Rant re RIBEX 2007

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by Hightower

In my opinion and from the sellers view, it must be difficult to identify a possible buyer. But surley if the sales person is good at their job, they should be able to tell!

They should assume *everyone* is a potential buyer.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

They should assume *everyone* is a potential buyer.

Exactly. I have some very wealthy friends who seem to get scruffier the richer they are. When I first met one of my mate's father I thought he was the gardener - he is worth a mint!!!

Rolls Royce always used to tell their dealers to treat everyone the same. They said they often had some snotty nosed school kids turn up who would come back 20 years later and buy a car.

I mean look at people like Howard Hughes or Bob Geldorf........

[Nos4r2]

By that thinking I'm a billionaire and you should all be worshipping me.

Hey, that's not a bad idea. Minions, come hither

[Roy Smith]

Originally Posted by Boats

What do you mean there is no "WOW" factor, my two colleagues Binny and Charlene are there today and tomorrow handing out copies of magazine and our spring boat show paper from our stand, it could not be more WOW than that! :-)

Cheers

Stephen

The fact that i don't know what magazine you where handing out proves some thing.
The weather cant be pre ordered but i stand by what i said
If you had money burning a hole in your pocket 90% of the makers could not supply you.
I would love to know what the attendants figures are between the Sports boats show at port hamble
and ribex

[The Edges]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Leave me out of it. I am only a hen pecked male.



Ribcraft did not score because they were snooty when I was looking for my first boat and far less friendly than Parker, Coastline and, most of all, Solent. They were not terribly approachable yesterday anyway!

Hi Bruce
Ribcraft snooty ? surely not! Yeovil just doesn't do snooty.
Have to say the blokes at the factory have always been professional and very helpful. I think its true they have a laid back approach to salling, thats because their ribs do the selling for them

[The Jackeens]

Apparently Parker RIBs did the usual professional job & had a successful show?

Nauti last heard of celebrating on the vodka and domestos

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

Apparently Parker RIBs did the usual professional job & had a successful show?

Nauti last heard of celebrating on the vodka and domestos

hmmm too much Polish Vodka really does the most awful things!!

[NautiAndNice]

We had a bloody brilliant weekend ...hiccup!

well, apart from this bit...

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

... trip back was, what can only be best described as "interesting"! And I have learnt that Adrenaline is really brown!!

...but anyway...

Admittedly Friday was a little quiet earlier on, but there was a good atmosphere on Fri pm, all day Sat and even this morning when the heavens kindly opened! I found that anyone I spoke to was more than happy to help.
ICOM guys came to have a look at my radio which has been giving a little trouble. Ribcraft/Suzuki guys sorted out my throttle on the spot. Raymarine sorted out my handheld issues. Std Horizon gave me a lengthy crash course in waypoints/GPS and I had some helpful advice re: engine maintenance from one of the Cowes Inshore Lifeboat boys! Happy days.

Re: Ribcraft and

Originally Posted by The Edges

Have to say the blokes at the factory have always been professional and very helpful. I think its true they have a laid back approach to selling, thats because their ribs do the selling for them

Agree totally. As a buyer last year, I found it particularly helpful to be actually shown what a boat can do/handle, rather than to stand on a pontoon listening to sales patter and be given free pens.

[tim griffin]

Well I enjoyed it .
Met JK and got a free hat and sticker
Met Manos at last nice guy
Met Jon Brooks Standard Horizon radio man
Met clients past present and future
Put some names to rib net members
Met Cookee and Kevin.
Met Andre and the gang
Sold a couple of boats
Had a play on lots of boats
Love the new Rib with the Etec
Met the lovely ladies from Boats and Outboards
Got very wet
Got very Drunk
Felt very ill
Felt very cold
So all in all great 3 day's

[Boatcareuk]

Originally Posted by Hightower

I bought (I think) some Radio gear from one of the sellers, thanks Dave from Boat Care and Jon Brooks, hope the radio gear is better than Silva

Andy,
Are you going to be at the Church monday?


D

[Chris]

"hmmm too much Polish Vodka really does the most awful things!!"

You did look a bit jaded as we pulled in on the Caesar just as you were leaving!

Chris

[Jon Brooks]

Well that is the weekend over.

For us a great success.

