I understand that they are trying to sell boats and get leads for the dealers but it is frustrating to deal with because I paid to be there. What trips my trigger even more are companys that won't let you board the boats at all!

Playing the sales commision game myself, the Fountain "get a physical" before you enter our booth sounds driven from a dealer and sales issues amongest themselves.

They want to keep the dealers regionalized, and not getting an undercut price from another dealer who is working the same booth.

I still disagree with the procedure...but who listens to me anyway.

Yeah, this year I just went around on the side to enter their both. Met Reggie this year too.

Yep...not allowed to board any Cigarette's! WTF! Again I found Fountain will let you walk in and look at the boats...I did. I told them I do not want to sign up, just looking and kept walking. If you want to board the boats them you need a salesman with you. This keeps the rif-raf out and damage down. All the performance boats were sold on Thursday and Friday so I can't blame them for not letting anyone board with out a salesman!

Damn this thread is almost as bad as the "wives and girlfriends" thread in UC.
5 pages, 97 posts, and about a dozen pics...
Less *****ing, more pictures, it's frickin freezing up here..... :D

over 50 pics....

first one teaser :D Outerlimits Cat

http://thumb3.webshots.net/t/58/158/...3FgsNDm_th.jpg

at the CIG both

http://thumb3.webshots.net/t/53/753/...3VElFIC_th.jpg

http://good-times.webshots.com/album...hortcuts/Album

Thanks PKS...... but can someone please get a few shots of the new 30' Concept closed deck !!

This has been hashed out here on OSO a number of time with no real solution.

We have done a number of boat shows over the years, had really cool custom high end boats to exhibit as well.

So to your point......

You pay a fortune to exhibit and move product and staff the booth. You do this to show and sell your product right? Well we wont even get into the damages or disrespectful adults and kids at this point so we get to the selling side. Of course everyone who paid can "SEE" the boats but what about boaring them.

We worked the MIAMI show last year with a high end custom builder and here is a quick example.......The decission must be made before the show about boarding.

1. NO BOARDING ...PERIOD
2. BOARDING w sales associate only.
3. Same as above but NO CHILDREN

So we were set up that ALL can board with a sales rep.

We get to Saturday........the booth is JAMMED with wall to wall people. The lines to the boats are long what do you do???

Since the product is "really cool" and the kids are going nuts with DADDY DADDY can we go on this boat......OK sure that was the deal right? Sad to say that 60% of that line were paying show attendees killing a Saturday with the wife and kids........were they really looking to purchase a 615K 100+ MPH boat.......VERY UNLIKELY....so do you customer profile evry request and create a riot that person X went on so why cant I. So you let the guy up on the boat and BINGO out come the digital camera from dads pocket.......as he spends a bunch of time with JR poised at key spots on the boat including the highly prized DRIVERS SEAT:eek: .......... Now how many people on that line who just might be interested in buying or know a buddy who is on the market yada yada yada....who knows.....many people just walked because of time on line......you try to hurry up the photo shoot and get OK OK buddy just one more, just one more.....or even better...they are about to get off and his mom and sister show up from a trip to the ladies room.....GUESS what? HER TURN or she has a temper tantrum right there in the middle of your booth with the sales guy on the boat next to you trying to close a deal......You get the idea.....just an inside take on the same thought.

There plenty of really cool people and its not just about selling its also about admiration of product design as well. It the same old story......a hand full of bad ones ruins it for everyone and you cannot weed them out...besides they PAID to get in so anything goes. I can understand why some MFG have a NO BOARDING POLICY........If you are really interested they get you in before or after the show opens or closes with work passes and you get on the boat with sales rep...nice and quiet and very one on one......that works very well too.

Boat shows are no different than auto shows......how many Bently's, Ferrari's, AMG's or RR's can you sit in at the auto show?

NONE! ...and most cost less than some boats.

I figured I would do a long post since there are no pictures.....lol

Yeah....What is up with that ? :confused:

I am really starting to feel guilty for not being there..... :D

We need more pics !!!:drink:

Yeah....what is all this posting without pics! Stop posting unless you have pics! What a bunch of poodles!!!