Market Research

[edselby]

If a website existed where folks could find/review/add information about boat accessible bars and restaurants, would you:

• Read it
• Contribute new info
• Add reviews
• Ignore it because it isn't relevant
• Ignore it because you could find that info easily somewhere else already

I have the germ of an idea, but I don't want to invest time and money into something that won't be utilized (I've done many business venture websites for many clients that dried up and died - although I still got paid)

[Island Time O25]

I imagine it may get some tracking especially if you can link up with sites like CF, Active Captain or some such which boaters use for trip planning and local knowledge. It sounds like something many boaters would be interested in.

For example I know for a fact that there are tons of bars and restaurants with pierce and tie ups here in MA but I have yet to see a comprehensive list of them all. That list would be very welcome and useful for trip planning and cruising in general.

Also I guess info such as docks water depths, bridge clearances, etc. would be very helpful in conjunction with the place listings.

[dennisjay]

Just spent a month or so going from Ft. Lauderdale to Annapolis, and stopped at many places along the way to explore. Spent a lot of time looking for live music and places where boaters hung out. It was frustrating. I’d love to see such an online service. I use ActiveCaptain and Trip Advisor but neither fulfills the need that your idea would.

[Island Time O25]

I would also imagine that most of such places would be more than happy to be listed on such a site for just a few bucks a month. You get 1000 bars signed up nationally or even incl. Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico to pay you $5/mo basic lisitng fee (more if they want to insert photos, menues, etc) and you have yourself what for most people would be a comfortable retirement income.

Also, once you have enough places listed you can publish a paper/electronic guide. The beauty of the paper version would be all the advertising space you could sell.

PS As my consulting fee/renumeration I'll take a position of a regional manager of such a venture. Free drinks from the listed establishments would be part of the benefits package of course.

[valhalla360]

Between Active Captain and other online restaurant/bar guides, I don't see it being a big draw. There are lots of resources available already.

If you don't want to go the crowd sourcing method: Getting bars to give you $5/month sounds good but it's a chicken and egg kind of problem. The bars don't want to hand over money until you can show that you have lots of clicks. You won't get lots of clicks until you have lots of bars signed up. Printing a paper version in todays world is just silly. A downloadable PDF...maybe but actual paper, no way it works out espcially if you cover a larger area.

Sorry if I'm being a downer but that's the way I see it.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Between Active Captain and other online restaurant/bar guides, I don't see it being a big draw. There are lots of resources available already.

If you don't want to go the crowd sourcing method: Getting bars to give you $5/month sounds good but it's a chicken and egg kind of problem. The bars don't want to hand over money until you can show that you have lots of clicks. You won't get lots of clicks until you have lots of bars signed up. Printing a paper version in todays world is just silly. A downloadable PDF...maybe but actual paper, no way it works out espcially if you cover a larger area.

Sorry if I'm being a downer but that's the way I see it.

IMO the paper versions of anything with ads inside are ridiculously overpriced at $40 and up. The price of any such giude (be it Maptech or WM catalog) should be a loss leader in any event, most likely free. Any guide distributed exclusively to cruisers/boaters has a very limited sales potential to begin with. I would have to be also picked up by non boating publiuc to have wide enough exposure. May be a title like "Waterfront bars and restaurants" will appeal not just to boaters but to general public. And there could be (should be) regional versions in addition to national/international ones.

Personally I'd pay $20 or less for a national paper version and $10 or less for regional ones. But I may be one of the dinosaurs who prefers a good paperversion of anything to straining my eyes reading from a tablet.

Plus todays "print on demand" makes the whole thing easier to manage as start up costs are mostly in time and effort devoted.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

IMO the paper versions of anything with ads inside are ridiculously overpriced at $40 and up. The price of any such giude (be it Maptech or WM catalog) should be a loss leader in any event, most likely free. Any guide distributed exclusively to cruisers/boaters has a very limited sales potential to begin with. I would have to be also picked up by non boating publiuc to have wide enough exposure. May be a title like "Waterfront bars and restaurants" will appeal not just to boaters but to general public. And there could be (should be) regional versions in addition to national/international ones.

Personally I'd pay $20 or less for a national paper version and $10 or less for regional ones. But I may be one of the dinosaurs who prefers a good paperversion of anything to straining my eyes reading from a tablet.

Plus todays "print on demand" makes the whole thing easier to manage as start up costs are mostly in time and effort devoted.

No intent to be a jab at you but from a marketing perspective, those dinosaurs are getting too rare to make sense.

I've noticed WM isn't handing out catalogs like they used to and I suspect they have come to the conclusion, most people who can afford a boat and to buy boating items, already have a computer, tablet and smart phone and its much easier to find an item that way anyway, so they are phasing them out.

[edselby]

Part two of my boat dining website idea is now underway. A domain name has been secured (one that I was really surprised was available considering it was the name of a popular travel series done by a really cool host - and not trademarked either). Hosting is set up. A content management system is in place. The next step is gathering the information!

Thanks for all of the ideas for content, and feel free to throw more at me.