any dealer/mfg ever taken one of these boats to an RV show? People are there looking for "the dream", too. How about the trawler events around the country? Great Loop gatherings?
The people on this forum already know about these boats. We love these boats. Participation by dealers and the manufacturer promote a connection and keep people in the C-Dory "family." There are PLENTY of us here who bought a C-Dory BECAUSE of this forum. So, it's always been my belief that anyone who wants to sell these boats should have a presence here. If someone is looking to buy a C-Dory, they WILL find this site. But, if one is looking to find the buyer who doesn't know the brand, you go where the potential buyer is and introduce and create the desire.
In the mid-90s, we bought our first American Coach (nice, high-end diesel motorhomes). I mentioned to the AC factory folks that they were missing an opportunity and suggested they have a display at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. They did... introduced a lot of people with discretionary income to the brand and sold some coaches. There are a lot of H-D enthusiasts who like to trailer their bikes, and what better way? Over the next couple years, LOTS of RV dealers/manufacturers started showing at the rally. You go where the buyers are.
Now, keep in mind that a good portion of my income was made because of and around advertising. I have said, "When times are good, you should advertise; when times are tough, you HAVE to advertise." That doesn't only mean running ads in what's left of the powerboat magazines, because the person who buys a bubble boat isn't likely going to consider one of our boats. But, the person who bought a big cruising boat a few years ago may be looking for "the next chapter." Same with RVers. Or people who attend hunting/fishing/sport shows.
Selling a boat like the C-Dory requires some educating. People need to see how this boat can be used... how it's NOT the ski boat your family had when you were a kid.
I used to charge good money for a 4 hour seminar on marketing and promoting. I just gave some ideas here for free. It would take some time and effort to implement some of these ideas, but different times call for different marketing. And having a couple thousand "ambassadors" for the brand on this forum is certainly good for leads. Remember that, Brat friends, the next time you're inclined to steer someone towards a used boat. Steer 'em to a dealer or the manufacturer... when they have good sales, they can afford to give us the support we like to see.
Sorry if I got windy here. I started this thread to point out how something good can go wrong when a manufacturer loses touch with their customer base. I'm not a "rah-rah" guy for anyone, but, like many of the people here, I do understand who buys these boats and why. A couple times in the past 3 1/2 years, I gave some suggestions to the factory folks. The response: "Yeah, we've talked about that and that's not the way we do it." Three different businesses at the helm of the C-Dory factory in three years. And not a one who asked, "What can we do to make this boat even better and sell more boats?"
One of the most enlightening things I did early in my studio career was invite a couple successful photographers into my studio and ask them to tell me what I was doing wrong or could be doing better. Everything from the way the phone was answered to way an order was assembled. Then, I did the same for them. There were some "Ah-ha" moments and some careful consideration. And everyone learned something and hopefully improved productivity. And at the end of the business day (or quarter), that's what it's all about.
Sometimes you have to put aside "that's not the way we do it" and consider what else might work.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
hoto :idea :hug2