Harken....

Originally posted by RS400atC TBH, the LOndon Boat Show is more of a trade show. A lot of the suppliers are not very interested in people who only want to buy one of something, unless its an Oyster 56.

And I'd bet that in the past Harken were there more as a trade supplier with a "pop-up shop" stand for punters as a sideline- that they aren't going, like the big volume dinghy suppliers (who sell to beach clubs and training centres) and even yacht builders (who sell to flotilla operators) speaks volumes about both the industry and the show.

Rodney is spot on, trade shows are expensive. 

It is all about getting yer bang for yer buck. It takes us 100 working days and £40k to do LBS properly. So instead we are taking that resource and doing a whole load more yacht club talks, more cruising rallies, more open days, more event sponsorship. Basically spreading our marketing out over a much wider base in a more direct fashion. (Drop us a line if you have an idea that might fit with that concept.)

The problem all these Dinghy Industry types are missing by turning their marketing budget inwards to naval gaze, is the promotion that shows like the LBS give the activity to a wider audience. It was a huge mistake we made in the Windsurfing Industry pulling out.

So right now they all rely on holiday companies attracting punters to take up sailing polyethylene tubs which imv doesn't deliver what we all regard as the dinghy sailing performance, but better than nothing, however taken to it's conclusion, without the sport boat attendance very soon the whole show will close, then there will be nowhere for the holiday companies to peddle their wares.

If they had a structured market, which they don't then they could rely on other forms of promotion throughout the year to encourage new blood, so all that will happen will be the continued slow down, more club driven introduction of brainwashed sad people into Solo's and the like, so how does that help Harken in the greater scheme of things?

Harken as I recall aims at the top end performance market, not much of that going on anywhere else in the world, OK, the dinghy show will once again preach to the converted, but not many new faces there, hardly a premier showcase.

No, it'll be a shame to see the demise of the LBS, big mistake, don't these people ever get together and discuss the actual market they rely on and make sure certain things continue for the common good?

Edited by iGRF - 01 Dec 12 at 1:05pm

I dunno, but my 'sad Solo' is doing far more for Harken directly... quid pro quo, glad they're down to earth supoorting events i'm likely to attend and enjoy reading about, rather than up their arse with marketing hyperbole and dicking around at the LBS with non-customers.