Cast a Wider Net: 5 Ways to Diversify Your Customer Base and Drive Up Interest in Fishing

Since the pandemic, fishing has enjoyed an upsurge in popularity. Each year, more than 54 million people around the country embark on fishing adventures. And this population of enthusiastic kids and adults continues to become more diverse.

According to a recent report on the diversity of the fishing industry, the number of Black, Hispanic, and female fishing and boating enthusiasts increased between 2019 and 2021. About half of the Hispanic participants who responded to the report said they wanted to fish more. These facts demonstrate a truth that you probably already know as a professional in the sportfishing world: When people get “reeled in” by fishing, they tend to get “hooked!”

This presents a concern, though: How do you make sure you’re setting up a welcoming atmosphere to drive more people to buy your equipment and try fishing in general? It’s a great question that we recently discussed during a Lunch & Learn session at our annual ICAST event. Many people simply haven’t been introduced to fishing and find it intimidating to get started. Part of your job, therefore, is to break down the barriers to entry for both their and your benefit.

In other words, you need to come up with a fishing marketing strategy for your business that encourages new and repeat buyers. Ideally, your strategy will help you boost your revenue stream by diversifying your customer base. Start by considering the following tactics designed to build more interest in your brand, your products, and fishing and boating:

1. Educate people about fishing.

You already know about fishing, but don’t assume everyone else does. You need to see your role as a teacher. There are countless people in your community, including moms and their kids, who might be fascinated by fishing but feel unsure where to begin. Opening your doors to these populations and setting up educational workshops or events should bring additional traffic to your door.

For example, let’s say you want to increase the number of women fishing enthusiasts in your area. Perhaps a woman-focused fishing seminar or “night out on the water” could be a way to encourage women to try something new. If you know a local social media influencer or celebrity, you could partner up to get the word out about the special gathering. It’s OK if attendance is low at first. You may have to be patient. As more people know about your events, you should see a bump in sign-ups.

2. Train your staff to foster an inclusive, fun atmosphere.

Having a team of employees who eagerly ask, “Can I help you?” of all customers will go a long way. Many browsers would be happy to buy your products but aren’t sure what they need. When your workers are truly caring and knowledgeable, they remove any hesitance shoppers might have. Plus, they improve the chance that people who stop by will linger — and that’s good for your bottom line.

How does old-fashioned “window shopping” influence your profits? One report showed a fascinating correlation between how long buyers hung around a business and how much they bought. A 1% ramp-up in “dwell time” was associated with a 1.3% improvement in sales. In other words, the easier you (and your staff) make it for someone to stay in your store, the greater your chances of selling more items.

3. Set up partnerships with state and regional groups.

It can feel intimidating to try to expand your market to women and individuals from historically underrepresented groups alone. Good thing you don’t have to do it all on your own. Every area has a wealth of organizations, including tourism centers and nonprofits devoted to celebrating natural resources. Some of these groups may be open to partnering with your company.

Consider the Fishing Share the Fun Campaign, for example. Launched in the spring of 2022, Fishing Share the Fun is all about encouraging businesses like yours to work together to promote our robust, exciting industry. Oh, and don’t forget to be a part of our Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (or RBFF). It has Mobile First Catch Centers featuring 30 trailers in 26 states that the organization takes to urban locations — quite an operation. We’re fans of the RBFF for another reason, too: It has abundant resources. The RBFF has been a leading driver of fishing information for 20+ years. Not only does the organization welcome the chance to work with others, but it also disseminates videos and other content for free.

4. Get creative with your marketing approaches.

Now isn’t the time to hold back on your marketing. From paid digital ads and social media advertisements to nondigital direct mail, leverage marketing diversification to improve your area’s (and store’s) fishing demographics. Maybe you’ve never thought about contracting with social media influencers to talk about your products. Perhaps you’ve never posted interviews with buyers who have made big catches. Why not try something new?

Not everyone sees and experiences the things you do daily. What you see as “mundane” could be exciting to another person. That’s what Angie Thompson, publisher at Fishing Tackle Retailer Magazine, found out. She and her team videotaped a boat being pulled out of the water, placed on a forklift, and moved to the boat watch. Viewers engaged with the video on social media because they thought it was cool and unusual. You could do likewise with the activities you experience every day.

5. Improve the customer experience on your website.

The better your website experience, the simpler it will be to encourage people to keep coming back. Take a look at your site today. Is there anything you could do to make it more user-friendly? An example might be to add a plug-in digital tool like the one offered by the RBFF. Its tool automatically takes customers to a page that discusses licensing and fishing rules and regulations for their state.

Because your social media presence is an extension of your website, you may want to expand your e-commerce and tag products in photos to drive traffic back to your store. The more you nurture prospects and customers, the higher the likelihood they’ll have successful days on the water. And we all know that after an amazing experience, they’ll want to have another … and another … and another.

Sportfishing isn’t something that’s only for certain people. It’s for everyone who’s looking for an activity that doesn’t take a lot of money and can provide decades of enjoyment, entertainment, and social interaction. To get more ideas for your business to scale up and introduce your goods to a brand new demographic of anglers, watch our ICAST Lunch & Learn video series.