I have built my last 2 dozen or so fly rods with wraps coated with one part urethane(Lumiseal). I have compared builds on the same blanks, spacing, guides (one with standard guide finish and the other with the urethane). Hands down IMO the rods finished with urethane are much nicer to fish and cast with. Other people have tried the rods and agreed. That being said I have heard this comment a few times "they dont look like what a fishing rod should look like". Personally I love the slim look which it gives to a fly rod. I have come up with a list of what can be said about why a rod coated with urethane has many advantages. Im not sure these rods can ever be marketed to the fisherman who has only been exposed to high end rods all which are coated with a polymer finish.

Any thoughts?

Remember when selling anything that the features of any product will only improve your chances of sale if they provide a benfit to the user. It is called Need Statifaction - your product must provide something that satisfies a need. I am going to email you the text of a siminar that was conducted two years ago that may explain the process a little. After you take a look at it please post your comments.

You will never sell an aspirin because is is small, white, 81 mg, in small bottles or packs, round, cheap, glows in dark - they will buy them if it makes their head feel better! If they are skeptical you had better provide a proof sourse other that the words that you speak!

Use your finish to set up a two way conversation that explains the benefits to the angler!

Gon Fishn



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2010 11:19AM by Bill Stevens.

Scott;
Listen to Mr. Stevens!
He is the master when it comes to the understanding of marketing.
That seminar was excellent.
I wish it was being presented again this year, so I could go take a refresher course.

Bill

That is very interesting and thanks for that . I am going to read through that a few more times after I have printed it off.I would say up to this point I have run into objection. ie "that doesnt look good". Even after a discussion about all of the benifits Im finding most guys I'm finding cant get past the "look".

I remember reading a post by Tom some time ago and how he plainly stated that fly fishing was not an art its just another kind of fishing. That was a breath of fresh air. I have fished with the fly for as long as I have been fishing. It was the best way to catch the "BIG" bluegill when I was kid on my local quarry. I fished the fly because in some cases it worked just plain better. Rods were basic and were what they were A TOOL.To me the attitude all changed towards flyfishing after "that movie". You know the one!!!!!!

A lot of people it attracted were involved directly or indirectly is some kind of art. Aesthetics seem to rule the roost. IMO this is the hurdle and a big one.

Scott -
So were other innovations: among them:
- spiral wrapped rods
- ceramic guides
- micro guides
- fiberglas rods
- new "composite" rods

and lots and lots of others. It's all about educating the buyer

Scott, can you explain how and why they are "nicer to fish and cast with"?

The bigger the hurdle the more satisfaction you will have - you must know how the features of your product relate to the benefits they provide to the customer. If his needs are met you will sell a rod. This is the biggest advantage a custom builder has - he can practice the communication skills face to face with the customer.

This example was thrown together in minutes and not proof or researched properly. Spend the time to folllow the model and prepare Product Profiles for each of your rods - list features, benefits, close probes, open probes and proof statements.

The only skill that will overcome an objection or a percieved draw back is to make a statement that agrees with your customers position and then use closed probes (yes and no answers) to direct the customer to other relevant features of your product. I works like this.

When the words come out of his mouth "it doesen't look good" - you need to be prepared to deal with that objection correctly or the sale is lost at that point.

It would sound like this.

Skill Agreement: "I can understand you opinion that it does not appear to look like most other rods - it does not for many reasons -

We gotta reach agreement with all issues that may stop the sale - it will go no furthur unless we deal with this on head on.

Skill Closed probes: We somehow got to get him on our side - it can be done if you know the background of your features and benefits.

1. Have you ever thought about why the finish is used on a rod?

2. Is the durability of the guide attachment is important to you?

3. Do you think that the weight of the finish on all of the guides may affect the rods performance?

4.. Do you think the way the thread is wrapped on a guide has anything to do with durability - (Forhan)

5. Would you insist on this rod looking like all others if I could convince you that in the long run it will produce a better fishing rod with less chance of failure on the water - maybe you can even win the tournament with one

Don't push this too hard or you will sound like a used car salesmen - handle it right and you can move to the close of the sale. After you get a couple of yess move on to

Skill Transfer Close Probe: Are there other questions you may have that I can help you with?

This stuff is done in things called product profiles and is used by marketing people to sell tootpicks to jumbo jet airplances.

The first thing to do is write down all the things people say and learn to deal with each one.

Ken there is a huge difference in educating the buyer and making a sale.

I used to show up in the bosses office and he would ask me -

How did the meeting with Mr. Blow go last week!

I would say "it went quite well. I taught him everything there is to know about high pressure austenitic superheater used in large steam generators"

He would then ask - "Did you get a purchase order"

Response - No I did not -

Why not says he - "That guy only bought rotating equipment and not pressure parts!"



