by natalie on April 3, 2009
When I think about the products or services I buy, if I were to take a step back to evaluate why I bought them, I think there are two clear reasons I would have selected the products and services I did over their competitors. The things I buy either fit my lifestyle and needs exactly or they fit the kind of lifestyle I like to picture myself having. I am a very image-oriented person; I like to see what it is I’m getting before I make the purchase. It’s important to me to be able to see the thing I’m buying either online or in person so I can identify if it is “me.” When I see pictures of the things I’m buying being used by someone whose shoes I can picture myself in, it reassures me that the product is a good fit for me.
As a company, you have a logo which identifies your brand and you have a website and other marketing collateral that describes your products and services and all of these are closely related to the image of your company and are part of the brand awareness you’re creating for your business. If you think about the images, the actual photos, used to depict your products and services, do they fit the type of customer you’re trying to attract? Are you allowing prospective buyers to see themselves using your product or service? Do you project through realistic photos and images the ways in which your products fits into the various lifestyles of your buyers? [click to continue…]
by natalie on March 8, 2009
I read a blog post recently about how to explain public relations to others and found this to be a thought-provoking topic because it forced me to think about how I interpret public relations which got me thinking about how companies incorporate public relations into their own business model.
Everyone wants more business, more clients, more work, ultimately leading to more revenue. Clients, whether they are business or consumer clients, are generically speaking part of the public sphere. In order to attract new clients from that public sphere, you have to have some sort of plan on how to reach them, educate them about your company and product, and attract them to do business with you instead of your competitors. [click to continue…]
by natalie on February 23, 2009
The topic of “print versus digital” is one with many angles to it and is a topic that could easily get heated depending on who you’re talking to. I first came in contact with the debate about four years ago when the magazine I worked for was exploring the options of delivering the publication in a digital format. We researched the various providers of digital editions and centered our efforts on getting to know the services of Zinio and Texterity. We knew what we hoped to gain by offering a digital version of the print magazine:
- Increase the international subscriber list by offering a reasonably priced magazine that would not include the high cost of shipping
- Connect with the active cruising audience without a snail mail address by delivering the magazine electronically
- Offer expanded multimedia services to advertisers by hot linking from their ads and/or embedding animated images or video into their ads
- Improve reader experience with the digital version’s searchability
- Reach new subscribers by allowing digital subscribers to forward an issue or article to a friend. [click to continue…]
by admin on February 23, 2009
Miami, FL-Since the DSe Hybrid 12m was introduced and launched last fall by Island Pilot, media attention has continued to gravitate to the innovative hybrid yacht. In response to a consumer-driven, yet selective leisure market, Reuben Trane and his team at Island Pilot have tailored the new DSe and her future sisterships to meet the expectations of the active, budget-conscious, and carbon footprint-aware buyer. If you have not yet had a chance to experience the new DSe, built in Zhuhai City, China, for yourself, recent awards bestowed on the vessel are sure to motivate you to get to know America’s first hybrid pleasure cruising vessel that combines diesel, solar, and electric technologies. [click to continue…]
by natalie on February 19, 2009
Miami Boat Show: image from The Hull Truth
A week ago today marked opening day of the 68th Miami International Boat Show. It was my 5th Miami show and the first one as an independent public relations professional. I had planned events and meetings on my schedule but I was also looking forward to the unplanned aspects of the show.
What would the exhibits on the dock look like? How would consumer traffic be at Sea Isle Marina? Would the Convention Center halls look like empty bowling alleys or be jam-packed with buyers? What influence would the economy have on conversations between buyers and sellers? Would the spirit of boating still be alive and well? [click to continue…]
by natalie on February 10, 2009
I have referenced in a number of posts my feelings about the importance of companies having a blog and have realized that unless you are immersed in social media or online content management, grasping the significance of a blog or even understanding how to go about creating one may be a stumbling block for getting started. The initial question that seems to come up is not so much “why should I blog” but rather “who will read my blog” or “how will blogging help me reach my audience?”
