MOVERS & SHAKERS BOLD MOVES improved the company ’ s internal system . Restructuring the organizational chart of all the business divisions for more efficiencies , he put in place numerous policies to hold employees accountable , remove duplicated or missed efforts , established roles and responsibilities along with divisional budgets and instituted new software programs to save time and resources .
After restructuring employees ’ roles , Frazier set upon refining the company ’ s culture . A new tagline — “ Lake Life Begins with Gage ” — was developed to solidify the company ’ s promise to its customers and tie all the business units under Gage Marine together as one .
Frazier continues to set goals not only for himself , but also for the company . “ Our daily goal is to continue exceeding our customers ' expectations . Our long-term goals are to continue growing each business unit through intelligent , strategic and well-executed initiatives that deliver positive results for the employees , customers and the Gage Marine Corporation . Our major goal is to be a $ 100 million company with multiple locations by 2029 ,” he says .
With his efforts extending outside of Gage Marine , Frazier also mentors the next generation of the boating industry workforce by participating in sponsoring Great Lakes Boat Building School students , hiring and promoting young adults to fill company positions and giving company managers all the resources they need to be great leaders .
“ The marine industry and your dealership are only as strong as the next generation of workers and leaders coming into the boating business ,” he says . “ We were constantly looking for marine technicians , and it was impacting our growth as we could not service the current customers and try to grow our customer base at the same time . We did some research and found the Great Lake Boat Building School .”
Frazier and his team decided to contact GLBBS , offering scholarships to incoming students , with the requirement they work for Gage Marine after graduation .
“ The relationship with GLBSS has been a tremendous success ,” he mentions . “ We have our fourth technician from GLBSS starting for us this fall and have another student attending GLBBS right now who will graduate next August . This partnership with GLBBS has contributed to our ability to grow and service our customers .”
THE NEW INCOMING PRESIDENT OF MARINE MARKETERS OF AMERICA
ALISDAIR MARTIN Founder and CEO , Alisdair Martin Consultancy
Throughout his years in the industry , Alisdair ’ s passion and drive has impacted a plethora of marine companies . And he won ’ t stop anytime soon .
For the last three years Alisdair has been the host of the Neptune Awards , recognizing excellence in Marine Industry Marketing . He assembles over 80 judges ( marketing VPs at major industry brands ) who collectively select the winners . He then hosts the awards ceremony at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show .
In addition to this , he conducts industry seminars / webinars and panels at boat shows and industry events , which always seem to garner attention . All his efforts are certainly paying off , as he was recently chosen as president-elect by board members of the Marine Marketers of America .
From his humble beginnings to his most recent ventures , Alisdair continues to innovate and push boundaries in the marine industry — making boating better and more accessible for everyone involved .
Alisdair was instrumental in modernizing the consumer journey to buy a boat , especially around boat shows . His first U . S . business invited boat builders to forego traditional advertising in favor of a modern , digital alternative that provided buyers with quick , convenient access to boat content and data .
“ 90 % of advertising is a brand getting in the way of something else the consumer wants to do . My business was built on the concept that if you give consumers access to the information that will help to shape their buying decision ( video , review , specs , prices , comparison , customization tools , etc .) you don ’ t need to get their way ,” says Martin .
Alisdair was a driving force in improving pricing transparency for boat buyers . While traditional practices in the boating industry involved keeping the prices hidden from prospective buyers until they engaged with a dealer , Alisdair tackled this issue head-on by engaging directly with hundreds of manufacturers . He promoted the broad , industrywide benefits of greater pricing transparency and
Alisdair Martin
succeeded in significantly changing the old policy , thus fostering a more inclusive and consumerfriendly environment .
Between 2020 and 2023 , as VP of Strategy at NMMA , Martin further developed this strategy through the creation of the Boat Finder tool . This initiative drove consumers to start their boat-buying journey online , broadening the appeal of boating to a wider audience , particularly first-time boaters .
“ If I ’ ve made any kind of mark in the industry , it ’ s with innovating and modernizing the consumer journey to spend money on boating ,’ notes Alisdair . “ Our industry tends to be a little innovation averse . When we bring our culture in-line with the expectations of modern consumers , we make boating far more accessible , and we combat attrition and churn .”
Alisdair has excelled in various roles , from solo start-ups to major corporate positions to seats across multiple industry boards . The launch of his new consultancy , Alisdair Martin Consultancy , and his new position as president-elect of the Marine Marketers of America , demonstrates his passion for driving the boating industry forward .
“ The goal of my agency is to work with the brands who are helping to combat some of the challenges that the marine industry is currently being confronted with , especially for newer boaters ,” says Alisdair . “ The brands we work with are all taking steps to make boating easier , more fun and more accessible . We harness modern , innovative strategies to help grow and drive our industry forward .”
www . boatingindustry . com october 2024
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