On June 25, my son Alex, left for Officers Candidate School training for the Navy and will be attending flight school in Florida in December. By the time this is published he will have graduated as an officer in the United States Navy. Yes, I am very proud of him!
A few days before Alex drove off he and I went on a son dad two-day, excursion that consisted of indoor skydiving, meals, a few drinks together with father son chats and a full day of fishing together on the Chesapeake Bay, just he and I, the Captain and first mate – on a very impressive 48-foot charter boat, the “Loosen Up.”
As we headed out, my son and I were bonding and talking; about 45 minutes away from the dock, Captain Frank gave the word for the mate to “set ‘em out.” The mate began to unravel the lines and methodically place the bait in the water. The planer boards were set out (planer boards are used to spread the lines away from the sides of the boat some 40 yards away on the port and starboard sides) and the lines were cast. Slowly and strategically the lines were placed a various depths, various lengths; various weights and baits were used all different colors, styles, shapes and sizes – for the purpose of landing that prize fish.
After about 30 minutes I looked up to see that the mate had placed over 20 lines in the water. I snickered a bit and looked at my buddy Frank the captain and said, “Frank, there’s only two of us fishing, why so many lines?” Without hesitation he retorted, “Cliff, my brother, as long as there’s a line in the water, you’re dangerous.” As I watched the lines slowly bounce up and down with the swells, I reflected on what Frank said for about 30 minutes and I asked myself, “How does this relate to what I do?” and it dawned on me – ‘Wow, this is a lot like sales and marketing; we are all going for that big prize – that sale – and we use various tackle and bait – marketing.”
So let’s set our lines and dive in a bit deeper.
Charting A Course
Every Captain, when setting out on a charter, NEVER leaves the dock without a charting a course or in our case, having a plan. The captain knows that water temperature, tides, currents and time of day all matter in capturing the greatest yield and maximizing your catch. We, too, should understand the business climate, what is happening in respective markets and how they are reacting to what’s happening around them. Like the captain, you must know your surroundings. It’s not guess work; it’s careful research and collaboration… and without it you will be floundering about and not catching as much as you could, or anything at all.
Selecting the Correct Tackle
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I worked on a charter boat several years back and I soon realized by asking questions and listening to my captain (mentor and coach) what the appropriate bait and tackle we needed to use, depending on what we would be fishing for. If we were going after rockfish (aka striped bass) “skirted squid” may be the appropriate bait, but if we were going for tuna or white marlin, I knew straight-up that a bloodworm would NEVER get a look.
In essence, we need to make the bait or marketing tool that we use relevant to the recipient – something that would catch their eye and would be relevant, thus increasing our opportunities. Sometimes, too, it’s trial and error. Like in fishing when you sometimes need to change the bait you’re presenting, we sometimes need to change our approach as to what we present to our clients.
More Lines, More Opportunities
Like my buddy Frank said, the more lines you have in the water, the more opportunities you have. This is why I preach, over and over, to continuously market your company, even in flush times. While we were fishing we hit a lull so we sped up the boat, moved 75 yards further to the west, changed the baits, and adjusted the depths unit we finally got a hit. Once we were into the fish, and as soon as that fish was brought on board, out that line went again – yet another opportunity to land another. So, the lines in the water, the bait you use (marketing tools, and messaging), are the opportunities, the more opportunities you present to your clients and prospects, the more potential bites.
Throw Some Back
In the Chesapeake Bay there are seasons for various fish species, creel limits, fish gender, and size all govern what you can keep and what you cannot. Not everything you catch is a keeper, in fact, so it is important to scrutinize your catch – are they the right size, the right type, etc.? This can be compared to the prospects you meet: not every prospect should be your client; be discreet with which ones you keep and which you toss back.
Patience, Diligence are the Keys
Like salespeople, some anglers are very impatient. They don’t give the marketing message or bait the opportunity. If they don’t get a hit right away, they’re done, lines up and off to the next spot.
Don’t be the impatient angler. Give your message time to set in or get noticed. You may need to cast several messages out before you get a bite, but patience and dilegence are the keys. While trolling, there is plenty to do: have a sandwich, clean the boat, prepare for the next cast, navigate the waters for a better spot – there is ALWAYS something to do to improve your opportunities.
Opportunities are Vast
The analogy is so true, the more lines you have in the water, the better your odds for success. Know your waters (what’s happening in their world), navigate them with precision (have a plan), select the right bait (marketing message), listen to your captain (mentors and coaches) and enjoy your day on the water. For each of you, those opportunities look very promising, the waters are calm, the temperature is right for an amazing catch. How many opportunities have you presented to your clients? How many lines do you have in the water?
I had an amazing time with my son that day and I look forward to many more!
Here’s to great fishing! Catch ‘em up!
For more than 30 years, Cliff has been speaking, training and consulting internationally to associations and national business groups on more effective ways to market themselves, their products and services, as well as motivating their personnel. Recognized by PPAI for his creativity, he has won the prestigious PPAI Pyramid award 25 times, and the Printing Industry's PSDA’s Peak Award for creativity five times in three years. He has also received PPAI's Ambassador Speaker of the Year Award six consecutive years and was the inaugural recipient of PPAI's Distinguished Service Award. Named one of top six industry speakers and trainers, he also was recognized by PPAI in the book, "PPAI at 100," as having a significant influence in education. He has also been recognized by Counselor Magazine as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the Promotional Products Industry. You can engage with Cliff athttp://www.myengagepage5.com/cliff-quicksell-1associates.