Doryman":2ovva6s5 said:
I like my boat. I like having no liner. I'm not blind - I know there are plenty of fancier looking boats out there, but Wild Blue does everything I've asked of her. She's a great boat. I can't help but think there are people out there who would buy boats just like her... if the boats were properly marketed. When Jeff Messmer made the move to Ranger, customer service, concern, and marketing dried up at C-Dory... just like the sales of new boats. Coincidence?
After 32 years in business, I saw ups and downs in the economy; especially the local economy. Like when the road was torn up in front of our business for months after just opening a new location. Or when the single largest employer in our area closed, putting a big portion of my client base out of work. Or when fuel prices and drought kicked the collective agricultural butts in the 5 state area. It takes dollars to advertise, but it takes passion, time, and effort to market... and it seems that the folks on this forum have plenty of passion for our boats. When I read what Pat and Peter wrote on another thread about the bare look of the C-Dory display, I know that wasn't from lack of ideas, effort, and volunteer time offerings from the Brats.
I understand that shows where one deals with the public can make for some very long hours. Once the space is committed to, it still takes people with passion to market the boats and turn lookers into buyers. I am astounded that the factory and/or dealers have never hosted a seminar to show people who are interested in these boats how others who HAVE the boats are using them. You think a question and answer session with the likes of Bill and El, Dr. Bob and others who really use these boats wouldn't attract potential buyers?
These are niche boats. Frankly, that's easier to market than a boat that tries to be everything to everyone. Where do buyers of C-Dorys come from? Follow the forum... no one walks by a dealer and says, "Hey, I think I'll buy a C-Dory" if they've never seen one. Sailors LOVE these boats. People with a sense of adventure love the idea of a boat that can take them on adventures. People who like to fish, regardless of the weather, love these boats. Has anyone ever seen an ad for C-Dory in a sailing publication? Or seen a display at a Sports Show? Or at an RV show? Other than Marc at Wefings, every C-Dory gathering has been started by one of our own here. WE promote the lifestyle, because we have a passion for these boats. When I ordered my boat, the factory sold direct... yet, didn't have a boat to take potential buyers out on. We all know the attention these boats attract whenever we slow down enough for people to catch us (at the ramp, at a gas station, at a rest area, at anchor... I even got a call on the radio one day from a guy in a kayak who wanted to know what kind of boat that was and where could he get one). Has anyone ever seen a factory C-Dory out on the water with a banner that says, "Ask me about this boat", with a phone number or web address. Think that's silly? There are planes pulling banners over the beach to advertise all sorts of things to the spring break crowd. So, a nice slow cruise past the waterfront in Seattle, by the marina (and ferry dock) at Friday Harbor, or through the Ballard Locks... or wherever people gather by the water... and the dealer or mfg would get a nice day on the water and be able to write off all the expenses. Where's the downside of that?? Go to a big casino and offer the boat as a big jackpot prize... the casino pays for the boat, and you get tons of people (with discretionary income) seeing it, big as life.
I get it - the economy is down; times are tough. BUT, some manufacturers are still selling boats. If I were sitting in an empty dealership all day long, I'd go down to the DMV with a box full of postcards and send them out to people who own fuel-thirsty powercruisers. I did this back in 1973 when the first gas crunch hit and the economy turned down... I was selling cars while I tried to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I sold cars, when other salesmen around me sat on their hands. People would come into the dealership with the cards in their hands and ask for me, because I wrote them a note about the "fuel efficient Datsun lineup". I picked registrations that were three years old - the average car loan time back then. It cost me pennies and I made dollars. And the old farts in the dealership went from laughing at me to trying it themselves. I volunteered to work as much as possible at car shows - other salesmen hated those things ("big waste of time"). I handed out cards and shook hands... and over the next month sold more cars. It's better to do SOMETHING that promotes your product vs sitting and waiting for someone to come in and ask to buy from you.
I had this conversation with Tom L. back when he was at the helm of C-Dory. No, he totally farted me off when I told him, "You need to make potential buyers feel special, ask their opinions and listen; then give them what they ask for. Return calls and e-mails, have an owners advisory group, ask buyers for referrals, follow up, commit to having the best quality control in the industry because that WILL pay off." Nuthin'.
My apologies in advance if I've stepped on any toes here. But, I haven't seen anyone trying much because... times are tough.
I've probably said much of this before, but I can't stifle the passion I feel about these boats. I will try to sit on my hands in the future when this topic comes up again.
Respectfully,
Jim B. (I'll be out on my boat)
And I see that the Cutwater boats have aspirations in that direction (e.g. the blue glass bowl as a sink in the head). But in the 1/2 hour I was in that booth, the retiree couples were all over the tugs and were ignoring the Cutwaters. One guy I talked to on the Cutwater thought it could work with kids (he said no adult would sleep under the dinette). And there was no obvious emphasis on the diesel power (the engine catches were in the locked position - guessing that almost nobody is even looking in the engine area). A somewhat expensive, trailerable, family express cruiser doesn't seem to be a good match for the "soon-to-be retirees" - all they grey-haired folks were on the tugs:
:cocktail Those Ranger guys think of everything. 8)