Marketing a new Sailing Dinghy Brand

[chris.dymond]

Originally Posted by CT 249

The concept of a simple, cheap new design is great. But if you're not willing to "go into the can of worms" of what the perfect design is, then it may be hard to convince the fairly educated target market of many clubs.

In my experience in the sport (too many!) and industry (a decade or more), telling people how great your product is can cause a significant backlash. Turning up with a good product and showing how well it goes by simply getting out there and doing it seems to work much better.

For instance, I'd like to think of myself as pretty well educated in design, but I can't see the reasoning in the very slab sides, flat bottom and "delta" plan shape in a boat that is medium-speed in terms of dimensions. Talking to guys like Morrison, Bieker and Bethwaite and experience in NS14s, skiffs, MRs, N12s, boards etc shows that such things are inter-related to basic proportions and intents, and the Go is very out there in design for a boat of moderate proportions.

Either the vastly experienced pros who created boats like NS14s and 49ers and RS100s and Fevas and 800s and many Moths are drooling microcephalic idiots, OR your boat is aimed at something different - but in that case personally I'd like to be told how and why it is different. Or it's reasonable to think that something else is happening with the design.

Marketing wise I've always been impressed by J Boats, who use the David Ogilvy style of copywriting their ads (I know one of the Johnstones was in ads, I've forgotten if I ever knew if he was ex O&M or influenced by them) where they would explain in detail how and why their designs worked, rather than just using adjectives like "brilliant design". And they would show race results. For example, what is the Go's record in the open division of the Vic dinghy champs, and by how much did it beat Tasars, NS14s etc?

If it beat the comparable boats, we may be interested. If it's not aimed at doing so (which could be a very good thing IMHO, speed ain't everything by a long shot) then perhaps it would be good to indicate that, subtly, and therefore head off any criticism?

Our club (one of the biggest dinghy clubs around) has people who have podiumed in development class worlds in their own designs or others and done similar stuff, and they can speak in detailed design terms and knowing them, they would expect a radical design to be explained or backed up by results before they would be interested.

Personally I'm not sure in any way that windsurfer design is in advance of boat design. When the Windsurfer came out, it was given a yardstick about 2% slower than the Moth, and that covered everything from the open ocean in 25 knots to racing on a lake in a drifter. After 30 years or so, the Moth is still comparable in speed to a windsurfer around most courses but the Moth can finish when a FW board can't, so the extremes of boat design have actually advanced faster than the extreme of course-racing boards IMHO. Many of the advances claimed by boards (loaded battens, luff pockets, squaretops, etc) were done by dinghies years before.

Good on you for trying to create what looks like a boat aimed at the newcomers, and at a great price.

Thanks for your feed back, CT249
All I ment by not going in the design can of worms was to keep this topic on track.....asking the question what is the perfect sailing dinghy is a whole new
topic.
I have aimed my design at entry level sailors, hire, resorts training it can then
grow with there skill up to intermediate club racers.
A huge part of my design is about the look, stabilty and ease of operation.
My friends 4 year old can helm it,with dad onboard encouraging him.
I do the same with my two girls 7 and 11, I can see them turing into real lovers of sailing and the sea.To me thats what its all about.
I thought if a sailboat didnt look to complicated (ropes and pulleys everywhere) people might be invited to have ago.

[chris.dymond]

I would like to thank everyone for their feedback.
It looks like traveling around to sailing schools and doing demos is the path I will take
(I have already started on that)
Now all I need to do is to control the Melbourne weather ( which is about as crappy as it has ever been.) for a summer.

[PAR]

You build boats and appear to have done a fine job of it. Now it's time to hire a firm to do the same for the marketing end.

[Silver Raven]

Originally Posted by chris.dymond

I would like to thank everyone for their feedback.
It looks like traveling around to sailing schools and doing demos is the path I will take
(I have already started on that)
Now all I need to do is to control the Melbourne weather ( which is about as crappy as it has ever been.) for a summer.

G'day Chris. I'm sure everyone here wish you great success.

What does a SUPA dinghy of yours cost to purchase?

How much does one weigh?
What & hows's it made?
Can anyone buy one?

Good luck - with your project - you'll need more than 'good-luck' to fix Mlbrn weather. I did a 'C' class trials at Sorento some years bvack & got ice in my toes. Blinken cold. Ciao, james

[CutOnce]

Originally Posted by PAR

You build boats and appear to have done a fine job of it. Now it's time to hire a firm to do the same for the marketing end.

This may be the most insightful post yet. Square pegs for square holes.

This does not necessarily mean you have to find lots of money to hire the marketing expertise you obviously need. You don't have the time to develop these skills yourself. Your website is full of spelling and grammar errors that devalue your presentation.

The tough pill to swallow here is that you will have to give up either profit, equity or some of both if you try to proceed without further risking more of your own money or debt. For entrepreneurs, deciding to give up anything is a very hard decision.

