A question for LuckyLady

[hamer31]

this question also goes out to anyone on here who works in the world of selling boats. my question is as a college student who will graduate with a bachelor's in music science (basically irrelevant) and an MBA what would be the best course for me to pursue as far as getting into boat sales. I have come down this music road and realized that boats are my real passion and I would love to get into selling them. Thanks in advance!

[Fast Forward]

hamer,
I don't sell boats but I service them and I have worked for dealers in the past. From what I know you need to just go do it. You need to get contacts, meet people who have boats in the marina a dealer might be at, through fishing, shows, or like Mary, through this site. She is always posting about something and lets it be known that she sells Contenders. Someone out there will want to buy a Contender and think, why not call Mary to buy or sell. It takes time to get your name around, and if you are just out of school and can afford to starve for a while, do it now. I don't think it is a good idea to jump around a lot, because people you meet will remember you with so and so sales. After your gone they will call so and so sales and ask for you. If your not there, that dick you never liked might get the sale. You may try part time if someone will let you. Just work weekends but be ready for the scraps.
Bobby

[Deep C]

I did the boat sales thing for a while. Even rolled fishing into it as the dealers "demo man" and tournament captain. Like stated above, just do it. I was very successful at it. The product didn't matter as much as knowing every detail of that product and being 100% straight up honest. I had an edge selling as a fisherman. Icould give the customer a realistic view what the boat could do and more importantly what it couldn't do.
I worked for one company for a couple years then another for close to seven years. I made the move to the second company because of the variety of lines they carried. Scoff if you will, but the less expensive boats (Bayliner) were extremely lucrative. Used boats were also. Our high end stuff (Contender, Mako and Fountain) had fat comission checks but were much more time consuming deals to complete.
Something to consider in picking a place to work is pride in their rigging of the boats. The second dealer I worked for was meticulous in getting the boats done right. That kept the customers happy and refering friends...
Being commission only it got frustrating in down markets. Often going weeks or even a month between substantial paychecks. Great for a single guy or ebven married but with kids can be stressful...

[jazzyone]

im in sales in ny selling wellcraft boats part time, mainly boat shows as i came from service and a fishing backround, i know alot of the competion . and im able to relate to their cocerns not all time but alot ,never ever talk bad about another brand boat/motor it could kill a deal fast, do your homework on boats you like the best ,narrow it down to a local dealer and see about doing some pt work. i cant say enough about knowing your product and listening to the customer of his/her needs ask the 5 questions who is on the boat wife /kids friends
what type of boat
where would you be using it
why abow rider/center console/walk around etc..
when weekends/weekdays afterwork
i find this to work very well to break the ice and 1 more thing a person walks into a car dealer needing a car a person walks into a boat dealer doesnt really need a boat its a job to convince them they might.
i hope this helps you jeff

[LuckyLady]

I do things a little different I am not a pushy person making me a sucky salesman but I know my products and know my stuff.

Me personally anyone that tries to shove things in my face, loses my business.

I have a heart with it comes to this business, and will be the 1st on to tell one that it's not for you. so on and so forth.

One thing this industry lacks is a heart, some salesman can say shit and be absolute bullshit and never think twice about it. My motto is and as I have said in the service side of it is that the last thing I want to do is be at a bar, or a restaurant and have to look the other way because of bad business.

For example Admin & I went to the PA boat show to check it out and we were walking by a lower quality booth. Naturally the salesman jumps out and says buying a boat buy mine. Jokingly knowing we can't, John says Can I shark fish from this Sure you can he said, this boat would of sank with just a cooler with ice on it, and he is telling us we can shark fish from it and no he was not joking. John's laughing, I am pissed and told him you are going to kill a family one day and walked away.

I have built a strong reputation for myself and I will not do anything to tarnish it. Granted there are some flat out miserable people in this world that you could never make happy even if their boat was made out of diamonds and gold.

With my demo days this past weekend, letters went out to all the Contender owners of NJ that I had on file. A lot of my old customers some that I have not seen or talked to in years stopped by to congratulate me and to say hello.

As said above its tough the boat market sucks across the board right now, and sales are few and far between. It also depends on what you are selling and the price tags on them.

I can't sell something that I wouldn't buy myself and won't work for a dealer that has bad business practices .

Sales come and go.... a salesman base salary is normally low at 200 bucks a week but commission's can be rewarding.

People tell me sarcastically that I have a tough job because I get to fish tournaments but the tournaments make me have to work harder because I miss a lot of time in the office and no matter what you need to get things done. I devote all my time to work, because I refuse to do anything half ass. I work at minimum of 78 hrs a week. Work hard play later.

When picking your path try to work for a line that you already know and would buy yourself. Its a lot easier on you at the end of the day knowing your showing and selling quality.

[Hatterized]

I do things a little different I am not a pushy person making me a sucky salesman but I know my products and know my stuff.

Me personally anyone that tries to shove things in my face, loses my business.

I have a heart with it comes to this business, and will be the 1st on to tell one that it's not for you. so on and so forth.

One thing this industry lacks is a heart, some salesman can say shit and be absolute bullshit and never think twice about it. My motto is and as I have said in the service side of it is that the last thing I want to do is be at a bar, or a restaurant and have to look the other way because of bad business.

For example Admin & I went to the PA boat show to check it out and we were walking by a lower quality booth. Naturally the salesman jumps out and says buying a boat buy mine. Jokingly knowing we can't, John says Can I shark fish from this Sure you can he said, this boat would of sank with just a cooler with ice on it, and he is telling us we can shark fish from it and no he was not joking. John's laughing, I am pissed and told him you are going to kill a family one day and walked away.

I have built a strong reputation for myself and I will not do anything to tarnish it. Granted there are some flat out miserable people in this world that you could never make happy even if their boat was made out of diamonds and gold.

With my demo days this past weekend, letters went out to all the Contender owners of NJ that I had on file. A lot of my old customers some that I have not seen or talked to in years stopped by to congratulate me and to say hello.

As said above its tough the boat market sucks across the board right now, and sales are few and far between. It also depends on what you are selling and the price tags on them.

I can't sell something that I wouldn't buy myself and won't work for a dealer that has bad business practices .

Sales come and go.... a salesman base salary is normally low at 200 bucks a week but commission's can be rewarding.

People tell me sarcastically that I have a tough job because I get to fish tournaments but the tournaments make me have to work harder because I miss a lot of time in the office and no matter what you need to get things done. I devote all my time to work, because I refuse to do anything half ass. I work at minimum of 78 hrs a week. Work hard play later.

When picking your path try to work for a line that you already know and would buy yourself. Its a lot easier on you at the end of the day knowing your showing and selling quality.

wow.....nice to see a salesperson and in this case it appears to be a very knowledgeable woman who not only is compassionate in what she sells......but also displays a level of integrity that so many salespeeps do lack....and it is those dishonest salsesfolks that wonder why they can't "close the deal"....!

[swaunfundingboatloans]

Hamer, All these dealers are always looking to hire new sales help even in a slow market. The best advise is to get involved with a quality dealer/broker and find something you enjoy selling. It will take awhile to build a good cliente and starting making alot cash. I knew a few dealership hiring in Point so let me know if you interested

[hamer31]

thanks to all of you who responded the help was great!! Mary i love your philosophy and that is how i would hope to do well in the business. Swaun - which dealerships and would consider a part time?