News flash… Most of your clients are looking to have a fun, memorable day on the water. Catching fish is a bonus.
Don’t get me wrong, putting your clients on a lot of fish will not hurt your endeavors to become a very successful fishing guide. But, if you follow these ten tips, you could create repeat clients without ever having to even boat one fish.
Top 10 ways to create repeat clients without ever having to catch a single fish.
#1. Show genuine interest in your clinets. Dale Carnegie said that the #1 person that every single person on the planet is interested in, is themselves. Show genuine interest in them and they will love you forever.
#2. Exhibit Biblical “fruits of the Spirit”. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Offer those qualities to your clients and see what happens.
#3. Be early. Not on time. Early.
#4. Listen to, and meet, their wants. Try to catch what they want to catch, see what they want to see, do what they want to do. Even if it’s not something you’re interested in. I had a client once that only wanted to fish for an hour. Then he wanted me to take his family to the beach for 5 hours. Know what I did? I swam with them at the beach for 5 hours! It was in the peak of tarpon season and we could have been catching 100lb fish! But, I swam with them and then got one of the biggest tips I ever got.
#5. Be presentable and professional. You don’t have to look like you are posing for a Columbia catalog photo shoot or anything, but, don’t show up looking like as a homeless wino. Don’t smell like one either.
#6. Be grateful and thankful. Remind them at some point during the day that you are truly grateful for their business.
#7. Work hard. Don’t sit at one spot for 2 hours without catching anything. You know fishing. You know how to catch fish. If it isn’t happening, it isn’t happening. Move.
#8. Don’t assume the worst about anyone. Some of my best clients seemed like total jerks on the phone. All I had to do was be patient with them, be interested in them, and work hard for them. Some of them turned out to be incredible people and great clients.
#9. Don’t compromise when it comes to your business. You are worth what you are worth. Giving discounts to get charters will not create a great charter business. Be proud of your great service and charge accordingly. Great clients will respect that.
#10. Treat everyone how you would wish to be treated. All of the other 9 things I’ve listed here can be wrapped into this one rule. Treat clients with respect, honestly, fairly, with a joyful spirit, great work ethic, and take pride in what you do.
If you do these things… you may not have to catch a single fish to be successful in your guide business. But… catching a few fish wouldn’t hurt. 😉