Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2020 @ 1 pm Eastern
This week on the show I’m sharing a couple of examples of how I’ve personally experienced the power of both Facebook Groups and YouTube to discover something new. While these may not seem like “rocket science” I’m hoping they serve as a reminder for you the next time you need help or have a problem to solve.
Facebook Groups - Winnebago View Owners
We’ve been the proud owners of a 2014 24J since buying it at a campaign show in Florida several years ago. The thought of taking an RV on the road with the bikes to an event was always something that I wanted to do… and now that’s a reality. However, I’m not the most mechanically inclined person (at all).
I was in getting an oil change early last year when someone I met suggested I check out the Facebook group for Winnebago View owners. Everyone was super friendly, helpful and welcoming to me as an owner not really knowing what I was doing. Recently, I posed a question about a missing hubcap and within a few minutes, someone from Seattle had reached out who had a spare one he didn’t need and a deal was made! Not only was it less expensive than bing it from an online store, but it was from the same group that has answered countless other questions I’ve had. It felt good to give back and support the group and one of my favorite parts is that we all share a common bond - and love - that of the Winnebago Class C motor home.
If your business is thinking of creating a group to bring like-minded people together, it’s an excellent way to build loyalty and answer questions. As with many social sites these days, it’s all about building conversation and connecting people - which is why I love this group.
YouTube + Video = Boat Mechanic
Did I mention that I’m not that mechanically inclined (see above). Recently on our pontoon, the engine started to overheat and make that tell-tale buzzer sound before it shuts itself off to protect internal components from getting ruined. The neighbor noticed that water was not spitting out of the engine, which is how it cools itself, and therefore suggested the “impeller” was in need of repair.
That precipitated a call to the local repair shop, who informed me it would be at least two weeks to look at it, plus who knows how much longer once they diagnosed the problem. I decided to do a little investigation (since I really had nothing to lose) and headed over to YouTube to search for “Yamaha 90 HP impeller replacement”. Not surprisingly, there were several videos showing the process, all of which were less than 15 minutes. I watched a few, and surprisingly didn’t seem that difficult so I decided to give it a shot.
Long story short, it was a good afternoon. The same repair shop had an impeller in stock (for less than $40) and after a few hours of my time, I not only had the bottom part of the engine off, but the old impeller out and the new one in its place. We were on the water by “cocktail hour” and enjoyed an evening cruise just like nothing was ever wrong.
The moral to the story, or stories, as it were? Whether it’s real people who are part of a group you can get help from or recorded videos on YouTube (with a little bit of searching), the Internet has the ability to help make you smarter (and, you likely will save a little money along the way).
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