Unsurprisingly, there are marketing experts out there who are willing to gamble on product concepts like yours - the trick is to find one willing to have a go at a cost you can afford. If you don't find one with the right skills, financing, connections and execution ability your very nice boat will unfortunately never reach critical mass.

It is very important to remember that investors/partners cost more every time you go to the well - the first money in is the cheapest to you. Each subsequent round in investment costs more, devalues your holdings more and reduces your control and return. So you are best to negotiate a good partnership with a marketing team that can get the job done, as opposed to accepting a low cost effort that will end in another trip to the well.

I'd do some hard research on who is already selling into this market right now. They may be unhappy with their current product lines - but may have a lock on the distribution channel. Getting an incumbent marketing channel is way cheaper than building one from scratch. Just have the defibrillator ready and attached to your chest when you hear what it will cost to play. Remember 5% profit of a thousand units is the same net as 50% profit on a hundred units all things being equal - BUT - if I had to choose I'd take the 5% option every time because reaching critical mass in terms of volume is way more important than per unit profitability. Sail boat classes live and die by reaching fleet status (or failing to do so). Strangely, most people will avoid superior new products and choose old inferior products because lots of others already have them. This weird flock-of-sheep phenomena is incredibly true in sailing.

This isn't an easy path you've chosen, but I think the world may be ready for a product that meets your proposed concepts. Good luck!

--
CutOnce

[gggGuest]

I fear the design is the easy bit... the best way to make a small fortune in boatbuilding remains to start with a large one. One thing I do know, because I've tried it, is that if you offer something new without the big promotion and backup, is that loads of people will tell you how wonderful it is and how much they want one, and then go and buy a Laser.

[Submarine Tom]

Press Releases, has anyone mentioned that yet.

Got to make 'em good though.

-Tom

[CutOnce]

Originally Posted by gggGuest

... the best way to make a small fortune in boatbuilding remains to start with a large one

Best quote I've seen in a long time.

Let's put it this way. Even established market leaders in the sailing industry introduce newer, better, easier, faster and cheaper boats regularly that fail in the marketplace. If Laser Performance in the UK, Vanguard in the US (now Laser Performance) and Bethwaites in Australia can introduce well designed, focused, high value new designs that fail in the marketplace. (i.e. Vanguard Vector, 59er, Laser 5000) it isn't as easy to succeed as many may think. This road is littered with lots of great boats that never made it - and many of them are far better boats than the ones they tried to knock off the top of the hill.

It isn't best design, and it isn't lowest price that sells boats. You are competing for disposable income, very limited recreation time and the most critical task ahead is to paint a picture that buyers want to be part of. People want instant fun, instant acceptance and the ability to see a future return on their recreation dollars. This generally means the instant society of fleet racing and friendly competition, resale value through mass appeal and a fun experience.

If you want to sell to the vacation fleet / daily rental / sailing school crowd - you better have a great story on indestructability, no maintenance, five year+ lifespan and room for two bodies on board. Singlehanders don't get bought because they don't put two or more butts on the water per unit purchased. One boat - one student is a recipe for financial ruin at schools.

Talk to your prospective purchasers and find out what they want to hear - and then start saying exactly that. If you have to argue with your purchasers about your product, you've already lost.

--
CutOnce

[CT 249]

Originally Posted by chris.dymond

Thanks for your feed back, CT249
All I ment by not going in the design can of worms was to keep this topic on track.....asking the question what is the perfect sailing dinghy is a whole new
topic.
I have aimed my design at entry level sailors, hire, resorts training it can then
grow with there skill up to intermediate club racers.
A huge part of my design is about the look, stabilty and ease of operation.
My friends 4 year old can helm it,with dad onboard encouraging him.
I do the same with my two girls 7 and 11, I can see them turing into real lovers of sailing and the sea.To me thats what its all about.
I thought if a sailboat didnt look to complicated (ropes and pulleys everywhere) people might be invited to have ago.

Thanks Chris. I think you're dead right about stability, ease of operation and uncluttered looks being important in enticing new sailors.

Statistically,the classes that have suffered the biggest drop in Oz since the "dinghy boom" tend to be the fast ones and the "entry level" boats, and the sport could do with some more modern "entry level" boats around.

Good luck!

[DCockey]

The Fusion 15 is a Canadian built dinghy with a similar mission which was Sailing World's Boat of the Year - Best Performance Dinghy in 2003. Designer was Steve Killing who is very well known in Canada.
http://www.fusionboats.com/
http://www.sailingworld.com/sailboat...y-for-all-ages
http://www.sailingmagazine.net/boat-test/440-fusion-15
http://www.harken.com/rigtips/fusion.php

Initial production following introduction in 2002 was 100 boats including two fleets at sailing schools. Then production and sales went dormant for a few years. Two years ago a new builder/marketer took over and started production again.
http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?...y&ntid=0&rid=4