Every marina is different and each property has its own needs. Even still, there are best practices marina managers can follow to ensure smooth sailing.
Bonfire has proudly supported many of these managers as they’ve tried new tactics, attracted new customers, and even discovered new niches. Through that work, we’ve discovered what one might call a north star: eight of them, to be exact.
Here are eight essential marina management tips to help you and your business achieve even greater success.
1. Keep Your Website Updated
Consider this: You wouldn’t let your boats or any of your other equipment fall into disarray or disrepair, just as you wouldn’t let your inventory fall out of step with what your customers covet. You should treat your website the same way: Keep it up-to-date with the latest details and capabilities customers expect. This isn’t just a best practice; it’s a necessity. After all, camping and boating are gaining traction among younger adventurers accustomed to ease-of-use with their tech. To keep your current and future boaters happy, you’ll want a website that is easy to navigate and contains all the latest info about the experiences you offer.
2. Create a Thorough Safety Policy
Even before the increase in popularity of boating, marina safety was paramount to any and every operation. But now that boaters are getting younger and, in some ways, less experienced, it’s vital for you to write (and regularly update) a comprehensive safety policy for your marina. Include the items and materials people are allowed – and not allowed – to have in your marina, and make sure your fire safety measures are up to code with local regulations. Likewise, it’s important to enforce your safety policy fairly and across the board, without playing favorites to longtime customers. Boaters want to do business with people they trust, and if they believe (wrongfully or not) that your policies are unfair, they may decide to take their business elsewhere.
3. Find Your “Edge”, then Market It
You have an edge; you just might not know it yet. Maybe it’s your customer service. Maybe it’s the quality of your inventory or the local beauty that your marina only enhances. Whatever your specific edge may be, it’s vital to pinpoint exactly what it is – then tell your future customers about it. We have a whole blog dedicated to increasing your revenue, and since marketing is a major component of that blog, we won’t rehash the details here. But we can’t say it enough: If people don’t know what makes your marina distinctive, they’ll likely move on to another one. After you and your crew determine your edge, try out some tried-and-true marketing and advertising techniques to spread the good news. That’s how you’ll cut through the noise and, best of all, increase your profits.
4. Surround Yourself With Good People – Then Work to Keep Them
One of the timeless keys to success is retaining good people: hard workers you can rely on in a pinch. As much as you may want to, it’s simply impossible to do it all yourself. So, instead of stretching yourself thin and working unbearable hours day in and day out, hire competent teammates and dedicate time each week to checking in on them and improving as a manager. When you work hard to create an environment people enjoy, you’ll save yourself more hard work in the long run.
5. Keep Track of the Small Stuff (But Don’t Sweat it)
If you have a fuel dock, fuel levels are just one example of the small yet consequential things you and your team will do well to keep an eye on. That said, the Bonfire team knows how much you have on your plate. We don’t want you to obsess over the minutiae of each day, because that’s how managers get burned out. Heck, that’s why we do what we do: To help you avoid burnout and achieve the success you desire. That’s why we recommend you consider starting a system: Organize a set day and time on which you check fuel levels, then stick to the pattern. Soon enough, it’ll become so automatic that you won’t even stress about it.
6. Develop an In-Depth Understanding of Your Area
For many marinas, a major part of their appeal is the surrounding area. Boaters love killing two birds with one stone, so they’ll pick a marina close to a spot they love. That’s why it’s vital for you to know the nooks and crannies around you. You want to have an answer ready when a boater asks, “What’s the best place to eat around here?” or “Where do you recommend staying?” That knowledge will enhance their experience, of course, and establish you as the kind of manager they can trust beyond boating. Most importantly, you’ll learn more about the local business in your town, and determine who you may want to partner with. These mutually beneficial partnerships (explained further in our recent marina blog) can help drive more people – and revenue – to your marina.
7. Go Green
This may be a little inside-baseball, but it’s important. Paint strippers and other cleaning agents can be filled with chemicals that are dangerous to you, your team, and the water around you, and if so, they must be used – and disposed of – with the utmost care of precision. However, there’s an easier way. Plenty of products on the market no longer contain dangerous ingredients, which means they’re better for both you and the environment. We recommend giving yourself one less thing to worry about by opting for safer, greener products.
8. Find a Management Software That Works for You
Most of the tips on this list have a theme in common: simplicity. You already have too much on your plate, and we want to help you make your operation even more streamlined, efficient and successful. That’s why we want to put forth a final recommendation: Find a management platform that makes your job easier. Selecting the right software is similar to hiring the right people; it makes your life easier in practically every regard. Perhaps most importantly, it helps you manage a lot of small things that, when left unattended, can actually be pretty big deals.
If you want to know more about Bonfire's easy-to-use, all-in-one marina management and reservation software, please reach out to us at howdy@letsbonfire.com.
