Create new opportunities and revenue streams for your marine business by identifying boater pain points and offering solutions to real problems
Marine businesses big and small have a responsibility to continue to improve upon every aspect of recreational boating. The business of boating depends on it.
Boaters are looking for innovation. They want conveniences that make their recreational investment worthwhile. And they want to eliminate any annoyances, inconveniences or “issues” that distract from having a good time on the water.
First and foremost, I can tell you that I love boating. It took hold of me some twenty years ago and never let go. But I can also tell you that there are definitely things that could be better. I am naturally drawn to new products and innovations that improve upon the boating experience. So much so, that I became a boating industry entrepreneur.
My husband and I built a life together around our passion for boating… and it evolved into the business that we invented and run today. We saw a problem – lack of adequate sun protection on boats – that we as boaters experienced firsthand. It was a real issue that we knew was a universal problem in boating… yet no other business seemed to be addressing it head on.
You can read more about our how we invented our sunshade product and grew our business in the SureShade Growth Story.
Any comparison of an early 90’s boat with a new 2014 or 2015 model will show you how far the industry has come in boat design… from new coupe styling that brings your cabin activity above the water line, to joystick technology that makes docking a breeze to, yes, automated sunshade systems that allow canvas to extend over the cockpit for more sun protection at the touch of a button.
From a services standpoint, we are seeing boat clubs and peer-to-peer rental companies help to offset the expense of boating and deal with the real time constraints families contend with as boaters. We are seeing technology make a major difference in managing the business of boating, as well as boat ownership issues like maintenance.
The underlying theme of all of these innovations is solving a problem that boaters are experiencing on the water. The more problems we solve to help elevate their experience, the more value we build into the pastime of recreational boating.
Solving Problems… Creating New Revenue Streams
In some cases, marine businesses need to get back to basics and spend some time on board boats to see firsthand how boaters boat. What are the things they are griping about? What are the things they are spending time dealing with when they should be enjoying their precious leisure time?
Savvy marine businesses are starting to step up with new ideas that solve problems while creating new revenue streams that did not exist before – both for themselves and for boat dealers, marinas or builders.
We have seen this firsthand with SureShade. Not only are we experiencing tremendous growth in our own revenues, but our shade is helping builders sell more boats and aftermarket installations are creating more product and services revenue for dealers more product and service revenue.
Innovative marine businesses are beginning to pop up everywhere. Some ideas are simple, while others may actually be industry game-changers. Each one is having an impact on helping to grow the industry and attract or retain boaters.
Businesses that have that vision to stay focused on offering products and services that can truly make a difference to boaters will reap the benefits of new revenue opportunities and lifelong loyal customers.
Dana Russikoff
Latest posts by Dana Russikoff (see all)
- Selling Boats with American-Made Components to U.S. Boat Buyers - September 27, 2016
- How OEMs are Using Early Debuts of New Boat Models to Generate Market Buzz - October 6, 2015
- Building a Strong Patent and Brand Strategy as a Startup in Boating - March 12, 2015
- Turning Boating Problems into Value-Add Products and Services - June 25, 2014