Boat Show 2025

Indeed re what might appear time wasters are tomorrows customers. I looked at a lovely at38ish ft -I might not buy the £750k second hand one on show but it encouraged me to look at the Duchy 27 which was well turned out .
 
xyachtdave said:
Interesting comments about access to boats above.

About 20 years ago I braved the X Yachts stand at LIBS, they had two boats well outside my price range roped off at the top of a set of stairs.

Asking nicely and wearing my slip on shoe covers I had a look round after making it clear I didn’t have £300k handy (was in in my early 30’s) to actually buy one.

Got down below on an X46 and there was a salesman lying in wait at the chart table.

It took him all of about 2 seconds to realise I wasn’t a potential punter for this vessel but he engaged with me nevertheless pulling up the floor, showing me the steel frame, enthusing about the brand and then showing me their brokerage boats that were in my price range.

I ended up buying one of these and am still very happy with it, which is I guess why Halberg Rassy appeared to be happy letting the public swarm all over the H67 at the show.

I know you can’t judge by appearances but I don’t think many of them had the required number of millions for purchase.
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H-R are always very good (I had a good look round the 69). I had a similar experience to yours with Arcona this year. The sales person knew I wasn’t buying one right now, but made sure I went away with lots of knowledge about the brand and the model. At the very least that creates advocates.
 
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I clambered about the HR69 in Düsseldorf, and video recorded it. It’s by far the most-viewed vid on our fledgling half-arsed YouTube channel. Low-quality publicity but publicity nonetheless, which obviously was not available to boats that didn’t let us clamber about.
 
Snowgoose-1 said:
Viewing by appointment only.

What does that mean exactly ?

Do you have to produce a bank statement ?
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Back in 2004 my Dad had decided to buy a new boat. He'd narrowed it down to 2. Both of which were going to be at the London boat show. I was at uni at the time, and for whatever reason we couldn't make our diaries work to be there on the same day. I ended up going on a Saturday, with him due to go on the Sunday. No biggie, I'd have a look at both of them and call him with my opinion.

So off I went, and I made a slight effort to look presentable, wore a pair of deck shoes and a sailing branded jacket. Not as if I was turning up in a hoodie...

1st boat, turned up, explained who I was (both dealers had Dad on their books already, we'd been sent brochures, personalised quotes etc, they knew that a sale was a serious prospect) and explained that we weren't able to get to the show together. No problem, jump on, have a look around and any questions just ask. Had a big poke about, asked about option packages etc. Couldn't have been more helpful to a 22 year old.

2nd boat, also explained who I was, boat had a "by appointment only" sign on it. Made it clear I was happy to arrange a time to come back. They refused. Saying that as I wasn't the customer I would have to come back with Dad. I explained that we hadn't been able to get to the show together, but I was here now to have a look. No dice. Not interested. I explained that my opinion of the boats was going to be a factor in the decision. Was deeply patronised by the sales guy, "I think your Dad can make his own mind up son". Rang Dad, told him what happened.
He didn't even bother going to see that boat the following day. When they rang him the week after the show to follow up why they hadn't seen him at the show, and if he was still interested, he told them exactly why he'd placed the order with their competitor on their stand on the Sunday.
 
E39mad said:
Todays "hull tappers" are tomorrows potential customers.

When I used to work the shows (1989 to 1996) we used to let as many people through as possible. A few quick questions with each viewer gave you an indication as to whether they were worth more of your time for a potential sale or take details to chase after the show.
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I couldn't disagree with you more. Speaking as a former estate agent, let the hate begin, separating the wheat from the chaff is critical otherwise a 9 hour day is reduced to picking through meaningless emails and phone calls only to discover they were never even close to having the $ to begin with. Granted this comes with experience so when you're new to a sales role you must consider everyone a buyer, but as Colombo once said, "after a while, you get a nose for these sort of things".
 
mrming said:
H-R are always very good (I had a good look round the 69). I had a similar experience to yours with Arcona this year. The sales person knew I wasn’t buying one right now, but made sure I went away with lots of knowledge about the brand and the model. At the very least that creates advocates.
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Concerto will never forgive you but ‘ArconaPhil’does have a certain ring to it MrMing!
 
E39mad said:
Todays "hull tappers" are tomorrows potential customers.

When I used to work the shows (1989 to 1996) we used to let as many people through as possible. A few quick questions with each viewer gave you an indication as to whether they were worth more of your time for a potential sale or take details to chase after the show.
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Absolutely. I eventually bought the boat I had seen at LIBS as a teenager. Good PR at the time.

