Boat Dealer Profits

What Boat Dealer Profits does

Boat Dealer Profits is a U.S.-based sales training, marketing strategy, and follow-up services firm founded in 2009 by Matt Sellhorst and headquartered in Lancaster, South Carolina. The firm serves independent boat dealerships, with its core offering centered on the proprietary SPLASH System, a sales and marketing methodology designed to improve lead conversion, customer follow-up, and dealership revenue performance. The firm's go-to-market relies on direct outreach, scheduled appointments, and event-driven demand generation through presentations at industry venues including the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo (MDCE), Marine Retail University, Sail America, and OEM dealer meetings, complemented by published works (Boat Dealer Profits, Marine Marketing Strategies) and a regular column in Boating Industry Magazine.

The business model is built on three revenue streams: (1) subscription-style coaching and consulting engagements, sold at a premium price point and described by the firm as 'not cheap'; (2) professional-services speaking fees at industry events, including international engagements such as the Hanse Yacht Dealer Meeting in Germany; and (3) one-time revenue from book sales, which function primarily as lead-generation tools rather than profit centers. There is no software platform, no recurring SaaS component, and no technology licensing. Customers are SMB marine dealerships across the United States, with testimonial evidence spanning names such as Bill's Marine Service, Gulf Coast Marine Center, and Race City Marine.

Operationally, the firm is a micro-consulting practice with 1-10 employees, founder-led, privately held, and without external funding, acquisitions, or institutional investors. The company has received industry recognition including the MDCE Best Idea award and a Movers and Shakers honor, and has been featured in Soundings Trade Only. Recent productization efforts include a Fast Track onboarding program layered on top of the core coaching engagement. The firm's competitive position is grounded in the founder's personal expertise, proprietary methodology, and accumulated content assets rather than in scale advantages or technology differentiation.

Name

Boat Dealer Profits

Legal name

Boat Dealer Profits

Website

https://boatdealerprofits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Boat Dealer Profits is a founder-led U.S. sales training and marketing consulting firm serving independent boat dealerships through its proprietary SPLASH System, complemented by published books and industry event speaking engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Dealership Sales Consulting

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222)

akta.pro primary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

Keywords

• Boat dealer consulting
• Marine sales training
• Dealership marketing services
• Sales coaching services
• Marine industry consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Coaching and Consulting Services: One-on-one coaching and consulting programs for boat dealership owners and manufacturers. Members receive ongoing guidance implementing the SPLASH System. Fees are described as 'not cheap' indicating premium pricing.
2. Speaking Engagements: Speaking fees for dealer meetings and MTA events. Requires 50% deposit to confirm, remaining 50% due before the event. Travel reimbursement at flat rate.
3. Book Sales: Free book distribution with customer paying only shipping and handling. Titles include 'Boat Dealer Profits: How the SPLASH System Can Help You Sell More Boats, Make More Money and Have More Fun' and 'Marine Marketing Strategies'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Boat Dealer Profits provides sales training, digital marketing strategy, and automated follow-up services tailored specifically for boat dealerships and marine retail businesses. The firm delivers its services through its proprietary SPLASH System methodology, one-on-one coaching, structured training programs (including the Fast Track Program), keynote speaking, and authored books. Customers are primarily boat dealers, boat manufacturers, and Marine Trade Associations (MTAs) seeking specialized help to grow boat sales.

Product overview

Boat Dealer Profits is a sales training and marketing strategy company led by founder Matt Sellhorst, offering a portfolio of services built around the proprietary SPLASH System. The core offerings include practical boat sales training, proven digital marketing strategy (both paid and organic), 24/7 Boat Selling Machine Follow-Up System, and coaching and consulting services. Additional offerings include key note speaking at dealer events, two authored books (Boat Dealer Profits and Marine Marketing Strategies), and the Fast Track Program. The SPLASH System serves as the unifying methodology across all products, providing a framework for client lifetime value, marketing strategies, and dealership profitability. The company operates as a traditional consulting and training firm rather than a technology platform, with services delivered through direct engagement, speaking engagements, and educational materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPLASH System A proprietary sales and marketing methodology and framework designed specifically for boat dealerships and marine retail businesses, structuring how dealers attract, sell to, and follow up with boat buyers.
• Sales Training
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• 24/7 Boat Selling Machine Follow-Up System
• Coaching and Consulting
• Fast Track Program
• Strategy Session
• Key Note Speaking
• Books ("Boat Dealer Profits" and "Marine Marketing Strategies")

Quantifiable outcome

• Increase in listings reported by Marine Concepts after implementing Fast Track program

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sandler Training: Sandler is a global sales training franchise used across many industries. Broad incumbent: provides a comparable sales-training methodology at scale and represents the 'generic' alternative a marine dealer might choose before selecting a vertical specialist.
• HubSpot: HubSpot is a leading CRM, marketing automation, and sales enablement platform used by dealers and SMBs. Broad incumbent: competes at the tooling layer that underpins parts of Boat Dealer Profits' digital marketing and follow-up system offerings.
• IMPACT: IMPACT is a digital sales and marketing training and agency firm. Broad incumbent: overlaps on the digital marketing strategy and coaching product, though without marine vertical specialization.
• Cox Automotive / DealerSocket: Cox Automotive is the largest provider of dealer technology, marketing, and CRM services across multiple verticals. Broad incumbent: competes indirectly by offering digital marketing, CRM, and sales enablement tooling that overlaps with Boat Dealer Profits' marketing-strategy and follow-up offerings, but at massive scale and across all dealer categories.

Others

• Boats Group: Boats Group operates YachtWorld, boats.com, and Boat Trader — the dominant digital marketing platforms for boat listings. Others/adjacent: not a direct sales training competitor, but a complementary channel that could either partner with or compete against Boat Dealer Profits' digital marketing services.
• Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA): MRAA is the principal marine dealer industry association and runs Marine Dealer Conference & Expo (MDCE). Others/ecosystem: not a competing consultancy, but an existing partner/host platform that books Matt as a speaker — a critical go-to-market channel rather than a competitor.
• ARI Network Services (Solera Dealer Solutions): ARI provides dealer websites, CRM, and digital marketing software for marine, RV, and powersports dealers. Others/adjacent: SaaS competitor to the digital marketing portion of Boat Dealer Profits' offering, and a potential technology partner for the SPLASH follow-up system.

Direct peers

• Spader Business Management: Spader provides 20 Group management training and consulting primarily to RV and marine dealers. Direct peer: overlapping dealer vertical, overlapping consulting/coaching product, and similar SMB dealership customer profile.
• NCM Associates: NCM Associates runs 20 Groups and dealer management training, historically automotive but extending into marine and powersports. Direct peer: same peer-group coaching product and overlapping dealer-management buyer.
• Dealer Performance Group (Mike Marks): Mike Marks runs a long-standing marine dealership consulting and 20 Group facilitation practice. Direct peer: same target customer (boat dealers and GMs), same product category (sales/marketing coaching and peer-group benchmarking), and comparable founder-led delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mattsellhorst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boat Dealer Profits