How to sell a Rib?

[donutsina911]

bruce, have sent u a pm

[Alan]

Originally Posted by tcwozere

Jaegar need to improve their marketing, I always thought their stuff was just for old women..

You've met Richard then?

[BogMonster]

I think I agree about the Prime Ribs name not being a great one. I think it just sounds a bit cheesy, sorry. It wouldn't blow my skirt up if it appeared in a Google search.

I know bugger all about marketing but IMHO a brand name should be sexy or dangerous (or preferably both) if you are trying to sell something like a RIB which is a sexy and possibly dangerous thing to do.

Take "Scorpion" for example, not only the name of a very dangerous little bug but also a light tank and a missile of some description.

I would suggest thinking like names of fighter aircraft or missiles - when was the last time you heard of a fighter aircraft being called "The new Lockheed Conservatory" or a "Grumman Xylophone"? Instead you'll find Lightning, Typhoon, Tomcat, Seawolf, Rapier, Tomahawk, Hurricane, Harrier, Tornado, Eagle .... zillions of examples.

True to say that a name like "Humber" isn't immediately memorable but I think I'm right in saying that companies like that started small and traded initially on reputation as much as marketing - aggressive marketing is a relatively recent invention since commercial TV and glossy print media came along.

Jaeger? They make nice cars don't they?

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Cookee, I will take it off your hands, if you need to get shot of it!

By the way you really should not block the forecourt at the Texaco station at Malborough with your Merc when you are getting you lunch!

Hi Nick.

Sorry mate, I'm not desperate to get rid of one, but if you want to talk money maybe we can do a deal?

As someone who shops there most days instead of for 1 week a year or the odd weekend I'm ok for a little cheating on the parking front!

Stephen - Does BananaShark sound dangerous enough Whenever we call people they remember us, and you wouldn't believe the pressure kids put on parents to buy our boats - we had someone in today for a factory tour and a demo tomorrow - they have a 14 year old son who will be miserable if his dad doesn't buy one of our boats, and the 17 year old daughter wants to be able to sunbathe on the foredeck as well, so I'm quoting for a mattress for the foredeck!

[Poly]

Presumably prime rib is going to categorised alonside ribeye then... ...if this is what you want then the name is great.

Bruce - I doubt that many people in your target market will be typing "rib boat purchase" in to google... ...as I understand it you are trying to sell to the uneducated (ie. non boaters!) so they won't call it a rib at all! Probably more likely to call it just a speed boat? And I don't think I have ever used the term "purchase" in a search - sometimes I use supplier or manufacturer if I am trying to be specific (or cut down on the googlecrap) or for sale. I might even search for cheap, discount or low cost.

I would be inclined to agree that ebay may not be the best way to build your reputation. If you are just trying to change the engine would you not be better selling the engines on ebay / b&o? Unless the console change is radical too?

I would agree with other people's comments that you really should be driving these yourselves - both to increase visibility and simply because otherwise it suggests to me that your own boat is better.

If you need someone to increase visibility I am happy to take a week off work and spend it blasting about the solent burning your fuel.

One option to get rid of them quickly might be to do a deal with a powerboat school where they take them off your hands for a seriously discounted price, and you will send all your clients there way for training.

As for self tappers - i'm not an expert but here are some thoughts: based on the MAIB report into the ribeye that lost its console. The self tappers aren't meant to take the load of the console - they are largely there to hold the console in place whilst the adhesive goes off. From my experience they are more likely to fail if countersunk heads are used. With a cap/dome head (even with no washer) I think the thread is more likely to rip out the "deck" than the head rip through the console.
All IMHO of course. But I guess that is what you want.

Neil

[Hugh Jardon]

i would think of a different name for the rib, prime rib as a name of an individual boat is fine but not as a brand

dump the self tappers and get bolt pattern in the floor or better still glass in the seats, self tappers are cheap and tacky alternatives that do not exude quality

you can build a site very cheap indeed and can get to the top of google searches very very quickly by following some simple steps my wife took for her site and it has worked wonders

ebay is fine for high coverage and folks looking for a boat that know nothing but will not enhance a quality offering making a start

bit concerned you dont have a well thought out sales and marketing plan, pricing strategy and channel strategy but asking questions on here is good for getting feedback

advertise everywhere, use the many free add companies etc to post adverts and link back to your site, that is the way to increase your google hit rate as the free add companies seem to suscribe to the search engines

pay to be listed in search engines if you must also

reason i mentioned about engine prob is i know people mentioned it was not good and will have put them off but, need to come clean and get some performance reviews done by mags and independants etc

advertise in every boating mag/forum/sales site to get the name out there and people used to it, after you have perhaps changed it!!!

