Over 160 brokers, salespeople and admins from more than 70 brokerages around Southern Florida came to the Fort Lauderdale YachtWorld University. This was our biggest event ever and gave us a great opportunity to get firsthand feedback regarding our new site redesign.

We began the day with attendee registration and a continental breakfast. Attendees were able to network with each other and get a chance to meet us in person. Jessica Muffett, Publisher Emeritus, began the presentation with a dynamic session covering Internet analytics and looking at YachtWorld through a buyer’s eyes. Following Jessica’s presentation, we took a short break before moving onto a Keynote presentation from our General Manager, Debra Keene Bergeron. Debra spoke extensively about the new YachtWorld.com Refit and reviewed some of the exciting developments we will be unveiling in 2008.

Next, I gave a short presentation on how brokers can increase traffic to their listings and by using the YachtWorld Professional Package and a lecture on taking better photos to build better listings. After breaking for lunch, Joe Lingerfelt, Customer Service Manager, gave an in depth review of BoatWizard and taught how to edit your listings to take full advantage of the new YachtWorld.com refit. Joe also answered several questions from the audience, addressing both technical and policy issues.
 
YachtWorld University is a great opportunity to get up to speed with the best practices of online marine marketing and learn new strategies to promote your listings across the Internet. Additionally, it is also a great opportunity to meet you in person and find out firsthand where we are excelling and when we are falling short. If you have never been to a YachtWorld University make sure to find time next year to attend one when we are in your area. If you have already attended a YachtWorld University in the past, make sure to find time to come in 2008 because we are constantly working to bring you the most upto date information about marketing your boats online.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Larry Rains
Product and Portal Evangelist