Letting Your Marketing Fly: Selling Fly Fishing Gear Online

Posted on: 15 September 2018

Fly fishermen have one goal: to match the hatch. This expression means presenting an artificial fly that matches the insects fish are naturally feasting upon. If you're looking to sell fly fishing gear to these fishermen, you need to tailor your marketing strategies the same why that fly fishermen choose their flies.

Niche Market Platforms

An exclusivity permeates many fly fishing communities. Knowing the ins and outs of where to buy your gear, can be just as important as knowing where to fish.

  • Niche Platforms: partnering with local business and specialty online retailers can make your products available to fly fishermen. Although finding direct marketplaces like local fishing shops and regional fishing trade shows can be important, partnering with ancillary marketing partners can distinguish your brands from others. For instance, offering apparel selections at local hiking shops, running stores, and even gift shops can associate your fly fishing gear with the local outdoor enthusiasts.

Brand Ambassadors

Fly fishing is an immersive hobby. If you're looking to connect with the most devoted fly anglers, you need to reach them where they spend much of their time off the water: on the internet.

  • Vloggers: video bloggers ("vloggers") create niche content consumed by millions of people around the world. Fly fishing, like many other specialized hobbies, is a perfect subject for vlogging. Associating your brand and/or products with these vloggers is akin to having a famous sports celebrity endorse your products. Providing free gear to these vloggers or creating branding partnerships can be a strategic marketing maneuver. In addition to providing you with access to their audience, many vloggers are skilled videographers and editors, saving you the production costs associated with producing high quality video content. You can incentive the vlogger by giving them a cut of promotional sales associated with the products displayed in their videos.

Go Pro with Guides

Fly fishing, unlike major sports, lacks a professional sports league infrastructure. This does not mean, however, that there aren't professionals for you to sponsor.

  • Fly Fishing Guides: fly fishing guides are effectively professional fishermen. When they guide clients, often beginners, one of the things they are likely to focus on is appropriate fishing gear. Partnering with these fishing guides will allow their clients to test-drive your fishing products. Because most guided fishing trips are successful, these clients will "learn" the craft using your products. When it comes time to buying gear, they will likely remember the successful fishing trip they had using your products/brand.
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