FEATURE Marketing NEW YEAR, NEW MARKETING STRATEGY Keeping your customers makes perfect sense. After all, it’s far easier to retain existing buyers than spend time and resource on finding new ones. So how does customer retention work? Media expert John Hunter has some answers. Creating a marketing strategy the coming year will undoubtedly require a combination of traditional and digital marketing efforts to attract and retain customers. Here are some ideas to help you get started… SET CLEAR GOALS: Define your specific marketing goals. Are you looking to increase sales, expand your customer base, launch new products, or improve brand awareness? Having clear goals will guide your strategy. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: Understand your target audience. Are they professional anglers, beginners, casual fishing enthusiasts or visitors from out of town? What are their preferences, demographics and behaviours? COMPETITOR ANALYSIS: Identify what your competitors are doing well and where you can differentiate yourself. Look for gaps in the market that you can exploit. NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES: If you have new tackle hitting your shelves, plan a launch campaign. Tease the products through social media and e-mail marketing before the release. SEASONAL PROMOTIONS: Take advantage of the seasons when fishing is most popular. Offer promotions and discounts on relevant products. For example, winter may be a good time to promote ice fishing gear. CONTENT MARKETING: Create informative and engaging content. This can include how-to guides, videos, blog posts and social media updates. Share tips, tricks and stories 42 www.tackletradeworld.com to engage your audience. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with your audience. Share photos, videos and posts related to fishing, and engage with your followers. E-MAIL MARKETING: Build an e-mail list of customers and potential customers. Send out regular newsletters with product updates, fishing tips and exclusive offers. Remember to get their permission. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION (SEO): Optimise your website for search engines so that potential customers can find you easily. Focus on fishing-related keywords and phrases. PAY-PER-CLICK ADVERTISING (PPC): Run targeted PPC campaigns, especially on Google Ads, to drive traffic to your website. Use specific keywords to attract potential customers. INFLUENCER PARTNERSHIPS: Collaborate with influencers and experts. They can promote your products to a dedicated following. Ensure that the influencers align with your brand values. LOCAL SEO: If you have a physical store, optimise it for local search. Ensure your business is listed accurately on platforms like Google My Business. CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAMS: Reward your repeat customers with loyalty programs, discounts or exclusive access to new products. USER-GENERATED CONTENT: Encourage your customers to share their fishing experiences with your products. Share user-generated content on your website and social media. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Get involved in local fishing events, sponsor tournaments and engage with fishing clubs and organisations in your area. ANALYTICS AND MONITORING: Regularly monitor your marketing efforts. Use tools like Google Analytics and social media insights to track the performance of your campaigns. FEEDBACK AND IMPROVEMENT: Collect feedback from your customers and make necessary improvements based on their suggestions. This shows that you value their input. Remember to tailor your marketing strategy to your unique brand and target audience. By implementing these tactics, you can create an effective marketing strategy to boost your fishing tackle retail business in the coming year. • John Hunter is the director of HunterMedia, a global PR, marketing and events consultancy with more than 25 years of tackle industry experience. Hunter Media john@hunter-media.co.uk www.huntermedia.co.uk
Dealer e l r inquiries r e welcome e Christoffer@flyco.dk r i s t o f fe r@f fly c d The Fly Company - www.flyco.dk European Fly-tying and fly-fishing distributor
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