Selling Boats for a Living? Pros and Cons....... In Good times and Bad times.. - The Hull Truth

49erJim · 01-24-2008, 10:40 PM

I love Boats. I love all kinds of boats.....even sail boats. As far as selling boats, I am not sure I would ever be good at it but have always thought about it. Can anyone tell me what it takes to be good in boat sales? I was once told by a very good long time broker that its a very hard job and takes 7 days a week to be good at it, also you must be able to work on weekends in order to be good at selling boats. Does it matter if you like boats or not to be good in boat sales? Can you do it part time and do well at it? What are some tips you could give me or anyone who has thought of selling boats on the side or full time? I do know its very hard work to sell boats but I would like to hear from some who have done it and any who have made a living at it. Not sure I will ever go into selling boats but would like to hear from some who have done it. Lets hear Pros and Cons of selling boats from anyone who has done it before.

mattttt25 · 01-25-2008, 03:53 AM

never done it, but i'd assume it takes the same qualities that any good sales professional possesses. great knowledge of the product, great personal skills, great work ethic, etc. the best brokers i've dealt with knew the boat well, were excited to show me it, could carry a conversation, but also didn't push if it wasn't the right boat for me. to me, it's all about the people skills. one other thing to consider- boat (and home) sales are forever different in the age of the internet. consumers usually know the product better than the agent. just something to be aware of. i hate when a broker starts rattling off crap that is simply not true and i'm then correcting him.

surly · 01-25-2008, 05:13 AM

Did it for 5 years. Not much fun.
1 You work when everyone else is off (after 5 and weekends)...sucks
2 A boat is the LAST thing most people need financially so the "priority" the customer gives to the purchase is low.
3 Lots of dreamers. (sounds innocent enough, but gets old fast)
4 Can be difficult to get paid (believe me the salesman is the LAST person to get paid at the dealership)
5 It will make you callous towards boating. (the last thing you want to do on your time off is be around boats and the less than desirable people you sold them to. ("Oh Mr Salesman since we ran into you here at the marina can you look at our bilge? it stinks because we dropped fish blood in it a month ago and im not happy. Oh yeah can you tell the service manager to get someone here Monday and tell Lou in parts to order new deck hatches for us. oh,by the way we're not paying for any of it because we feel its poor quality. I have an attorney friend down the dock that i got cocked with last night and he said we could sue for the repairs if the dealer doesn't cover it. Ok thanks have a good weekend.
UGH!
6 see #1

tarpon666 · 01-25-2008, 06:49 AM

I hate to to chime in on this as my first post but it strikes me close to home.I've been in new boat sales for the last
19 years and I love it. How many out there can say that they can go to work,on the water,meet great people,and
get paid well to do it.That being said not everyone is cut out for it.This is not a part time job.No professional occupation is.It takes long hours,hard work and great product knowledge.And as in all sales 10% of the salespeople sell 90%
of the product.Don't let anyone stand in your way if it sound right for you. I love going to work every day

ericviking · 01-25-2008, 08:13 AM

I've been in the business for over 25 years, and yes I Love It. When ever someone asks me if I like my job my answer is always "it beats having a real job"

TheCameraguy · 01-25-2008, 08:28 AM

For you guys that are in the business, whats the mark-up? I imagine its a bit less on the larger 30+ range boats than it is on say the 18-23' range?

DrJim · 01-25-2008, 08:42 AM

Quote:

surly - 1/25/2008 7:13 AMDid it for 5 years. Not much fun. 1 You work..... 5 It will make you callous towards boating. (the last thing you want to do on your time off is be around boats and the less than desirable people you sold them to. ("Oh Mr Salesman since we ran into you here at the marina can you look at our bilge? it stinks because we dropped fish blood in it a month ago and im not happy. Oh yeah can you tell the service manager to get someone here Monday and tell Lou in parts to order new deck hatches for us. oh,by the way we're not paying for any of it because we feel its poor quality. I have an attorney friend down the dock that i got cocked with last night and he said we could sue for the repairs if the dealer doesn't cover it. Ok thanks have a good weekend. UGH! 6 see #1

Pretty funny, I can see why you picked "Surly" as your screen name.

49erJim · 01-25-2008, 08:45 AM

Quote:

surly - 1/25/2008 4:13 AM

Did it for 5 years. Not much fun.
1 You work when everyone else is off (after 5 and weekends)...sucks
2 A boat is the LAST thing most people need financially so the "priority" the customer gives to the purchase is low.
3 Lots of dreamers. (sounds innocent enough, but gets old fast)
4 Can be difficult to get paid (believe me the salesman is the LAST person to get paid at the dealership)
5 It will make you callous towards boating. (the last thing you want to do on your time off is be around boats and the less than desirable people you sold them to. ("Oh Mr Salesman since we ran into you here at the marina can you look at our bilge? it stinks because we dropped fish blood in it a month ago and im not happy. Oh yeah can you tell the service manager to get someone here Monday and tell Lou in parts to order new deck hatches for us. oh,by the way we're not paying for any of it because we feel its poor quality. I have an attorney friend down the dock that i got cocked with last night and he said we could sue for the repairs if the dealer doesn't cover it. Ok thanks have a good weekend.
UGH!
6 see #1

Wow, I can see some of these things going on. Too bad as it looks like it really left a bad taste in your mouth.

