Marketing for Argo and Max

[boncrshr]

I have been wondering with more and more of us showing up at these ATV rides, if Max and Argo will experience an increase in sales?

Also, if I was Max, I would build a big, bad Max with lots of stickers and take it to EVERY mudding event........

Unrelated marketing story: In 2002 or so, we had a flood in Houston that was of biblical proportions. Some areas got 30" of rain in 24 hours! There were people driving jet skis down the freeways! Anyways, on the local news they were showing a guy in a Max II helping people get out of their flooded cars and houses, they spent at least 3-4 minutes talking with this guy about the capabilities of the Max. I think a little more exposure would go a long way.

[chrisivins]

Ill be the first to volunteer. Let RI know I will gladly accept a new Max 4 and would love their sponsorship.. Ill take it to every event and show the world what a wonderfull machine it is!!

[jerrynuss]

That is related to the problem, everyone wants one for free. A coworker asked me to price one out for him. He helps me work on my house and I priced him one at dealer cost. He got all offended and said I was trying to get rich off him. He followed up with I can get a new 4 wheeler for under $1000. He is right he can get a Chinese made 2 wheel drive atv for that around where I live.

The benefits need to be promoted. It is not what it is, but what it can do.

[artist1018]

I have mentioned this idea B4 but, here goes again!
Contact your local fire & police depts., including city, county, state authorities & invite them 2 ride with U!! I have and, the response is Great!!
I am on ALL of their Call Lists for emergency needs. I am Ex-Navy Search & Rescue but, that just means I've had training. I wish I would have had an Argo or Max in the USN!! Anyway, some of the footage we filmed was sent to 3 local news stations. As of yet, still no TV coverage?!? I didn't do it for that reason anyway. But, the first time any of them call me, I hope 2 C some coverage on the news to help promote our machines & just how much they are capable of!!!

[mudbug3]

That is related to the problem, everyone wants one for free. A coworker asked me to price one out for him. He helps me work on my house and I priced him one at dealer cost. He got all offended and said I was trying to get rich off him. He followed up with I can get a new 4 wheeler for under $1000. He is right he can get a Chinese made 2 wheel drive atv for that around where I live.

The benefits need to be promoted. It is not what it is, but what it can do.

Jerrynuss ,

I went riding about 3 weeks ago , and as I was driving out of a swampy bayou , down a muddy jeep road , I saw three people watching me from a bridge . I then decided to put on a show for them , and proceeded to drive my Max IV into the middle of a narrow river . As they all watched me , and saw me do a 180 degree turn , and then drive out of the river , I laughed to myself , because I knew this would really get their attention . After I had driven out of the river , and was loading my Max IV onto the trailor , they all came up to me and started asking questions . One of them asked me how much a machine like this cost . When I told him ,,that was the end of the questions concerning my Max . Its either the slowness of an amphibious machine , that turns most people off , or the price of entry of owning an amphib .

[boncrshr]

That is related to the problem, everyone wants one for free. A coworker asked me to price one out for him. He helps me work on my house and I priced him one at dealer cost. He got all offended and said I was trying to get rich off him. He followed up with I can get a new 4 wheeler for under $1000. He is right he can get a Chinese made 2 wheel drive atv for that around where I live.

The benefits need to be promoted. It is not what it is, but what it can do.

Oh I absolutely agree...as I hunt with a lot of guys like that. But at the mud rides, there are so many high dollar quads there. That market doesn't mind spending the bucks if the performance is there....

Your average Joes won't though...but they won't buy the new 750 EFI Polaris either. One of my hunting partners bought one of those cheap ATV's and took it into the salt marsh, that thing would barely get out of it's own way. Meantime, I was towing a trailer with all of the gear, my dog, and 2 other hunters.

[chrisivins]

Lighten up Jerry, it was a freaking joke...

[MaxRules]

That is related to the problem, everyone wants one for free.

Haha Jerry, That is funny and more true than one might think. It's a fact that nearly everyone thinks a Max or Argo is "cool". I hear that every time I ride a Max or take a few to a sports show. That's great but those people aren't willing to pay even a fraction of the actual cost for it. Amphibs are a specialty vehicle that only suits a small group of people (that's good and bad for us at the same time). A combination of a bad economy and heavy competetion from the utility ATV market is putting our amphibious vehicles down hard. I am now putting my selling efforts toward used amphibs as the new vehicle sales are close to non-existant. Used vehicles, in good condition, are nearly the same as the brand new ones and they're a fraction of the cost - the price more people are willing to pay.

[jerrynuss]

Brandon, I've done the same thing. I was always getting asked for used ones so I started picking them up and being very picky on what I get. Lately I've been getting asked if I have any junk machines or ones a person can fix up.

A lot of people want to trade...and what they want to trade isn't anything I want. The best one so far is a guy wanting to trade goats.

[hdble]

Hey take the goats, sell the milk,milk and gas are almost the same price
Guess some people want to trade anything for an aatv, except money of course.

[Robio_8x8]

You guys are right

The price tag makes every one say ,oh it is that much?

Now I got mine used for good prices but I am not as rich as some that claim that the price is to high. The funny thing is I see people dragging there snowmobiles , ATVs , boats and jet skies to the cottage and think they could replace three out of four with a Argo or Max with tracks . The AATVS will hold more people too then a snowmobile or ATV .

A Good sled new is around $6000 a good Quad is around $6000 and a small row boat without motor is at least $1000new . Now only the row boat will fit more then 1 maybe 2 people .The AATVs are good value if you look at it that way but try telling the wife you are spending over $12 000 . This close to or over 10k amount even gives people with deep pockets thinking twice.

I know I a preaching to the converted on this message board but I think that the AATVs are great value and replace having a number of seasonal vehicles that just site around for half a year doing nothing . When I get tracks I am getting ride of my snowmobile because I hate the wide turning ratios the lack of storage for cargo in a snowmobile. Ya a snowmobile is fast, ridiculously fast! But speed is nothing without control .

[hdble]

It's funny, I came back to this sport to stop spending so much money.
I've got about $50,000 in my jeep,and probably about 30 in my Barracuda, and I've lost interest in racing. so $12,000 seems high but maybe not so high, I think you're right if people would just think about what they are getting for that money, and how long it will last with a little care.

[boncrshr]

Hey take the goats, sell the milk,milk and gas are almost the same price
Guess some people want to trade anything for an aatv, except money of course.

Hehehe...that's no lie. Kroger had 2 gallons/6.00 yesterday, 2 gallons of milk and a big ol' tub of peanut butter...I felt rich!

I think that Max and Argo just need to forget about ever appealing to the average Joes...unless they come out with some different models...that's an idea BTW, downsize the motors and have a cheap, reliable machine that is point A to B transportation...like a Geo.

IMO, I feel that amphibs are making a comeback among hardcore off-roaders...ever so slightly. With the majority of those shying away from quads going towards utility ATV's like the Ranger. The hardcore people will spend the money for the best machine, we just need to educate them.....

[jerrynuss]

I think Recreatives could sell a lot of turnkey minus machines. Sell them without engines and let the buyer put in what they want.

[mudbug3]

jerrynuss ,

I agree with you on this . I have thought about buying an upper and lower body for a Max IV , already pop riveted together from Recreatives , a frame for it , gas tank , throttle , headlights ,and then use the Max IV that I have now , for a pattern to make every thing else I need , to complete my build . Have some one like Whipper make the axles I need . Frabricating seats, steering sticks , reverse and foward sticks , shift linkage , drain plugs ,and a motor mount , should not be too hard . Yes , it would be very time comsuming , but , just think of the money you could save by making most of the parts youself .