Met lots of great people.
Some new some not so new.

Great to see Lousie and Richard oh and the ickle one, Dave Manning, Garfish, Paul G, Hightower, Nauti and Nice (not sure which is which!), Nauti Boy, Andre, Simon Hawkins, Tim and his good lady, Mr Lemer, Cookie and Kitten not forgetting our very own JK (where is my hat!!) and loads more.
Great to catch up with a couple of my old mates from Icom, have a few beers and chat about the old days
Its like a who's who of Ribnet lol
Sorry if I missed you, nowt personal been a long weekend and I am getting old!

Where you there Codders? gutted you never came and said hi if you were.

Even sold some kit through the only retailer at the show Dave, well done Dave but shame about the key, don't ask another long story!
Picked up a number of new trade accounts also.

You may even have been lucky or unlucky, depending on your view point, to hear my voice on the PA, and yes I do have the perfect face for radio!

IMHO RIBEX is never over attented but from a sellers prospective its not about numbers but the fact that maybe 90% are real buyers.
It is always a good show both socially and work.
Well done Hugo and the team keep it up and we for one will keep coming.
Whilst some may moan about it, about its location IMHO it works.

Boat your not wrong mate being lucky enough to be next to the Goats and Outsheds stand, sorry boats and outboards I was fortunate to share the company of the lovely Binny and Charlene, might have been lobbing it down but they made up for that
Tell Charlene she can eat all my chocci anytime!

Anywhere enough of my pontificating.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

well done Dave but shame about the key, don't ask another long story!

Captain Catastrophe strikes again! I'll never know how he does it!

Mixed views on the show this year it would seem - having been working all weekend I'm disappointed to have missed it, although it sounds like I may not have missed as much as first thought?

Ah well - at least I didn't have to stick my hand in my pocket and buy Jon any more drinks, has anyone else noticed he never stands his round...?

[Tim M]

Captain Catastrophe strikes again! I'll never know how he does it!

That was what I was shouting down the phone late last night when I had to drive half way accross Hampshire (You owe me a cider for that Dave )

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

not forgetting our very own JK (where is my hat!!)

You can buy a hat in the RIBnet shop. They are in stock and ready to send out.

Alternatively, sign up as a trade member and persuade Yaesu to advertise here and I'll bung you a freebie.

John

[mike]

I went down last year, very disapointing, took me 40 minutes to see everything test drove 2 boats both were helpful to a point somewhere short of interested.
won't be going again as its a long way and to be honest I get more out of a day at southampton.
What it does have going for it is a good location, and relevance to my boating interest, sadly it seems perhaps that there are too few exhibitors for me to make the trip.

[RIVA]

Well from our point of view a very good show the weather put a lot of people off and left some buyers. 4 boats in three days is a pretty good average and in a £ per hour/ investment must be comparable to London so good on the sales front in that perspective

The industry is remarkably under funded and for some manufactures to show three boats can take them very close to the bread line? So don’t be too hard on exhibitors if it doesn’t look as they made a huge effort they have!

Then to spend £3000 + on the show plus accommodation its not cheap for someone selling 20 ribs a year

Ribex is like London in many ways, it introduces your boats to new markets and new distributors that’s really the purpose on the bigger level.
That’s why its important to be there we have sold over 30 boats into a market in 2006 because by being at ribex you are perceived from many countries as being one of the elite in the industry .

That’s why sunseaker do the shows, there’s not many real deals done at shows on that level that’s not been actually sorted out prior?

So great ribex 2007

[Doug Stormforce]

Much of this reminds me of a certain well know Rib builder who exhibts at Southampton Boat Show. Two years ago I went to their stand three times with credit card in my pocket and a desire to buy a boat, each time I was told come back later etc.

All I wanted was to verify a few details and buy. I was not after a demo just some service.

End result was we went else where, have since bought four RIBs including two second hand, a new one from Leeway and a new one from Barnett/Tornado. These are people that want to talk to there customers

[Simon Hawkins]

Originally Posted by NautiAndNice

I had some helpful advice re: engine maintenance from one of the Cowes Inshore Lifeboat boys! Happy days.

Hello

I wonder who that was then !!!

Simon

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

Never mind all that Dave.

Did you give Nauti a good hosing down?