Myott · 01-25-2008, 08:50 AM

The hardest thing IS GETTING PAID! yes I also work 24-7 get calls from overseas in the middle of the night , it is also not a free ride, I could never do anything different I work for a great brokerage outfit and you work as hard as you want but the more you put in the more you get back

49erJim · 01-25-2008, 09:40 AM

Quote:

tarpon666 - 1/25/2008 5:49 AM

I hate to to chime in on this as my first post but it strikes me close to home.I've been in new boat sales for the last
19 years and I love it. How many out there can say that they can go to work,on the water,meet great people,and
get paid well to do it.That being said not everyone is cut out for it.This is not a part time job.No professional occupation is.It takes long hours,hard work and great product knowledge.And as in all sales 10% of the salespeople sell 90%
of the product.Don't let anyone stand in your way if it sound right for you. I love going to work every day

Wow, Nice to read this and nice 1st post! Welcome!

49erJim · 01-25-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

TheCameraguy - 1/25/2008 7:28 AM

For you guys that are in the business, whats the mark-up? I imagine its a bit less on the larger 30+ range boats than it is on say the 18-23' range?

Maybe you should wait till we get a lot of boat sales people posting in my thread before you high jack it with a question like this. I am sure most will not want to post because of your question now.

ABoater · 01-25-2008, 09:58 AM

Very few part timers in the business.

And rightfully so.

Why give the best floor time (weekends) to a part timer who is trying to get his feet wet, when the full timers are having a tough enough time working leads?

The full timers who put in the long hours, nights and weekends deserve the fresh "ups" that stagger in fat, dumb, and happy, and want to buy a boat on the weekends.

You want to work part time? OK, take all the tuesdays and wednesdays that you want...

Good luck!

erie skipper · 01-25-2008, 10:19 AM

Tell you the mark up?? Trade secret unless you are referring to brokerage boats--then the answer is normally 10% plus expenses. Every dealer varies as to how they price their boats and how they pay their salespeople. But as has been mentioned here, one can make a very good living so long as one applies oneself.

49erJim · 01-25-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

ABoater - 1/25/2008 8:58 AM

Very few part timers in the business.

And rightfully so.

Why give the best floor time (weekends) to a part timer who is trying to get his feet wet, when the full timers are having a tough enough time working leads?

The full timers who put in the long hours, nights and weekends deserve the fresh "ups" that stagger in fat, dumb, and happy, and want to buy a boat on the weekends.

You want to work part time? OK, take all the tuesdays and wednesdays that you want...

Good luck!

Wow, easy man I was just asking to get info, I am sure full time is about the only way to be good at selling boats. BTW Long Hours? Nights? I don't know any Boat salespeople who work long hours or nights? You act like boat salespeople work 24/7? I don't see it as I have called and talked to a lot of them and I can hardly ever get a hold of them. lol When do they sleep?

Myott · 01-25-2008, 10:46 AM

no we sit on the beach and go out on our boatsand fish all day did you ever go to a boat show? you see them dropping us off at the docks in company limos and we stay in 5 star hotels I guess you are working with the wrong people. I was up at 3:00 this morning emailing to Austrailia ,call me anytime

49erJim · 01-25-2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Myott - 1/25/2008 9:46 AM

no we sit on the beach and go out on our boatsand fish all day did you ever go to a boat show? you see them dropping us off at the docks in company limos and we stay in 5 star hotels I guess you are working with the wrong people. I was up at 3:00 this morning emailing to Austrailia ,call me anytime

Are you saying going to a boat show and sitting there yacking it up with your buddys is work??? I have never seen a Boat salesperson work hard or even really work at a boat show. I would not call that work. lol emailing to Austrailia is work?? Hmmm

Myott · 01-25-2008, 10:59 AM

Yes its work when you are selling a 400K boat customers just send you a check and your secretary does all the paperwork, I'm not going to get into a brain war with someone who has no ammunition

theboatguy2 · 01-25-2008, 11:09 AM

You have to love boats and people and it really helps to sell a great product. I am fortunate enough to work for a great company. The owners are down to earth guys who work harder than anyone in the company. But, like being a cop or a firefighter, it isn't for everyone. I work at making friends, not customers. I am a fisherman first and a salesman second, that helps allot when your selling offshore fishing boats. People know when you tell them something it is because it is true and not because your trying to sell them something. In response to the sausage head that said boat sales people don't work all I can say is join up at your local dealer, put your feet up and rake in the cash.......

capt_dalton · 01-25-2008, 11:26 AM

I have met exactly ONE good boat salesperson in my 23 years of boat ownership. There are a lot of wannabes in the business who should take up another line of work. I would imagine a lot get jaded by the enormous amount of tire kickers and low ballers out there who waste their time while they could be helping a person who can and actually will buy a boat.

SeaJay · 01-25-2008, 11:49 AM

To me it seems to be the kind of business that people who have no idea what they want to do will go into just because they need some sort of a job and it doesn't look too strenuous. Probably makes it easy for the one out of a hundred salesperson in the business who knows how to sell. But it sure turns off a lot of potential boat buyers.