Even if you don't eventually buy the boat you see, if the company and boat create a good impression then this may well get passed on to another potential customer.
 
It took us 5 years from first seeing a Dragonfly 800 to actually buying one. The then UK agent was unfailingly nice to us though-out that time. Fairly sure the current guy has the same attitude.
 
flaming said:
How you balance exhibitor costs and visitor costs for a B2C show is never simple.

Neither "side" ever seems to think that they should pay more.
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I understand your point . I'm guessing few of the "serious" punters are paying full price as everyone and their dog seems to be giving away tickets or discount codes. But those people are what the exhibitors are paying for. The other revenue stream is presumably those people paying for a casual day out. Is £80 for a couple going to yield optimal revenue on the price vs demand curve? I have no background in events management to say but it seems a bit steep for the casual visitor. I note post #2 talks about £24.99 for a “walk in” which sounds right for a couple of years ago. £39.99 for a smaller show is a big hike.

I like a good boat show. If it was just the bits this side of the bridge they’d lost that would have been ok, but they do seem to have lost rather more than that with the single hall having lots of empty space.

This is the first time I’ve ever left a boat show after less than 4 hours, and some of that was spent working out how to get out.

FWIW Raymarine seem to have upped their 20% off rrp trade-in offer (which was still more expensive than the main retailers) to 25% which seems to *slightly* undercut normal prices.
 
Little Ricky said:
I couldn't disagree with you more. Speaking as a former estate agent, let the hate begin, separating the wheat from the chaff is critical otherwise a 9 hour day is reduced to picking through meaningless emails and phone calls only to discover they were never even close to having the $ to begin with. Granted this comes with experience so when you're new to a sales role you must consider everyone a buyer, but as Colombo once said, "after a while, you get a nose for these sort of things".
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I’m sure you do, but it’s perfectly possible to be wrong. And in any case, it doesn’t stop you from being polite and pleasant. Granted, if there’s a line of people waving their black bank cards, the other punters, by the law of economics, take the queue. But people’s circumstances improve, like us with our 1st Dragonfly. The guy could have given us the bums rush, but he didn’t.
 
Little Ricky said:
I couldn't disagree with you more. Speaking as a former estate agent, let the hate begin, separating the wheat from the chaff is critical otherwise a 9 hour day is reduced to picking through meaningless emails and phone calls only to discover they were never even close to having the $ to begin with. Granted this comes with experience so when you're new to a sales role you must consider everyone a buyer, but as Colombo once said, "after a while, you get a nose for these sort of things".
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I don’t understand the similarities between selling a house and going to a public boat show? Unless you’re talking about an open house event.
A broker trying to sell a £1m yacht and having to set up personal viewing would probably agree with your statement, but if you’re taking the trouble to showcase your brand at an event, this is a different matter.
 
Gixer said:
I don’t understand the similarities between selling a house and going to a public boat show? Unless you’re talking about an open house event.
A broker trying to sell a £1m yacht and having to set up personal viewing would probably agree with your statement, but if you’re taking the trouble to showcase your brand at an event, this is a different matter.
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I think there are similarities! People who are looking to spend house/boat type money typically aren’t wandering aimlessly and just writing cheques on a whim - so the most serious actual buyers will usually make appointments so they can be sure to get a proper look/discussion. But there are exceptions - people who thought they would buy XYZ who spot your competitive product and people who aren’t buying just now but might be in 2, 6, 10 yrs time - who you want to have your name top of their list when they make actual buying appointments in the future. Some people do get very upset because you never know who you’ve turned away and everyone could be a real customer - any screening process will have a false negative rate - but then so does letting everyone on and not having enough time/attention for the real buyers.
 
To me it’s not similar at all. The boats at the show have already been sold and their owners are awaiting delivery. A home can only be sold once but boat builders are trying tk build an order book to make more. It’s not a sales event it’s an awareness event to make sure the current models are shown off and that potential customers know what’s available. It’s a brand event too, even if those people don’t buy a new boat, someone has to buy the second hand boats in order for new boat buyers to move. Resale value is important so ensuring you have a steong brand is very important.
 
Sticky Fingers said:
I’m a serial boat buyer, bought there in the last 9 years including two new ones. But I still find it difficult to get onto certain stands. Not happy.
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Well if that is true it’s a very bad reflection of attitudes by them.
I’ll never buy a new boat or a Bentley but last year I peaked at the Bentley spur thingy and the sales chap could not have been more welcoming. He won’t get a sale from me, but his attitude and professionalism earn him a grateful handshake.
Steveeasy
 
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