Big fish guarantee

[Trophymuskie]

I would like to know what you think about a guide or lodge offering a big fish guarantee.

Would it help you to book with the guide or lodge knowing they are confident enough to guarantee big fish?

What kind of guarantee would it take to help you book with them versus another lodge or guide?

I would also like a few people to e-mail me to discuss this a bit more and get their opinions and ideas.

Info@trophymuskiecharters.com

Catch a big one this fall
Keep releasing them all
Richard Collin
http://www.trophymuskiecharters.com

[ToddM]

Trophymuskie, what type of guarantee? How big is the fish for the guarantee? I think it would help sure. It also may alientate them from their competitors as well. It would take a heck of a fishery to pull it off too.

[jlong]

Richard, great concept. I'm sure such a guarantee would help boost bookings. If you can pull it off, I say go for it. What I would be concerned about from the customer's point of view would be if the "guarantee" would put too much pressure on the guide to produce.... thus detracting from the entire fishing experience. There is a heck of a lot more to a fishing trip than actually catching a fish. If you'd lose that aspect in order to produce fish... I'd say scratch the guarantee thing.

Take a look at your major client base and figure out if a guarantee would fit their needs. If you take out a lot of beginners looking to learn or lots of old-timers just looking to spend time outdoors... I don't think a guarantee would make that much difference. If you cater to the well seasoned angler, then maybe promoting the idea of helping them tip the scales in favor of BIG fish might be of benefit.

Good question, tough answer. I hope you get the feedback you are looking for. Good luck with your decision.

jlong

[Mouskie]

I have a friend in the realty business that GAURANTEES to sell your home in 9 (nine) days.

It's day 9 and the house hasn't sold. My friend says to his client: "Here is an offer on your house. We can sign all the paperwork and by noon today you'll have your money. I am the buyer." (Of course, the offer on the house is considerably under its true market value and only a really desperate seller will accept).

The "way out" for the muskie guide on such a guarantee? A trophy muskie, gauranteed, or the next trip is free. Two-thirds of the clients are from Dirty Ankle, Iowa or somesuch, and he'll never see them again. And any guarantee should state explicitely: a trophy hooked, not landed. Oh look! - hardware in the air!

[muskiedaze]

richard, occassionally I'll have a prospective client ask about a guaranteed muskie. this is my response. " i'm pretty confident you're gonna catch one and i'm willing to stick my neck out if you are. the optional guarenteed trip is double or nothing. its a free trip if you skunk and double the charter if you score.the fine print is that we stay out as long as it takes and if you loose one, i win. so far, no takers. seems fair to me.

it seems to me that your current offer of "your best chance for a trophy guaranteed" is already kind of stretching the truth, and i wouldn't push it any further if i were you.

john
www.slapslap.com

[Trophymuskie]

>it seems to me that your current offer of "your best chance
>for a trophy guaranteed" is already kind of stretching the
>truth, and i wouldn't push it any further if i were you.

John how can you say that? have you been in my boat or know of anyone who has? I can give you numbers if you would like. But I have nothing that I need to show you as I already know your position. But I don't want you or anyone else calling me a lyar now.

I already asked you to step up to the plate and back up your big mouth but you turned me down both times, you need a reminder of the Ottawa Valey MC outing where I won it with a 49 incher and if I was told the truth you got but a few small fish all week.

Just in case others would want to know all my trips this year but 2 ( a 40/34 weekend and a 4 fish 2 low and 2 high 30s weekend ) have landed 45+ inch muskies with one guy landing four 45s and a 50 during his trip. Not to forget to mention the other 4 who landed fifty inchers, now thats just in 40 days of guiding.

Now John untill you can prove anything about my fishing disability I would reccomend that you just " Shut up and fish "

Catch a big one this fall
Keep releasing them all
Richard Collin
http://www.trophymuskiecharters.com

[ToddM]

Trophymuskie, I have a fishing disability. I fish and they don't bite. Happened alot last season. If your success is so great that you could even contemplate this then my hat is off to you.

I will ask the question again though. How would your competitors feel about it and are any of them good friends? Would you alienate anybody or would it cause any tension?

[Hotshot]

Richard, a question: How many times were you on the water this past season and got skunked??

[Kid Derringer]

Hi,

I don't guarantee a Musky in the boat.
I do Guarantee a good time on the water and that if you want to, you will learn SOMETHING!
I have put so many people on hundreds of fish, but they still have to catch them.
Most do, some don't!
That is why it's called fishing, NOT catching.
It is very tuff most days, and then there are the some what easy, more productive days and then the days where you work hard all day and your clients or friends are not feeling real good about the trip and then BANG, BANG two fish in the boat at sunset!
And days when you see NOTHING but baits and water!
If it was easy being a guide or catching numbers of Musky, everyone would do it.
It is not, and only the crazy brave, or stick with it to the end types can maintain for long periods of time!
;)
You can talk to them, give them things to read, tell stories about spots and baits, show pictures, show them the video, help them in the boat, but they still have to follow through.
Most can and do, others can't, won't, don't and never will!
I had some real funny things happen in the boat this year and had sevral BIG fish lost boat side due to clients not paying attention, name dropping and telling how good they are!
LOL
Bang, the hawg hits and is gone!

