BOATING & MARINE

SIX works with both boat dealers and manufacturers, putting us in a unique position to understand the entire process. We understand what dealers (and their customers) want, because we work with dealers every day. 

Common Problems

Every manufacturer we work with has its own unique problems to solve. At SIX, we typically see a few common themes.

• Lack of high-quality leads
• A longer sales cycle
• High costs & low profit margins

Unique Solutions

We solve these problems (and more) by leveraging our marine marketing expertise.  Some of the tactics we use include:

• Account-based marketing (ABM)
• Digital advertising & PPC
• Inbound & content marketing 
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Brand strategy
• Social media marketing
• Sales coaching & development 

Boating Industry Magazine: Inbound persona basics

Interview with SIX's CEO, Christopher Ryan

Using buyer personas as part of an inbound marketing strategy is one way for dealers to learn more about the importance of content driving digital marketing, said Christopher Ryan, CEO of Saratoga Springs-N.Y. based SIX Marketing, which serves manufacturers, dealers and marinas, as well as marine industry suppliers. The most common misconception about digital marketing is that people think what used to work in traditional marketing still works, Ryan said. 

Businesses used to be able to craft their own brand stories and advise their customers through their marketing. Now, through the internet and social media, everyone is connected in real-time and a dealer’s products and services are frequently researched before they a customer reaches out. Savvy consumers are educated before a dealership visit. 

“Buyer personas are representations of your ideal clients,” Ryan said. “Through research, we take a much more in-depth dive into the everyday lives of these personas to learn about their challenges, needs and goals. By exploring personas in detail, we can deliver more receptive messaging.” 

Part of the buyer persona process also involves interviewing each of the organization’s departments in order to establish a cohesive understanding of their goals and to provide them with a simplistic view of their target market, Ryan said, adding that marketing and sales teams should work together, which ultimately provides consumers with a better user experience and increases sales. 

“Traditional demographic targeting tends to makes assumptions that a particular group thinks alike and are at the same stage of the buying process,” Ryan said. 

Boat dealers can benefit by becoming early adopters of this modern marketing way of thinking. “When you choose to connect with customers on a more personal level, your entire perspective tends to change,” Ryan said. “This connection will increase market share and mitigate costly mistakes. Moreover, consumers are smart and can spot general sales-focused advertising immediately.” 

People are served so much content on a daily basis that they are trained to filter out the typical advertisement. Giving them a personalized experience significantly increases a brand’s chances of converting this interaction into a sale. 

This plays directly into the boating industry promoting a lifestyle based around social interaction.

“When boating, we wave to one another and are excited to share the boating experience with friends and family,” Ryan said. “Naturally, the best way to promote social interaction is through social media.” 

Growth-driven design (GDD) for websites adapts to customers’ needs and serves them with a website experience that will leave them wanting more, Ryan said. 

These sites are built around the user’s behavior. The idea is using data to create a better, ongoing experience.

“Making assumptions of what your customers want on a website is a thing of the past,” Ryan said. “Let your competitors lease a website or use a cookie-cutter template that looks just like everyone else’s. If you adopt a GDD website philosophy, chances are you will obliterate the competition.”