Boat Sales Lesson From Hollywood

In the late 1920s, there was a huge shift from silent films to movies with sound, aka “talkies”. Interestingly, many silent film stars didn’t pay much attention to the transition.

In fact, many older actors who had prospered in the silents failed to make the transition because they had a way of working — but that way of working slowly disappeared.

Many actors found the microphone was, in many ways, their enemy.

To both act and speak presented a new challenge. Some actors tried to transition but failed due to their undeveloped voices, while others outright refused to adapt and were confident with silent films.

But the actors didn’t decide their fate, rather, the public did.

As we now know, film-goers wanted movies with sound. And so the talkies KILLED the silents and ended many careers.

On the other hand, there were a few smart actors who realized this new opportunity and fully embraced the shift. These actors went on to amass fortunes and fame while the silent actors faded away and were forgotten.

It was the end of an era.

But it was the beginning of the next: The Hollywood Golden Years Era!

I love this analogy because I believe that we are experiencing the same type of massive transition in the boating industry today.

After following more and less the same traditional business model since the birth of the modern “pleasure boat” industry after the Second World War, the boating industry is undergoing a transition too — from the end of one era to the next.

Unfortunately, many (or most) marine sales professionals will follow in the footsteps of the old actors because they have a certain “way of working.” A way of working based on the old-school traditions of the boating industry.

I decided to write a report to to share with you exactly what is this new way of working and how to leverage this new opportunity.