With a retail shop I am constantly hit up for donations and I had to do something. This year I started telling the requests for cash that I only donate to the Special Olympics and give gift certificates when they want merchandise. There are no rods for less than 150.00 in the shop so I give 50.00 gift certificates to be used in the purchase of a rod there by making a smaller profit but still making something rather than losing. When the Angler Clubs have their banquets they always hit me up and there are 7 or 8 of them and one of me so now I give each one four $50.00 certificates and it paid off good, some never cash them in which is not a loss. Even as part time builders you could contact clubs in your area and give them certificates and possibly open some new doors for you. Jesse

I thought this was going to be another tip.

That's not a bad idea. I know many builders and shops get inundated with requests for donations and it's hard to decide who deserves it and who doesn't. Years ago I started telling the various clubs that asked, to make sure their members let me know who they were with when they bought from me so that at the end of the year I'd know which clubs to support. That did two things - it cut the number of donation requests by 90% and those that still asked actually had members that patronized my business. I didn't mind giving something back to them.

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I like your idea. I think I'll give it a shot. If someone uses the certificate you don't lose any money, just a smaller profit. Who knows how many friends they'll tell. Tom I like yours too. I've been called by organizations asking for donations. I have sent money to some of them along with some business cards, haven't had anyone connected with these organizations order any rods. They say they'll direct people to me, but nobody yet.

Jesse:

I have been giving time-dependent gift certificates for $150 off the price of a custom fly rod, to some of the Fly fishing clubs I frequent. Most @#$%& them to their members. Sometimes I get no work when the recipient lets them lapse or forgets about the certificate. Other times I get a bunch of orders. Yes, it lowers the profit, but it gets me more exposure. I do like fellow fishermen with my rods talking to their friends about the custom rod they are using. Word of mouth is powerful advertising.

Doug Weber
Weber Rod Works

I do a lot of begging for a major conservation organization and one of my favorites is to ask for something that is mutaully profitable. A discount on Taxidermy work, or 2 for 1 fishing charters. I see that businesses are getting requests all day and if they gave to everyone, they wouldn't be in business. If you can get a lot of advertising to the right people, for just a little discount on your work, that sounds like a great deal, and the customer is happy if they save some money too.

Billy, what is it you don't understand about the tip? In your case you can get some generic gift certificates from Office Max and pass them out to the fishing clubs in the area etc. to drum up business. Jesse