The marine trades industry is a vast and diverse field, encompassing everything from boat building and repair to marine engineering and navigation. But how does one get started in this lucrative and rewarding field? We’ll explore the key principles of building a successful career in the marine trades, with a special focus on trust, value, and customer relationships.

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Understand the Importance of Trust and Relationship Building

To all my customers, they know me; they’ve known me for years. Some have known me for seven, eight, ten years. This level of trust doesn’t come overnight. It’s built over time, through consistent quality work and genuine interactions.

In the marine trades, trust is paramount. Boat owners and marine businesses need to know that the professionals they hire are reliable, skilled, and have their best interests at heart. By building strong relationships with clients and delivering exceptional service, marine professionals can ensure repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.

“I’ve got this problem, and it’s worth x amount of dollars to make it go away.”

Deliver Exceptional Value

Take for example the service business who kept his prices low during the recession, offering customers an unbeatable value for their money. This strategy led to customers talking about his services, leading to more referrals and a growing client base.

In the marine trades, delivering value means offering top-notch services at competitive prices. Whether it’s boat repair, marine engineering, or navigation services, professionals should aim to exceed client expectations every time.

“Oh my god, I got so much value out of the dollars that I gave this guy to work on my boat.”

Adapt and Learn

The journey to success is rarely a straight path. There is always a long growth process and learning through trial and error.

Marine professionals must be willing to adapt to changing market conditions, learn from their mistakes, and continuously improve their skills. The marine industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and techniques emerging regularly. Staying updated and being open to learning is crucial.

“It was a long, long growth process. A lot of learning by trial and error.”

Utilize Resources and Community Knowledge

Tap into community knowledge, there is value in comments and shared experiences. This collective wisdom can offer insights into various aspects of the business, from obtaining licenses to understanding market dynamics.

For marine professionals, joining marine trade associations, attending workshops, and participating in online forums can provide invaluable insights. Engaging with peers and industry veterans can offer guidance, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration.

“Those comments are worth so much. The time that people took to type out their experience… you can’t get that anywhere.”

Stay True to Your Craft

To succeed you need authenticity and passion. In the marine trades, professionals should be passionate about their work, whether it’s crafting a beautiful boat, ensuring its safe navigation, or repairing marine equipment. This passion, combined with skill and dedication, will undoubtedly lead to success.

“I do manual labor to make people’s problems go away.”

Starting in the skilled marine trades requires more than just technical expertise. Building trust, delivering value, continuously learning, tapping into community knowledge, and staying true to one’s craft are essential ingredients for success. With dedication and the right approach, anyone can build a thriving career in their chosen field.

Merrill Charette

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