Ask yourself a question (and, above all, give yourself an answer): how many of your clients buy a boat to be seen, and how many buy it to actually do things?
And I’m not just talking about the kind of things you can’t mention in front of minors.
Or perhaps with someone who isn’t exactly on the family register.
I mean: actually going to sea.
Excluding a few categories (charterers, water taxi drivers, fishermen), a boat is bought by those who want to satisfy a craving.
Not because it’s essential for survival. A craving, exactly.
So, try to imagine being your client.
When they go to the Genoa Boat Show, to Cannes, or when they’re browsing shipyard websites, the underlying thought in their head is: I want a boat so I can […]
What is the desire inside those brackets?
Is it a status symbol or the chance to go where those without a boat cannot go?
Am I looking for a personal outlet or do I want to take my family there to spend moments together?
Well, that is what changes the way they choose a boat.
And above all, it’s what changes the way they “notice” your communication.
Take three typical clients:
The first one wants a boat to go swimming from morning till night.
They couldn’t care less about the interiors.
They look for comfortable sunbathing areas, shaded spots, audio entertainment – the fridge matters more than the galley.
If you show them a video that alternates between sailing in the middle of nowhere and polished interiors, they might watch it all.
But as soon as it’s over, they won’t even remember the shipyard’s name.
The second one spends the week with their family cruising around the archipelago.
They are willing to give up outdoor space just to have a decent galley even on a 30-footer, where they can eat in the evening sheltered from the night dew.
Basically, they only buy what they see as useful.
The third one wants to be seen. A flashy boat, regardless of the size. Fluo upholstery or an unusual color convinces them more than a spacious head or a guest berth.
Three clients, three different communications.
Three ways of telling the story of the same boat.
If yours doesn’t change, the fault isn’t the boat’s.
