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Old 14-10-2011, 16:51   #16
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

Having worked literally hundreds of boat shows on the accessory end of things I can assure you that your complaints about brokers are not isolated incidents. I have heard lots of similar stories. On the other side of the coin, in our booth we have always tried to treat everyone well and I think it is only common sense to do so. I spend a lot of time giving advice on everything from how to use our products to where to find the restrooms. Sometimes you don't sell anything, but people remember. Some of these customers come back later to buy something, and then some of them come back year after year to buy something, or bring their friends to buy something. I have had the great pleasure of talking to people just starting to dream and then hearing their progress, sometimes from one boat to the next, and then in places like the recent Annapolis show I hear back from them about their extensive travels and adventures. I enjoy doing this--if someone doesn't I think they are in the wrong line of work.
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Old 14-10-2011, 17:12   #17
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

Maytrix, I think dreaming is the early stages of planning. Where else but a boat show can one do so much of it in one place. I am planning to leave tuesday for the Bahamas.... Today , at the show I was dreaming of doing it on the Palm Beach 55.
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Old 14-10-2011, 17:47   #18
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

Having worked Boat Shows and Trade Shows....they are mind-numbing experiences....with a lot of wannabes and self proclaimed experts.

If you want to buy a boat....do your research and find out where one is near you.
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Old 14-10-2011, 18:05   #19
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

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You need to work a few shows to understand how difficult it is to weed out the gofers's (How much does this boat go fer?)

Shows are for dreamers. This is not a derogotory comment. It is just what boat shows are about. Planting the seed. Fermenting the brew. Serious folks call the factory or dealer and get a private showing by appointment with an alert and competent sales person that takes the time to make sure your questions are answered in full. When spending a few hundred thousand or much more you need to identify your intentions so folks can take you seriously. Not an excuse... but reality. Otherwise you are just one of several hundred with your stinky boat shoes on the dock making goofy comments every day of a long show.

Just thinking.....
actually, having worked a few, multiple boats do get sold at shows. but yes it's hard to separate the dreamers from the buyers. However, that is what separates a good salesperson from someone simply in attendance. I've never done much selling (other than my own boats) from a buyers perspective, a sales person should treat every person, no matter how cranky or poorly dressed as a cash buyer. I could have been sold a lot of things in my life but for a good sales person. I was ready to buy many times....
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Old 14-10-2011, 22:07   #20
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

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Having worked Boat Shows and Trade Shows....they are mind-numbing experiences....with a lot of wannabes and self proclaimed experts.

If you want to buy a boat....do your research and find out where one is near you.
For some reason I thought boat shows were where one went to do research; looking over the product; asking questions and such.
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Old 15-10-2011, 00:00   #21
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

My best boat show experience was in the 80's. I had $200k cash and decided on a particular new 40+ sloop. The rep did not believe I was serious and even told me it was too much boat for me.

At the time I manged hundreds of sales reps and understood the disease this guy had. Fortunately, I got to busy to go over his head and buy the damn thing. As it turns out, it wasn't too much boat, it wasn't enough boat! If I still had the guy's name, I would post it here, but I am sure that he is one of the 15 million unemployed.

I don't care what most sales people say, you cannot "qualify" a customer with any certainty.

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Old 15-10-2011, 00:29   #22
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

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Mimsy,
I couldn't agree more with your comment. My wife and I were at the show on Saturday, and spent most of our time on the Antares 44i and St. Francis 50. (As monohull sailors for the past 17 years, we are planning on purchasing a catamaran for our live-aboard retirement cruising, beginning in early 2013.) Finding an Antares or St. Francis at a boat show is a treat, and we were really looking forward to it. We were not disappointed. The owner of Antares Yachts personally spent a good 30-45 minutes with us on our first visit to the boat, and another 30 minutes when we returned later in the afternoon. Same story when we visited with the owner of St. Francis Marine, and a representative from Voyage Yacht Charters on their Voyage 520....
I agree with you regarding St Francis and Voyage, but talking with the owner/manager of Antares (the light-haired guy who knows everything about the boat) for us left the worst impression out of all boat show reps to date. He was very nice and forthcoming when we were asking him questions that allowed him to show Antares favourably. After one question of "why do we see here, here, and here varnish problems and corners that don't have veneer on them. What is your quality control?" he got very upset and told us to leave... and here we had thought that if paying 1 mln for a 44' cat, we should expect good quality of all components and a respectful attitude of the rep.

Another experience was test sailing FP Salina. The boat was vibrating heavily under engine. We made a comment that they should clean the props for the next test sail. The rep asked "w-w-what-t vib-ra-ttion?". Sigh...

Imho, best reps will admit any shortcomings of the boat and explain the reason. No boat is perfect. It's what we're willing to live with.
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Old 15-10-2011, 06:23   #23
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

Made a couple of posts on a few things I saw at the Annapolis Sailboat show:

THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: REPORT FROM ANNAPOLIS 2011: Part One

THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: REPORT FROM ANNAPOLIS 2011: PART TWO

No cruising boats just stuff that caught my eye as I wandered around.
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Old 15-10-2011, 06:55   #24
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

I was actually surprised at the relatively few number of snotty brokers at this year's show. The folks at the Oyster display, arguably the king of the high-brow yachts, were all extremely nice.

Thanks for making me feel better....when I left the show, my one regret (at the time) was not seeing the Hylas. Not any more!!
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Old 15-10-2011, 07:34   #25
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

I grew up around the Hylas brand, sailing aboard the boats, and have so many good memories. I met a lot of my friends involved in their service and sales. They are quality designs and the type of soft edged workmanship that the OP pines for. Sorry to hear from Mimsy and speciald about your experiences. I have seen your comments elsewhere to the same effect. And Passport too? Painful for me to read about these kinds of reactions to brands I have warm feelings for. Good lesson for all brokers to read this type of critique, and take it to heart.
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Old 15-10-2011, 08:04   #26
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Re: Thoughts on the Boat Show

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Originally Posted by svBeBe View Post
I don't care what most sales people say, you cannot "qualify" a customer with any certainty.

Bill
This!

The only way to guarantee a customer won't buy is to disqualify them at the beginning.

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