get some really attractive photos done, get your website fully up and working as the web is a huge selling tool, keep it updated, review it constantly, go and look at other sites that work well and look good and give a good impression and then take on some inspiration......

get rid of your boat and use your product, use a good signage company to get some decent adverts on it so it stands out

post a thread on here of the boat, go thru a build etc and get some coverage and take people thru the story, get folks on board, get some hits......i have over 25,000 hits of my build, that is the highest hit thread ever outside show us your boat!!! how much free advertising?

dont dump your two current boats on the market and then create expectations of mega cheap deals going forward, use one yourself and for demo and create demand for the other one at a fair price.

on your site create some short vids of the boat in action, feedback from folks who have tested it, get feedback from respected individuals in and outside the industry
invide a celeb to demo and do a photo shoot, we all know celebs or someone who does, reach out and network

thats my 2p worth for now as ts ready but loads of marketing types on here will give info and feedback

last of all i wish you loads of luck and all the best

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Cookee

Stephen - Does BananaShark sound dangerous enough Whenever we call people they remember us, and you wouldn't believe the pressure kids put on parents to buy our boats - we had someone in today for a factory tour and a demo tomorrow - they have a 14 year old son who will be miserable if his dad doesn't buy one of our boats, and the 17 year old daughter wants to be able to sunbathe on the foredeck as well, so I'm quoting for a mattress for the foredeck!

I think BananaShark is an absolutely brilliant name

Yellow, quick and dangerous

It's also a very distinctive name that sticks in the mind.

[brucehawsker]

I am intrigued. I think the lifestyle / non-marine purchaser is going to have to get his purchase past his wife. Am I the only person on RibNet who will admit to suffering occasional undue influence from a female partner when it comes to capital expenditure ?

I think Shark, hence Bananashark, or Mako, or evil bugs, hence Scorpion, are just the 'wrong' names for such a female vetted purchase.

Raw speed is also the wrong sales button.

Soft ride, security, safety, dry ride, cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

But am I wrong here?

[tcwozere]

If I was spending 20k+ on a rib, and my better half had any influence, the 20k+ wouldn't be spent on a rib, but on something with a cabin and a little luxury..

Originally Posted by brucehawkser

Soft ride, security, safety, dry ride, cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

If those are the criteria, and your talking about sub 25k, buy an Extreme..

[Richard B]

I suspect that the thinking behind the name Scorpion is "sting in the tail"

If the female is percieved to have absolute power, then Praying Mantis or Black Widow would make great names!

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

......I think Shark, hence Bananashark, or Mako, or evil bugs, hence Scorpion, are just the 'wrong' names for such a female vetted purchase.....

But something neutral like 'Hawsker 650' would pass vetting and it doesn’t have any tacky connotations like prime rib does....... well probably not Des

[Poly]

Bruce,

I just did some informal market research for you with the missus.

She suggested that Scorpion and Tornado were macho names, and didn't do anything for her but didn't put her off.

Bananashark is just "stupid" (sorry Cookee - but I tend to agree - but then we're not really in your target audience!).

Ribeye and primerib - she thought I had made up, and were meant to be on the BBQ at the end of a good days boating...

HTH - although I have to say we probably don't fall into your target buyers either - are you sure that all your buyers need approval from the wife to buy? as I understand it you are trying to appeal to people with money and time to spare - in my experience those factors are eliminated by having a wife ,

Neil

[MikeCC]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

I am intrigued. I think the lifestyle / non-marine purchaser is going to have to get his purchase past his wife. Am I the only person on RibNet who will admit to suffering occasional undue influence from a female partner when it comes to capital expenditure ?

I think Shark, hence Bananashark, or Mako, or evil bugs, hence Scorpion, are just the 'wrong' names for such a female vetted purchase.

Raw speed is also the wrong sales button.

Soft ride, security, safety, dry ride, cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

But am I wrong here?

Originally Posted by tcwoxrere

If I was spending 20k+ on a rib, and my better half had any influence, the 20k+ wouldn't be spent on a rib, but on something with a cabin and a little luxury..

