(0:56) Any US east coast cruiser who has traveled the ICW knows Coinjock Marina. It lies to the north of the Albermarle Sound and south of the Chesapeake Bay. I wouldn't describe it as luxurious but it serves it's purpose very well. They average over 4 stars with well over 100 reviews.(0:48) Coinjock Marina knows exactly where they fit in the cruising experience. Louis Davis, owner of Coinjock Marina, can precisely describe who his perfect customer is. And just as important, he can describe who isn't their customer. Having that knowledge allows him to focus his resources on meeting the needs of his target customer and not wasting those resources on features that are irrelevant.
(0:38) Louis' skills are why you will typically find his dock packed during transient season with boats even rafted together to accommodate the overflow. It is why his marina consistently rates highly in ActiveCaptain reviews even though there is no pool, no spa, and it is in the middle of nowhere.
(0:30) With sincere respect, I call Coinjock Marina the Red Roof Inn of the ICW. It is that spot along the way where you can conveniently pull in for the night, fuel up if needed, have dinner at the onsite restaurant, get a good night's sleep, and be on your way in the morning. And it is executed to near perfection.
(0:23) Are you able to define your perfect customer with the same precision? If not then you have some important work to do.
(0:18) Think about the characteristics of your perfect boater. The one who can't help but stop at your marina. What kind of boat? What size? What experience level? How long is the typical stay? Do they provision, want repairs, etc? What time of year? It is just as helpful to define who is not your target boat.
(0:10) Every one of us has things we do well and things that we don't do well. Knowing where you shine lets you know where to spend resources and where to conserve. And most importantly, being able to set and satisfy boater expectations will lead to more positive reviews which means more business for you.
(0:02) And that's the marina minute.
