|
|
|
|
January 2003 NC Marine TradeWinds Newsletter
Flowers Deaths a Loss to Family, Boating Industry, Friends and Community
Help Out At Our Miami Booth – We’ll Make It Worth Your Effort
Trade Shows and Boat Shows: Use Them to Your Business Advantage
Richard and Rosa Flowers, founders and co-owners of Custom Steel Boats, were killed in what will forever remain an incomprehensible murder and tragedy. They were apparently killed by an employee who had worked for the company for two years. The deaths occurred Monday, January 13th in the Flowers’ home, not far from the Merritt, North Carolina yacht building company.
Custom Steel Boats, North
Carolina’s major steel and aluminum yacht builder, employs 25 people. It is
co-owned by the Flowers’ daughter Teresa Tingle, and their son, Rodney. Rodney
has been working alongside his father since the company started in 1981. Teresa
joined the company in 1988. The company, reopening this week, has several yachts
in production and will continue to provide past, current and future customers
with the quality construction reputation known throughout the country. The
company’s phone is 252 745-7447. (www.customsteelboats.com/)
Richard and Rosa were working on a
favorite project for their church when killed and the family has asked that
memorials reflect this project – the rebuilding of the foundation for their
church. Donations can be made to the Vandemere United Methodist Church, P.O. Box
421, Vandemere, NC 28587.
A number of quality, name brand
boats will soon be manufactured in the state and add to the list of over 100
builders already here. Shamrock Boats and Cruisers Yachts of KCS International
are both heading for production at the sister facility of Rampage Sportfishing
Yachts in Navassa. Forest City in
Rutherford County will welcome Mako Marine and SeaCraft boats. Tracker Marine
LLC, a division of Bass Pro Shops, owns both companies and also manufactures
Fisher, Nitro, ProCraft, SunTracker, Astro, Tahoe, Kenner, Grizzly, Sliver King
and Myacht brands.
There are many fairly critical regulatory issues coming
before boaters and boatbuilders. According to John McKnight of the NMMA, these
include catalyst testing, evaporative emissions on CO, propeller guards, MACT
issues of boat, plastic parts, metal parts, and styrene health issue confusion
between styrene oxide and styrene. Most of these affect multiple builders in the
state and require more space than is available here for review. Check our www.NCwaterways.com
under the Business
and Regulatory Assistance Tab AFTER the February IBEX and
Miami Boat Show for summaries of these issues.
One
ongoing debate within the industry, the discharge of sewage from boats, seems to
be getting some play. The issue is whether Type I and II onboard treatment
systems provide satisfactory treatment and should be permitted to discharge
treated waste thru hull fittings into waters defined as no discharge areas. At
this time, Type I and II onboard treatment systems are not permitted to operate
in no discharge zones. Over 50 zones in 14 states have been declared as
either partial or complete no discharge zones and more are being added. This is
problematic for boat builders who are trying to design boats to meet both legal
requirements and customer expectations. Check our website as above.
1.
Do your prep work BEFORE you get on the floor of the show. It
is too easy to get caught up in “cruising” the aisles and not concentrating
on your objectives.
2.
Big shows like IBEX and the Miami Boat Show have websites
that help you research product and service exhibitors by categories and name.
a.
Research categories, then record company names and booth numbers.
b.
List (spreadsheet works best) entering booth, name and product category.
c.
Sort by booth number so you can start at one end of hall and methodically
tour exhibits.
3.
If you can’t do prep work, use the show’s directory, jot
down the booth numbers and put them in order on a card – include # and name,
as numbers are often not visible on booth.
4.
Have questions about products thought out or written – it
will help you compare brands – and it encourages the vender give you quality attention. Have priorities: there is never enough time.
5.
Look as you move down aisles. Jot down booth names (number if
known) to come back to.
6.
If you receive product claims you question, request
substantiation and customer references to verify claims.
7.
If you know you are going to buy, work the best deal you can.
Vendors want products to move so they can justify the time, effort and
expense of these shows.
8.
Use opportunity to compare and verify competitive
product and claims - knowledge of your competition’s products, (boat)
materials and claims are critical to how you market.
a)
Who are they and which ones pose a threat to your business?
b)
Where are they located, and is the location an advantage?
c)
What are their product features and specs?
Which do they emphasize?
d)
What are their most recent product introductions?
e)
What changes have they made in make/buy strategies?
f)
What new materials are being used by the industry and are
they cost effective?
g)
How easy are their products to install and maintain?
h)
How are their sales forces organized?
By product line? Geography?
i)
Who are their largest and most important customers?
1.
Reasons to be there: Generate
sales; Meet with new and existing clients; Build
brand recognition; Gain media attention; Verify
and appraise competition.
a.
Meet With Clients
i.
Invite priority clients to booth; set time and date if
possible. Have your key people’s (also at show) cell phone numbers ready if a
key client drops by.
ii.
Do your homework first – call to see if major clients are
coming – then meet them
b.
Gain Media Attention
i.
Most of the major trade publications have exhibits and media
reps at the big shows. Seek them out, treat them with common courtesy, and ask
them what kind of angles and stories they look for. Then find a way to make your
company or products fit their needs, or have an angle they hadn’t thought of
and offer it.
ii.
Ask for and use the format they want for your information
submission. Get the names, phone, fax and e-mail addresses for the appropriate
media effort.
iii.
Keep your press kit info in the pressroom – it can’t
hurt. Provide booth and show cell phone number.
Print materials made for the public is expensive; use it here.
2.
Check Out Your Competition
a.
Are they beating you with better service, better product, better press,
better marketing, or better anything? Shows
are the best place to assess the competition. Your clients will be!
b.
Knowing your competition’s strengths provides you with the best way to
package your selling points. Build your
product’s strengths discussion to counter these “advantages.”
Drop by our exhibit booth at both the
Ft. Lauderdale IBEX
February 5-7 [3rd floor, Booth 3416]
and the February 13-18th International
Miami Boat Show [tent at
convention center, Booth 4156]
The Marine Trades Services is a program of the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC). The SBTDC is a business development service of The University of North Carolina operated in partnership with the US Small Business Administration.