The SportShows!!!

['CauseTheCaravanCan]

As most of you know our current employers or former employers from our better/greener/younger days are right in the middle of sport show season. I've recently left my bush flying job (I wrote that nice thank you letter that everyone recommeded by the way, mailing it when I get back to Canada). I've been thinking about buying a Lodge myself and, since I've noticed conversation drying up on the Bush Flying forum, this is what I want to know;

Are the sport shows a necessary endeavour in this Information Technology age? Or just a meeting place for the good old boys to wax nostalgic. I've heard people go the entire 4 days without booking one trip.

You be the judge.

I'll be at the FargoDome reppin' KITCHI ISLAND OUTPOSTS!!!

come book.

If I manage to sell one trip, I promised to buy my 8 new friends DINNER at Buffalo Wild Wings.

[flyinthebug]

Its hit and miss from our perspective. As you pointed out, with the current technology we have its quite easy to reach potential customers. We found for the first few years though that the shows were a good idea. We did sell alot at them, certainly worth while from a $$$ perspective. As good as technology is, nothing beats a handshake & deposit If you are starting up a lodge, see what the client list looks like and go from there. I always found the shows in Minnesota, Denver CO, and even the one in CYXE were positives. Those are targeted at the fishermen and thats who we cater to. Id say we sold over 200K at the shows over 4 years there, and some indirect sales as a result of Tom telling John etc. So well worth the effort. You`ll make good friends there and definately meet some new customers! Some of those yanks live and breath for their 4 day fishing trip to Canada. When you show up at those shows, you show your customer that they matter. Further, you show your customer your product and answer their questions face to face. That way, they feel at home when they step off the plane and see the same smiling face they saw at the show 4 months ago. Trust me, its all about customer service.

My 2 cents. Best of luck to you with the new Lodge if you decide to go forward with it.

Fly safe all.

[Doc]

What the 'bug said, plus from my limited involvement in lodge work, it seems to be almost all repeat business. With the down turn in the US economy, new customers will be few and far between. Sport shows help put a face to a name.

[sheephunter]

What the bug says is bang on as well I feel that being "new" you will want to get out and show your face and let people know who you are and that you are serious. I did the show circuit for more than 20 years and up to 12-14 shows a year, along with the ads in the back of the major magazines. This was before the "computers" came into age. For the past 10 years I have backed off on the shows due to the cost vs. bookings and have relied on my repeat business and word of mouth, actually to the point that I was just doing 1 or 2 shows and no other advertising but I still think it is a combination of everything you do especially in the beginning and right now as Doc says new business is hard to find. In fact, any business is hard to find even keeping your old clients that actually have money is quite a chore. I would bet that in business school you would be told to spend more on advertising and promotion when times are tough but I'm not sure how much you would spend when nothing really seems to be working? At some point you have to stop spending $5.00 to make $1.00 The good thing right now is the fact that communication is so good and quick. In the good old days you would get a hand written letter in the mail - get out your type writer and reply - they would then write back and mail another letter with more questions and finally give you a phone number - then you would make contact and go from there. The procedure could take a month.... Now this is done in minutes. In 30 years, last year was by far my toughest and this year is only slightly better. I am primarily hunting and priced high enough that it is not usually an impulse item. They may want to do it but still have to call the house of commons together (the wife) to see if it can be done whereas some of the lower priced trip is more impulse if they see what they like, have had just the righ amount of beers and the sun is shinning they just may open their wallet and if you are not the guy standing in front of them right then, you miss out. . Good luck