| When selling a boat you need to be aware of | | | | four photos and have them included in your listing. |
| special requirements needed to effectively sell | | | | Photos should be exterior side view, rear shot, |
| your boat. Here are 13 tips that I have found | | | | helm and interior. |
| work to assure that the transaction goes | | | | 8. That's my line,, and I'm stickin to it - If your |
| smoothly for you. | | | | boat has had repairs, list them. Every used boat |
| | | | has seen it's share of dings and dents. Ignoring |
| 1. Reach out and touch someone - No one | | | | these will only create suspicion amongst your |
| expects you to take out an ad on the Super | | | | potential buyers. By listing your repairs, you avoid |
| Bowl to sell your boat, but you do need to spend | | | | potential blunders later when a survey brings the |
| money if you intend to sell your boat. Determine | | | | problem to surface. |
| what you can afford to spend to market your | | | | 9. Cool hand Luke - If you don't have the |
| boat and commit to an effective marketing | | | | stomach for people climbing all over your boat, |
| program. Use a combination of the Internet, local | | | | only to criticize the condition or worse yet say |
| shoppers and boat classifieds listings in local | | | | nothing, then you need a Boat Broker. Brokers |
| papers. | | | | don't have emotional attachments, and they have |
| 2. Mr. Clean - A clean boat is much closer to sold | | | | more available time to meet with potential clients |
| than a dirty one. It's amazing how much money | | | | than you do. So if you don't have the stomach |
| some boaters will spend to market their boat | | | | for it, hand it off to a cooler hand. |
| then they don't even clean it up properly. If your | | | | 10. Don't be an Average Joe - Every other seller |
| not willing to do it right, pay a professional detailer | | | | of used boat all say the same thing. My boat has |
| a few hundred to clean it up right. | | | | a heater, fish finder, radar, etc. Use words to |
| 3. Whisper Sweet Nothings - Many boaters over | | | | describe why these things are important. |
| look those little things that make a used boat | | | | Remember many used boat buyers are |
| appealing to a used boat buyer. Remember that | | | | inexperienced boaters and many are first time |
| most new boats don't come with all the frills. | | | | buyers who don't understand what these features |
| These little things can go far in securing a sale for | | | | do. Use words like "Eagle II fish finders identifies |
| your used boat. Keep in mind that mentioning that | | | | the depth of each fish and comes with |
| you include a radar, fish finder, downriggers etc. | | | | temperature gauge and speed control allowing you |
| often spur a new boat buyer to think twice about | | | | to control your lure depth and speed" or "Heater |
| the new vs. used market. | | | | provides three minute warm up of interior cabin |
| 4. One Ringy Dingy, Two Ringy Dingy - Have you | | | | for early morning or late fall cruising." |
| ever called a seller and found that they weren't | | | | 11. A Three Hour Tour - If your boat is in the |
| home or they had an answering machine. If you | | | | water at the time you are selling, offer to take |
| are serious about selling your boat, answer the | | | | the potential buyer for a ride. State this in your |
| phone. If you're not going to be home, then | | | | ad and entice them to come out for a ride. |
| forward your calls to a cell phone. Don't have a | | | | Nothing works better to get the customer |
| cell phone ... get one! If you don't answer the | | | | emotionally involved with your boat than a free |
| phone when the prospect is ready to buy, you | | | | ride. |
| just wasted a whole lot of money for nothing... | | | | 12. And the Survey Says... - If you've owned your |
| 5. the Price is Right - More boaters make | | | | boat for more than 5 years, it is strongly |
| mistakes in pricing their boat too high for the | | | | suggested that you have a survey done on the |
| market. Do a search on the internet for similar | | | | boat before you list it. A survey can point out |
| boats and be sure yours has some advantage | | | | potential road blocks in the sale of your boat. This |
| over the others. It may be price, or it may be | | | | is especially true for Yacht and High Performance |
| features. If it isn't one or the other then you're | | | | boats. Lets say you spend $500-$1000 to market |
| keeping your boat for another year! | | | | your boat only to find out that a potential buy |
| 6. Fun, Fun, Fun - When the customer comes out | | | | could not get financing because your boat have a |
| to see the boat, make the experience fun. Have | | | | problem due to their survey. Not only have you |
| a poster on board with photos of your fun | | | | lost your advertising investment, but now you |
| experiences on the boat. People buy based on | | | | need to make the repairs. Doing a survey first |
| emotion, so give it to them. If you are selling a | | | | can bring potential problems to the surface. |
| fishing boat, don't take all the equipment off the | | | | 13. As The World Turns - Every boater who |
| boat, have the rods in the rod holders, have | | | | places an ad thinks that it will sell quickly. The |
| photos of all the trophy fish you caught out for | | | | reality is that boats take about 3 months to find |
| them to see and discuss. Share your experiences | | | | a partner. That is provided the right person sees |
| with your customer. | | | | the boat. Be patient and most of all, be sure that |
| 7. Say Cheese - If you don't show photos on the | | | | when you get that opportunity to show your |
| internet of your boat, don't bother. Very few | | | | boat you haven't misplaced all the other tips we |
| people will buy a boat without seeing photos first. | | | | shared with you. |
| Would you look for a boat with just text? Take | | | | |