Grow Boating, NMMA, and MRAA Boards Assess Need and Impact of Discover Boating During ‘Grow Boating Summit’
Members of the Grow Boating Board of Directors, the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s (NMMA) Boat, Engine, and Marine Accessory and Component Division Boards, the Marine Retailer Association of America’s (MRAA) Board of Directors, and invited guests, unanimously agreed to continue the industry-funded marketing campaign—Discover Boating—due to its ability and impact in attracting new boaters while providing strategic direction to evolve the program. The decision was made during a two day ‘Grow Boating Summit’ held in Rosemont, Illinois just outside Chicago, on December 13 and 14.
Throughout the two-day Summit, which was partially underwritten by Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution Finance, the group learned from leading researchers and marketing experts from outside and within the marine industry on new boat sales and the overall economy, consumers’ buying behavior and shifts in expectations, marketing trends and impacts, and how the Discover Boating campaign has performed during the past decade. Key insights included:
- Between 2005 and 2015, the recreational boating industry saw a net loss of more than 1 million boaters. Boaters are leaving faster than we can replace them. (Source: Info-link)
- By 2025, if we continue at this pace, it’s projected that the number of boat owning households will diminish dramatically. (Source: Info-link)
- Fifty-four percent of first-time boat buyers in 2005 are already out of boating. (Source: Info-link)
- Between 2000 and 2015, the number of first-time new boat buyers dropped from 175,000 to 69,000. (Source: Info-link)
- We must attract first-time buyers, but it’s easier said than done because tomorrow’s boaters will be very different than they are today—vastly different buying behaviors, education, income, and interests. (Source: Info-link)
- Two out of three first-time boat buyers say they will not leave their personal contact information until the point they purchase the boat. (Source: 2016 Discover Boating/Olson First Time Buyer Researc
- Consumers choose to go directly to a manufacturer’s website versus filling out a lead form on DiscoverBoating.com by 1,000 to one. (Source: 2016 Discover Boating Web Referral Study)
- Discover Boating is the top-of-the-funnel for a lot of interested boaters—a major player in attracting first-time boaters. (Source: ARI)
- Discover Boating is the #1 source of third party website traffic outside of search engines, for many boat brands. (Source: 2016 Discover Boating Web Referral Study)
- Attracts top of the funnel consumers—it’s a long-term effort to attract first-time boat buyers.
- Creates interest and referrals, not leads or sales. Discover Boating is best equipped to hand-off referrals to manufacturers and dealers who are best equipped to create sales.
- Provides resources to the industry that helps them effectively engage Discover Boating referrals so they eventually become sales.
- Focus more on the experience. Future first-time boat buyers are seeking an experience. We must evolve the campaign from promoting the lifestyle to promoting experiences on the water.
- Improve industry and boater education. Discover Boating can help the industry market to the referrals it’s sending to manufacturers. Simultaneously, Discover Boating can improve how it educates the consumer by providing more balanced information on the rational and emotional aspects of boat buying.
- Discover Boating must conduct research to help the industry understand what’s causing attrition, focusing on why first-time boat shoppers are dropping out of the buying process and what is keeping lapsed boat owners from getting back into boating.