Guarantee a good time, but always hope to do more?

Most times I do.

Happy New Year to you all!

T.


www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[Trophymuskie]

>Richard, a question: How many times were you on the water
>this past season and got skunked??

4 days with clients and 9 times when alone or with friends. My clients come up for multiple days so we make up for it the next day.

Catch a big one this fall
Keep releasing them all
Richard Collin
http://www.trophymuskiecharters.com

[Marc Thorpe]

2 guarantees in life
Death and paye your taxes (before and after).

Even the best dont guarantee nothing!
You pay to play,just like a roll of dice.Aces I win,douces you loose!

Rich no one questions your ability,you need clients?
Time,thats all you need.
Hang in there
Good luck

marc

[Trophymuskie]

Thanks for the replys guys this was just an hypoticle (sp) question to see what people think out there.

No I do not need more clients, my business is growing faster then I had planned, I am already a year ahead of my predictions. Everything is just groovy and all clients are leaving very satisfied. :)

Catch a big one this fall
Keep releasing them all
Richard Collin
http://www.trophymuskiecharters.com

[MightyCasey]

"Just in case others would want to know all my trips this year but 2 ( a 40/34 weekend and a 4 fish 2 low and 2 high 30s weekend ) have landed 45+ inch muskies with one guy landing four 45s and a 50 during his trip. Not to forget to mention the other 4 who landed fifty inchers, now thats just in 40 days of guiding."
>Richard, a question: How many times were you on the water
>this past season and got skunked??
4 days with clients and 9 times when alone or with friends.
1+1=:P
MC from Mudville

[Sackett]

Hery Rich, I dont doubt your digits, I think you got your game in order out east. I think a guarantee like that would sound a little brash. Muskies are never a guarantee, good ones at least. I think alot of experienced muskie anglers would percieve that negatively, at least in my book. Many muskie anglers take this sport much too seriously, to the point where the have to question everything and look for the bad in every circumstance. Pictures dont seem to even be good enough for some guys. It'd be a good marketing move if you wish to target novice anglers, but not more seasoned ones.

By the way Rich, I'm the guy that traded you that Hartman Bug thing at the MN Muskie Expo this past March, if you remember. Ya ever catch anything on that thing? Later
Dan

[Marc Thorpe]

Rich,glad things are going in a good way.
One thing you must understand is what everyone says here.
Beyond catching fish,your best sales pitch is your personality.That goes a long way.After several years with the same folks.Fishing is just the feature of the trip.The purpose is the time that client wish's to spend every year with you.It now becomes a personal and friendly trip.Fish just complement the days.You hard work and rep will follow suit.Your person is what most folks want,that is your greatest sales pitch.Your ability will only convince them of your hard work.

Every fish is good fish,just some are better
Little ones make big ones

Just my perception of guiding.Dont think I am far from the truth.

Take care
marc

[fishgraf]

i can guarantee that i will catch at least 1 sunfish this year. well tat is if i dont get in a carwreck or something before the spring. hmm doesnt seem like i can guarantee anything.

www.my2cents.com

[kmon]

Well as an advertising marketing guy, a guarantee is the best way to build your business. Believe it or not, less than 1% of your purchasers will ever take you up on the "money back guarantee" -- i strongly suspect, as another one of the guides pointed out, that if you teach them a lot about musky fishing, they won't take you up on your guarantee even if they do get skunked.

That said, as you say you don't need more business I'd forget about the guarantee. You don't want to overexpand or be unable to meet expectations.

And, as a fellow canadian fishing near you, we're so dang lucky to have access to such rich fertile relatively unfished waters, maybe we shouldn't rile those poor americans with their pressured overfished waters with guarantees that for us are a lock up.

Instead think about building an easy to recognize and remember "brand" image, something friendly that people can associate with your service. And then pound away on that for the rest of your career.

If you have any questions in this area you can email me.

[jschardt]

With all due respect, richard, I do not hire a guide for muskies to catch my hog.I've learned from some of the best on their boats how to think like the fish I'm after. That's what I book a charter for, regardless of the fish boated. The big ones will come in my ride. Thanks to Steve, Larry, and Marc. Your wisdom means more than a "trophy" on a charter. One hit wonders don't mean to much. I'm in for the long haul.