Discover Boating Update -- Grow Boating Assessment Kicks In for Boat/Engine Manufacturers |
July 15, 2005 |
The Discover Boating Update brings you all the news from the Grow Boating Initiative and its six task forces: Marketing & Communications, Dealer Standards & Quality, Product Standards & Quality, Sales Statistics, Water Access and Funding.
In an effort to communicate with all industry stakeholders, we ask that all boat manufacturers pass this newsletter along to their dealer networks, and that all recipients forward it on to any and all industry colleagues they feel would benefit from the included information.
Look for your next issue of the Discover Boating Update in mid August.
- Funding
- Grow Boating Assessment Kicks in for Boat/Engine Manufacturer Members
- Funding Tops $2.3 Million – MIA of Palm Beach County Contributes $5,000
- Marketing & Communications
- Consumers to Help Select New Discover Boating Logo
- Tadd Shares Benefits of Boating with 12.3 Million During Radio Media Tour
- Popular Mechanics Promotes Discover Boating on Home Page
- Product Standards & Quality
- Prep Work Continues for Mandatory Boat Certification
- New NMMA Certified Trailer Ads to Run in Magazines this Summer
- Dealer Standards & Quality
- Dealer Certification Pilot Program Participants Meet
- Water Access
- Water Access Committee to Hold First Meeting
- Other News
- New Video, Brochure Bring Grow Boating to Dealers
- Catch Up with Everything Grow Boating on Updated Website
- Grow Boating FAQs Answered Here
Funding
Grow Boating Assessment Kicks in for Boat/Engine Manufacturer Members
July 1 was an historical day for the boating industry, as the mandatory Grow Boating assessment for NMMA boat and engine manufacturer members kicked in. The assessment to NMMA’s boat manufacturer members is based on the horsepower of engines they put on each boat—with surcharges ranging from $1.00 to $72.00 per engine ( click here to see the engine assessment schedule).
Engine manufacturers will be assessed on all loose engines shipped to dealers, and will be required, as a condition of NMMA membership, to report their total shipments to dealers on a monthly basis. The Grow Boating fee will be sent to NMMA for these engine shipments and all revenue generated will be used to Grow Boating.
Information on the assessment was mailed to all NMMA members yesterday. If you have any questions, contact Dan Green at (312) 946-6269; dgreen@nmma.org.
Funding Tops $2.3 Million – MIA of Palm Beach County Contributes $5,000
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The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County (MIAPBC) is the latest contributor to the Grow Boating Initiative, presenting NMMA president Thom Dammrich with a check for $5,000. Total funding for the Grow Boating Initiative is now above $2.3 million.
“The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County is proud to contribute to the Grow Boating campaign,” says Lou Daniello, Jr., president of the MIAPBC board. “We support the goals of the campaign and applaud the NMMA for initiating this program.”
For more information, click here. For more information on Grow Boating or to make a contribution, visit www.GrowBoating.org, or contact Dan Green at (312) 946-6269; dgreen@nmma.org.
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Lou Daniello (right), president of MIABPC, presents Thom Dammrich with a check for the Grow Boating Initiative.
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Marketing & Communications
Consumers to Help Select New Discover Boating Logo
The Marketing & Communications Committee has narrowed its selection for a new Discover Boating logo down to three. The logos, developed by Jigsaw, LLC, will be presented to consumers using an Internet survey. The goal of the survey is to identify the strengths of the logos in terms of: ability to grab attention; uniqueness; conveying positive image/associations; fit with DB positioning. We will update you on the progress in the next issue of the Discover Boating Update.
Tadd Shares Benefits of Boating with 12.3 Million During Radio Media Tour
In an effort to drive increased interest in boating throughout the July 4th holiday, Discover Boating director Steve Tadd participated in a nationwide radio media tour (RMT) on Wednesday, June 29 discussing the benefits of the boating lifestyle and the many activities that can be enjoyed on the water in a boat. The RMT included more than 15 stations from Sacramento, CA and Detroit, MI all the way to Boston, MA and Miami, FL.
Steve’s interview was then packaged into a :60 radio news release and pitched to radio stations across the country, receiving unprecedented pick-up on nearly 750 radio stations for a total of 12.3 million impressions. Additional pick-up is expected, as the radio news release is being pitched through July 29 to capture interest in the summer boating season.
Click here to listen to a sample of the radio news release.
Popular Mechanics Promotes Discover Boating on Home Page
The more than 538,000 monthly visitors to the Popular Mechanics website at www.popularmechanics.com can now link directly to DiscoverBoating.com to find information on boating. The magazine has posted a prominent link to the Discover Boating website on its home page and in the Outdoors section of its website.
