Fishing Q&A

Fly Fishing Poppers?

I manufacture Balsa Wood Fly fishing Poppers and Blanks. These are just as durable if not more than foam. Coast effective compared to foam and more enviornmentally sound than foam. I have sent letters, samples and e-mails to fishing companies, stores and dealers with no sucess in selling my product. Does anyone have any other advise on how to go obout marketing these?

Public Comments

1. Make a website. Than join a few forums or groups and send some out to the actual people who fish not the stores. Its the fisherman who want something more durable flies and once word of mouth goes around than stores may get a little more interested. Fly fisherman seem to be pretty tight knit groups of people & will talk and share with any other fly fisherman so if it works word should get out quick. p.s. I would like one just to try out to see how it works. If you want to sell one email me @ auto_pilot_101@yahoo.com
2. mr s has a good idea
3. I would say that the best way to get started marketing then, would be to GO to local tackle shops first & see if they would be intrested in letting you put in a display, to see if they will sell. in most cases, you have to start out in local markets
4. Have you considered a local fishing guide service......talk to him and give him some of your sample flies and poppers...all that you ask in return is that he take some pictures of the fish with your flies in the fishes mouth...one issue is that your flies need to catch fish(alot of guides will take pictures for advertising and the clients)..........thats a good way for word of mouth to pass on info.... another method would be to get a booth at a fishing show.... say...in the northeast US there is a fishing show in suffern ,NY it has easy access to New Jersey, not far from NYC, (ever consider that a stockbroker that wants to take up fly fishing/tying is not going to go to wal-mart and buy his mat'ls) Having a booth at a fishing show.....now you will need the pictures and some video's would be great.....you can sit there chat up clients and sit there with a fly tying vise working on your poppers..anyone truly interested, have a business card with a small popper stapled to it and give it away .....and you know what....also think about..... you will provide advertising for the guide service and that can only help both of you in the long run........ as far as video's get something on Youtube the SOONER the better, there are some fly tying videos on there now, just make sure you have a quality video...you know what they say about first impressions another trouble is say walk into LL Beans and look at their pretied flies(made somewhere sri lanka?) as far as e-mail's.....how many junk e-mails do you get every day?
5. The fishing market is one of the hardest businesses to get in and all of the big high end companies will either copy your idea or buy it off you so i would suggest taking them along to your local tackle shop and give them a few free samples once you have done this supply them however if the have a deadline for when they want them make sure you get them in for that time alternatives are making a website also advertise in your local paper
6. I agree with Roger W. The best way to get them out is to go to the store in person, show them the display, and introduce yourself. They buy from a person not e-mails or letters. Show off your products in person, you know it the best. Also, don't forget conveniene stores located near prime fishing waters, these guys are just looking for someone like you to get them in a high profit margin, fast selling, high quality display of flies. Good luck!