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2010 12:46PM by Bill Stevens.

It really is amazing how much of a difference a small reduction in weight can make. Even when the weight involved would seem so small as to make no difference.

This was reinforced on Friday when I visited a friend. We both bought the same blank. He elected to have someone build it for him as a convential rod with the smallest guide being a 10. I built mine as an acid wrap and have all 8's on the bottom. The difference is enough that most would assume they are different blanks.

Russel I am finding the same thing. Some blanks that I have compared are like night and day.

John The rods are more responsive and have a recovery rate that doesnt stray to far from the bare blank. Couple the lightweight wraps with some Ti Fugi's single foots including the strippers sometimes mixed with some recoils on the top section and what a different rod. Even with a "fast action" rod you can really feel what the line is doing. Once you get into the heavier powered blanks they keep the feel of a rod with a lesser power rating but still have the meat.

Bill I definitely need some of them marketing skills!! Ive got stuff to think about


Here a photo of a wrap done in Fishhawk metallic (Jade green) and coated with 4 coats of Lumiseal. [www.rodbuilding.org] I have done my last few with metallic as it seems to somewhat hide the "look" of the surface which urethane gives you. I really dont see how it looks that "bad" Doing this however you run into a whole different problem. Metallic wraps on a fly rod????!!!!!!!!!!

The main point is if "the look" is against his wishes you will need to find a number of positive points of your rod that he will agree with to to sway him in your direction - it will be futile to change his mind on the way it looks - just because you loose on point one does not mean you argue with him or quit trying. Sales and marketing success depends on two winners! Takes good communication skills.

Scott, I think you just made a sale. Too bad someone else will get the money:) I had them send me a small bottle for free but it set up before I got a chance to try it. So, what do I have to do differently when I apply? How best to keep it from setting up in the bottle? What is pot life like at 90 degrees and 90% RH?

Dang, that Mr. Stevens is a sly rascal. I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on that stainless superheater but I can't figure where to stick it on my firetube teapot.


Russ
Nothing wrong with that wrap/finish. Not all that sparkles is gold. Being old enough to remember varnish I can't stand the thick coatings some guys like.

Scott, I like the look of the Lumiseal. I think the weight difference, especially on a fly rod would make an excellent selling point. I too only build fly rods, and the question always comes up about weight. I think, as mentioned before, it's selling the idea that the Lumiseal is equally as durable as epoxy, as most people only know epoxy as a finish. It's a matter of changing their mindset. Many people don't understand that the epoxy or Lumiseal in this case is not for strength in holding the guides in place, but rather to protect the thread (which is there to hold the guides in place) from moisture. I think that is where the selling has to come into play when using one or the other.

Just my opinion.

cheers
Harold

You can make the guide finish with a two part finish and give it a "slim look", but you won't have the "thread exposed look". Just your application process.

for comparison, point out that most customers wold not want a big glob of football shaped finish on a $2000 cane fly rod why would they accept it on a graphite rod?
I would use Lumiseal on cane and have on fiberglass/graphite. but i would never use epoxy on a cane rod. My customers would scream!
So my take is that if it's good enough for those expensive rods why not your customers.

As Bill has covered, it is all about marketing the benifits! There is a marketing acronym: FAB = Features, Advantages & Benefits.

Your Feature is the "Low build" with Lumiseal, your Advantage is the "Reduced weight", the Benefit is "Quicker dampening." (and possibly more from the reduced weight)

Sellthe Benefit, not the Feature!

Also, markets tend to have segments and each segment can require different sales approaches. Example: The "Bamboo segment", tends to be traditional, so trying to sell them on single foot guides will most likely fail regardless of any of the others features. The "Performance segment" should be quite receptive to your feature. The "Aesthetics segment" may be attracted to the high build as well ass fancy grips and reel seats, they need a different approach. Obviously if you are persuasive you may be able to move some from other segments to you benefits, especially if you fill the rest of their needs.

Marketing is all about positioning, it is how you position your product to fill the buyers needs and wants.

Long winded but could'nt resist responding after spending 40+ years in marketing and sales.

Scott all of this may seem quite complex but it is really simple -

Let your customer participate in the process -

Before he opens his mouth try this:

"I provide custom fishing rods that are hand crafted to the requirements of each customer - Can you describe to me what you consider to be a perfect rod?"

Listen carefully!

Use the features of your rods that support his initial statements.

Be prepared for Indifference - Skeptisism - Objection - Acceptance

Once you recognize Acceptance accept his cash and shut up!

Complex technical (spine, spiral, sensitivity, modulus etc.) conversations have probably unsold more rods than they have sold!