From your very orginal thoughts on this Bruce, I got the impression you wanted to be aiming at people where this was a 'fun' purchase and cost (but not VFM) wasn't really a factor. If that was essentially a male audience (95%+?) then it would be where matey had the cash to spend regardless of his better half's approval.

There's two hurdles - one is convincing people that a RIB is a great idea (over all the other exciting things they might choose) and then letting them know that yours is the one they want. If you want your target audience, you probably need to be working on these two simultaneously.

Mr Jardon has lots of good points.

Prime Rib is not a great name. You have to decide v. quickly on an alternative or just go with it. Like it or not, the web search thing IS a big deal these days. You will never get past all the steak houses and recipes. Time for a RibNet comp . . . free boat to the winner (you did say you'd take a loss and you'd end up with a keen promoter)

BTW gArfie, this approach is called viral marketing by the e-nobbers. I think this is because it's usually aimed at 18 years olds and you'll probably get herpes if you take part.

[slimtim]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

......i have over 25,000 hits of my build, that is the highest hit thread ever outside show us your boat!!!

Beat you...ner

I think most of the people you'll be targetting bruce will ultimately be after a swanky sports boat like a maxim or regal etc. so you'll have to persuade them that your ribs are a better bet! I think sportsboat and rib mag would be a good one to advertise in as it seems to be stocked in far more newsagents than RI and is probably more likely to be picked up by someone who has some spare money to blow on a fast, fun boat.

[tim griffin]

How much you going to sell far fetched for Bruce !

[Milan]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

I am intrigued. I think the lifestyle / non-marine purchaser is going to have to get his purchase past his wife. Am I the only person on RibNet who will admit to suffering occasional undue influence from a female partner when it comes to capital expenditure ?

I think Shark, hence Bananashark, or Mako, or evil bugs, hence Scorpion, are just the 'wrong' names for such a female vetted purchase.

Raw speed is also the wrong sales button.

Soft ride, security, safety, dry ride, cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

But am I wrong here?

Hi brucehawsker I think you are correct in some of your statement but at the risk of sounding like a chauvinist male pig when you allow women to become involved in the buying process suddenly girl lie things like names colour and shape all of a sudden become very important rather than performance capability, practicality horse power and all the other macho stuff personally and I stress its only my opinion the name Prime rib is to close to the Ribeye name which leaves me completely cold it may be a little to late to change the name but if not then I would definitely consider doing so because when it comes to buying toys if you let the ladies in you will probably head down to the Rib shop and end up at DFS buying a new piece of furniture men tend to buy toys not with there partners consent because it’s a want not a need and names throughout the Rib range evoke thoughts not of food but adventure Delta, Tornado, Ballistic, Scorpion, Revenger, Ocean Dynamics , Prime rib, Cobra, Osprey, Prime rib does it really work ( just a thought) but on the positive side the rib looks fantastic maybe I should have started with that statement because it looks a fine piece of equipment and I don’t want to sound negative about it as for selling them if all you are looking for is to get rid get the cash quick and forget them and move forward E bays a good option good luck with it all

[Jono]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

..... cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

But am I wrong here?

What's wrong with "Industrial" ..?.

...Hasn't stopped some of the "big boys" selling as many RIBs as they can make....

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Soft ride, security, safety, dry ride, cool looks (not industrial).... these seem to me to be the key selling points.

But am I wrong here?

Call it the RayBanMarshmallowUmbrellaPadlock then

Cool looks, soft ride, dry and secure all in one name

and I bet you can get www.raybanmarshmallowumbrellapadlock.com too

[The Garfish]

Originally Posted by MikeCC

you'll probably get herpes if you take part.

i fink itts de uvver waiy rownd yew nobbur. i ovaherd dat broosy inn de pubb saiy dat ifn de ribnobburs wudunt bi iz ribbs hee oped thay wud orl gett de clapp.

enywaiys ifn broosy wonts hee cann yewse de gArfish brannd naim. sleak, fasst an silviry an yew wudunt lyke a powke inn de fkin iye wiv itts snowt.

wee orlso doo a raynj ov deesiner donkiy jakkits, steal towcapt bewts. sollid gowld nukkuldustirs an 316 grayde flikk nives forr ower disernin clyents.

heer iz de lowgo

gaRf

[ADS]

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F104350
http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F104349

Thats much better