Blogging is like any other aspect of social media in that it should be social, interactive, a two-way conversation, which means that you will have to do more than just write; you will also have to promote the blog and invite people to read it. By informing your customers through your ads, your existing website, conversations, marketing materials, and cross-link programs that you have a blog, you will be able to at least attract your existing clients and those you reach through marketing. If you properly optimize your blog, pay attention to writing with keywords, including links to useful resources in your posts, and blog regularly, search engines will find and index your blog which means people who don’t yet know about you can find you as they’re surfing the internet. Take it one step further and include a link to your blog posts on your Twitter account, in your responses to posts on message boards, and get your blog listed in blog catalogs so that you can reach an entirely new audience with your content. [click to continue…]
by natalie on February 5, 2009
I was visiting my sister in upstate New York just after the Christmas holiday and in between the many snow storms that hit the Syracuse area. She and I decided to go for a walk around town during clear skies though it was definitely chilly and blustery. As we were getting out of the car I was debating whether or not to bring my hat. She told me to just go ahead and bring and said, “it doesn’t cost you anything,” a saying she’d picked up from her mother-in-law and one that I’m sure echoes across generations. Despite her advice, I left the hat in the car and wished 10 minutes later that I had tucked it into my pocket.
This saying has stuck in my head quite a bit recently with regard to things we as an industry can do to better promote our brands, to foster new relationships in the industry, and to help boating as a whole. I’m not necessarily talking about marketing or boat shows so much as having brand awareness, offering remarkable customer service, and keeping an open mind to try new things. Branding and customer service are SOP in business models so my suggestion is to reevaluate your approach to them. If there’s something we‘re surely looking for right now, it’s things we can do that don’t cost anything! So what are they? [click to continue…]
by natalie on February 2, 2009
Of all the sales techniques available to woo customers into coming aboard or stepping into your booth, I think none is more valuable than flashing a genuine smile at the person who is pausing in front of you. When I am in a store or at a boat show I am there to seek out something specific, absorb as much as possible, unexpectedly find something new, or any combination of these “shopping” styles. I appreciate being acknowledged but not harassed. I like learning information after I ask a question not before I’ve even had a chance to digest what I’m looking at.
My browsing and shopping styles are certainly not the same as everyone’s and I respect the fact that those in sales have quotas and goals to reach which requires engaging a customer, educating them, and giving them a call to action. I also understand that different consumers will react to varying styles of sales pitches. For me, if that pitch does not begin with a smile, you have lost me. [click to continue…]
by admin on February 2, 2009
Mobile, AL—Real Ships, the custom steel boatbuilder in Alabama, is pleased to now offer its American-made yachts to the European cruising market. Aventura, a 77-foot Expedition produced by Joe Johnson’s Real Ships, debuted at the October Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show and instantly caught the attention of Heikki Luoma, owner of Compass International.
Luoma’s Palma de Mallorca-based dealership in Spain will now provide exclusive European representation for Real Ships yachts. Luoma says, “Real Ships will have a competitive edge over other steel yachts in Europe because of the customization of each yacht for each individual owner. They also have a deep understanding of how an expedition type yacht really should be built and equipped for seaworthiness and reliability when the going gets tough, as it always will.” He believes European cruisers will be as impressed as he was which was evidenced by the strong interest in Real Ships by select consumers at the recent Dusseldorf show. [click to continue…]
by natalie on January 30, 2009
I recently read an article that reminded me of a high school English class about writing persuasive papers. The article is intended for copy writers but has a strong relevance for sales, marketing, business, and communication. In it, the author discusses triggers that influence someone’s likelihood to say “yes” and suggests some basic techniques that should be familiar from when we first learned about persuasion. Some are common sense and others are easy but require effort in order for them to be effective. I will share each of what the author describes as “compliance triggers” with a perspective relevant to the marine industry.
- Reciprocation: When you get a lead, what do you automatically send your potential buyer? Brochures, marketing materials, a DVD of how your product is made, maybe a hat or a t-shirt. At boat shows we put out candy and every tchotchke under the sun with our logos emblazoned on them in order to stand out later as consumers sift through their bags of collected items. On a larger scale, you might give a sea trial or a sample product to try out. The author suggests that simply giving something away is enough to make people want to give back, but I would like to take this one step further. Before you start ordering pens, branded water bottles, and blocking off days for sea trials, determine what it is you’d like in return. Giving someone something is certainly a way to help them remember you, but what do you hope to gain from it? An email address, a referral, a sale? I believe the reciprocation technique is only effective if you know what you hope to gain from it. [click to continue…]
