Manitou Pontoon Boats, a leading builder of quality pontoon boats, endorses Marine Web Services (MWS) as a web site provider for its dealers in the United States.

“I am happy that MWS has been recognized by Manitou as an approved web site provider for their dealer network. MWS looks forward to the opportunity to work with Manitou and provide their dealers with unsurpassed web site solutions and service,” said Craig Cervenka, OEM Relationship Manager for Marine Web Services.

“Manitou is pleased to partner with Marine Web Services,” said Greg VanWagenen, Director of Marketing and Communications for Manitou. “This partnership will allow our dealers to tap into the infrastructure MWS offers, allowing them to bridge their brick and mortar sales efforts to the internet.”

About Marine Web Services:
Marine Web Services, a division of Dominion Enterprises, offers industry-leading dealer web site solutions designed to assist dealers with lead generation, lead management, e-commerce, sales, search engine optimization and more. The MWS dealer web site solution is cost effective, easily implemented and maintained, and allows dealers to enhance their dealership’s visibility and profitability. For more information, visit www.marinewebservices.com or call Dave Valentine at (877) 246-7915 ext. 124.

About Manitou Pontoon Boats:
Manitou Pontoon Boats is a 20-year-old, family owned and operated, builder of quality pontoon boats. The company is located in Lansing, MI. The builder produces 6 lines of pontoon models in a variety of cruising and fishing layouts, available in a twin-tube and a patent pending V-Toon® hull. Manitou is at the high end of the pontoon market in terms of product quality and dealer sales and service delivery. For more information, visit www.manitouboats.com.

April 28, 2009
Marine Web Services Offers BoatTEST.com Videos

Marine Web Services (MWS), an industry-leading marine dealer web site solutions provider, announced today that it has partnered with BoatTEST.com, the leading producer of third party tests and reviews of new boats and engines. This will allow MWS dealers to display video reviews specific to their new showroom inventory directly on their web sites.

“Marine Web Services is excited to offer its dealers yet another tool to drive sales,” said Peg Kiedinger, General Manager for Marine Web Services. “The BoatTEST.com videos are professional and insightful and provide consumers a quick and easy way to get the details needed to make informed buying decisions.”

Initially, BoatTEST.com will make available to MWS approximately 1,000 boat reviews from its ever-expanding video library. The videos are designed to provide the user with more information about the boat from a third party point of view, including video footage of the boat's interior and action shots, all while listening to a professional marine expert explain the boat's features.

"Partnering with Marine Web Services to support the dealer base was a natural evolution for us. Dealers tell us that our 'content is the best sales tool they have,' and to partner with MWS to provide a more complete web site package helps everyone," said Chris Hughes, Chief Operating Officer at BoatTEST.com.

Consumers visiting an MWS dealer site that features BoatTEST.com videos will be able to search by brand, model year and keyword. In addition, consumers will be able to access a library of videos specific to categories and brands offered by the dealer. As new videos become available, they will be automatically added to the dealer’s library. While watching a boat review, consumers are able to click a button to request a quote, or view any related videos.

About Marine Web Services:
Marine Web Services, a division of Dominion Enterprises, provides industry-leading dealer web site solutions and services that increase a dealership's visibility and profitability. For more information, visit www.marinewebservices.com or call Dave Valentine at (877) 246-7915 ext. 124.

About BoatTEST.com:
BoatTEST.com LLC is the world's largest provider of third party video tests and reviews of new boats and engines as well as two of the most widely read opt-in marine newsletters. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, BoatTEST is expert in the development and distribution of influential third party video content globally. They work with their clients to create validating and informative messaging through video and print; then leverage this content globally through an integrated program that delivers direct impact and connection with boaters. For more information about BoatTEST, call 1-203-323-9900 or visit www.boattest.com.

From Soundings Trade Only...

Helping To Put Your Products in Front of Potential Customers 24/7/365

In today’s challenging economic environment, marine dealers need effective marketing tools to help them reach out from the clutter to prospective customers who are ready to take action. In addition to leveraging the marine industry’s vast array of publications, it is imperative for dealers to utilize the power and reach offered by the Internet as well.
Consider that:

• 69 percent of consumers research product features online, and
• 58 percent locate items online before purchasing at a store, according to Accenture.
• Online sales are predicted to increase by 32 percent in 2008 and 63 percent in 2010, Powersports Business reports.

“Marine Web Services (MWS) helps round out your entire sales and marketing strategy. As consumers seek more information online, your business needs to be visible and accessible. MWS provides you with a fully developed Web presence that lets you reach out to as many consumers as possible,” said Peg Kiedinger, the company’s general manager.

In Today's Market, Dealers Need A Strong Web Presence

A strong Web presence is one of the most cost-effective marketing programs a marine dealer can have, especially in today's market. The focus should be on getting inventory in front of as many consumers as possible in the most efficient way, and a strong Web solution that does just that.

A Web site from MWS can be used to sell to customers at any hour, any day, any place. Whether potential customers are late-night shopping at home or lunchtime shopping at work, you have the ability to reach out to those who may not take the time to physically stop at your store.

“A visitor to your Web site is just like the customer who walks through your dealership’s doors,” Kiedinger says. “You need to engage them, get them to say ‘yes’ to your products and services, and most importantly, turn them into loyal, repeat customers. Features like MWS’s Online IM/Chat allow you to make an instant connection and increase your chances of completing a sale.”

Dealers who partner with Marine Web Services get superior Web site solutions that are the result of experience in both the marine and technology industries. MWS also offers exclusive special features, including e-commerce functionality that allows sales to be made 24/7/365; Search Engine Optimization to help dealers increase their site ranking on major search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN; and Data Distribution which allows inventory listings to be sent to online classified sites such as BoatTrader, Boats.com, Google Base, Oodle and more.

“I run three unique divisions of my business and MWS allows me to run them all under one umbrella of service,” said Joe Campisano of Campisano Marine in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. “The site is easy to navigate for my clients and it has generated a ton of responses. It allows me to offer more information to my clients on all of my products – including products most of them didn’t even know we offered. My MWS site has been the tool to help me expand my business the way I planned.”