After the article in yesterday morning's local paper, concerning the 2007 Rod Building Expo, I got an email from a guy about 5 miles from me. Said he'd been building rods for 30 years but had never heard of the show nor of the magazine.

One more reason why the internet, as cost effective as it is, just doesn't reach the majority of the world's rod builders. Not yet anyway.

This underscores why events promoted soley via the internet don't draw very well. It still takes the print medium to reach the bulk of the rod builders in the world.


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How about the radio and PBS as a means of reaching farther ?

Tom:
There is a Rod Builder In Staley, NC by the name of Bill Poe not far from you. That has been building rods for at least that long who may not even know what the internet is. I will contact him and let him know about the show. He built custom rods for me back in the 80's,and is the person that got me started building.

You're not the only one Bill Poe got started in rod building ;-)) He explained everything to me back in 1990 when I wanted to build a fly rod to use in the Smokies. Been building one or two rods a year ever since (although this year it will be at least 4 - after my shopping spree at this year's show).

He's one very nice gentleman. Please tell him I said hello.

I can almost see it now -

Kirkman's Airline Charter Advertising - flying from coast to coast/border to border dragging a long long banner in the sky. Custom Fishing Rodbuilders United! If you used the Goodyear Blimp at a slower speed more people would have a chance to read the text! I you wanted to go world wide maybe we could get Italo to drag the banner across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean for cruise ship coverage behind the Air Italia wide body.

The Swamp Boyz will pay for the air-time over Louisiana if you handle the rest of the nation.

Up Up and Away!

I've known Bill for many years. He does know about the show and the magazine, but is interested in neither. He's a professional builder and builds to a certain level for a certain clientele. New techniques and methods don't interest him (or many others). He has his market and is happy with it. Nothing wrong with that.

My point here is just that I think too many companies bank on the internet as their sole means of advertising. They're missing at least 60+% of the market.

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I sent a hot link about this years show to the Cleveland Plain Dealer outdoors writer D'arcy Egan. It was sent about 3-4 wks. in advance of the show.
Evidently he thought it pertained to cars, or was it grease ?
Next year I'll try the Akron Becon Journal, I think their outdoors guy has more on the ball.....

I hear you Tom,
My greater customer base doesn't even own computers. Then again a couple ads on the tube placed at the right time and places and I wouldn't be able to contend with demand.


Tight wraps and lines,
Wylie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2006 04:01PM by Wylie Wiggins.

Tom:
Now that I think about it you are dead on about Bill. He has developed quite a following over the years. They are happy with his rods and he is happy with them. The only change I've seen him make in the last twenty years is to switch to St Croix blanks from Loomis. I'll tell you though, I've won a lot of money off rods he's built for me. Still have 2 one of which is at least twenty years old. A little beat up now, but still caches fish.
It was Bill that introduced me to spiral rap rods back in the 80's



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2006 10:05PM by Steve Gardner.

Bill has been building rods for at least 30 years now. The first Poe rods I ever saw were in the fishing department of JC Penney's at the Westchester Mall back around 1977 or so.

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"I've known Bill for many years. He does know about the show and the magazine, but is interested in neither. He's a professional builder and builds to a certain level for a certain clientele. New techniques and methods don't interest him (or many others). He has his market and is happy with it. Nothing wrong with that."
Tom, you have absolutely mastered the "backhanded compliment."

It wasnt' meant as backhanded in any way. I do not expect every rod builder to want or even need what RodMaker offers. If 2 out of every 100 buy it, then I'm right on the industry average. In fact, that's about where it is.

Bill has no interest in RodMaker or rod building shows. Considering what he does and what he wants to do with his rod building business, I see no advantage to be had by him by subscribing to the magazine or attending a rod building event. I don't try to sell people something they don't want or need.

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What about ESPN on TV ? Would be some thing to have them cover the show ??
Then we could watch the reruns