In addition, the NMMA will feature the Popular Mechanics logo and link on the home page of DiscoverBoating.com as an additional resource for visitors. The NMMA will work with the magazine to provide helpful boating information and sweepstakes opportunities as part of Grow Boating.
For information on participating in promotional opportunities with NMMA, contact NMMA director of Communications Ellen Hopkins at (312) 946-6249; ehopkins@nmma.org.
Product Standards & Quality
Prep Work Continues for Mandatory Boat Certification
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NMMA boat manufacturer members have a little more than a year to get ready for mandatory certification. Starting with the 2007 model year, all boat manufacturer members must have their boat lines NMMA Certified Using ABYC standards as a requisite for membership. This past month has been busy as the industry prepares for the mandate.
The Boat & Yacht Certification committee voted to recommend that two new ABYC standards be added to the program—H-31, Seat Structure and A-26, LPG & CNG Fueled Appliances. NMMA’s Boat Manufacturing Division board will be voting on this recommendation at their next meeting.
Initial certification inspections have also begun for all non-certified NMMA members. Twelve companies have already become certified and five more are in the application phase. All non-certified NMMA boatbuilders will be personally contacted over the next month to discuss the NMMA product certification requirement. For more information, contact NMMA vice president of Engineering Standards Tom Marhevko at (312) 946-6213; tmarhevko@nmma.org, or visit www.nmma.org/certification
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New NMMA Certified Trailer Ads to Run in Magazines this Summer
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As part of the advertising campaign to promote the NMMA Certified program, NMMA is placing ads for the NMMA Certified Trailer program in Boating Industry, Boat and Motor Dealer and Trailer Boats magazines this summer.
The ad includes a list of all trailer manufacturers that are NMMA Certified, and encourages consumers to look for certified trailers when they purchase a boat. To be considered NMMA certified, boat manufacturers must include NMMA Certified trailers in any boat packages they sell.
To view the various NMMA Certified ads for trailer and boat manufacturers, click here and scroll down to the lower half of the page. For more information, contact David DeHorn at (312) 946-6253; ddehorn@nmma.org.
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 Click ad to view larger image.
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Dealer Standards & Quality
Dealer Certification Pilot Program Participants Meet
Twenty-three dealers will be sending 35 representatives to Chicago later this month to discuss the launch of the pilot Dealer Certification program, which is designed to help dealers improve sales, raise the bar on after delivery support and increase profitability. Pilot program participants are meeting to discuss whether the program, and the standards used to certify dealers are valid and support day-to-day business operations.
To review the certification requirements and Dealer Certification Standards, click here, and for more information, contact Terry Leitz at (312) 946-6212; tleitz@nmma.org.
Water Access
Water Access Committee to Hold First Meeting
The Water Access Committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting in Chicago the same week as the Dealer Certification pilot program participants.
The group is working to create a strategic plan to preserve, promote and protect access to water for recreational boaters. The plan will eventually identify and define actions that can be taken in focal areas defined by the task force. At this initial meeting, committee members will define the threats and challenges to water access and begin to identify solutions that can be achieved over short and long term time frames.
For information, contact Jim Frye at (202) 737-9773; jfrye@nmma.org.
Other News
New Video, Brochure Bring Grow Boating to Dealers
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Boat manufacturers are encouraged to order the Grow Boating informational brochure and/or brand new video to share with their dealer database. The brochure and video provide a detailed explanation on the campaign, its direction and how the annual engine and boat manufacturer assessment will be used to fund the program. The video puts a greater focus on the significant role dealers must play to ensure the success of Grow Boating, and includes a presentation by Larry Russo, president of Russo Marine, to the Marine Retailers Association of America.
Help spread the word about Grow Boating to your dealers by ordering copies of the Grow Boating brochure or video today! To order, contact Katie Edling at (312) 946-6274; kedling@nmma.org.
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Catch Up with Everything Grow Boating on Updated Website
The Grow Boating website at www.GrowBoating.org now includes updates for the Marketing, Sales & Service, Standards & Quality and Funding committees. Included in the updates are copies of the new boat and trailer ads that are running in consumer boating magazines this summer.
The site is filled with the latest information available on the Grow Boating Initiative, and includes a downloadable copy of the new Grow Boating informational brochure.
Visit www.GrowBoating.org today to find out more. You can also add your contribution to the $2.3 million that the industry has already raised to support the campaign.
Grow Boating FAQs Answered Here
For those who are unfamiliar with the Grow Boating Initiative, NMMA has put together a series of answers for the most frequently asked questions. Click here to find out more about Grow Boating, or visit the website at www.GrowBoating.org.
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