What is the best sales item you guys are finding to sell custom rods? Is it fancy thread work or something else? Do people pay good money for thread work? Looking to find out what attracts people to buy a custom rod before I get too deep in this hobby as a sideline sales venture. Thx.

I don't sell rods, but do build annually for a charity @#$%&, and what makes the bids go up is doing a theme spinning rod based on the local favorite university, Michigan State. White blank, green wraps with metallic pearl trim, MSU decals, especially for bowl games, etc.

Parts that are not available on shelf rods, for instance, MicroWave guides and Aero reel seats stand out as selling points. Colors and blank choices also stand out, and I am a fan of the Bushido Blanks.

Randy, any chance you are an Amtak rep?

What sells for me, is making the rod truly custom. That means incorporating ideas, components, and workmanship that meets the customers needs and wants.

My specialty is custom grips, usually incorporating exotic woods, bark, horns and even some Scrimshaw art.

As I only build fly rods, and have many of my own rods available as examples along with a multitude of photos of past builds. I will not build a rod for one customer exactly like another's as far as appearance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2016 10:25PM by Phil Erickson.

Yep Mick, I am a Pro Staffer for them, but then again, I believed in the products before I ever got into contact with AmTak, and I still do.

The simplest way to customize a rod for a customer is to put his or her name on it. The name on the rod really makes it their rod.

I agree with your suggestions. I only asked because I think affiliations should be disclosed when making recommendations. See you at the MI Rodbuilders Roundup.

I agree with Thomas to a point. I own a couple of custom rods build by a well know builder in North Carolina, I had never built a fishing rod. I was fishing with my 10 year old grandson and he picked up one of these rods and seen Custom built for Phil Ayers and wanted one. I took him with me to see Bill Poe and Bill took a couple rods and my grandson outside and talked with him for about 15 min. about how he held the rod and watched him cast. He built him a custom rod with the colors he picked, shorted the handle, split grip and made it custom to him. When he got that rod his confidence went out the roof, I could not believe how much he improved in his skill because of that rod. It is nothing special except to him and that is what custom is. He refers to that rod as his Poe. This also inspired me to build. Phil

What sells for me is asking numerous questions and building a rod that is comfortable, geared to their specific fishing style/technique, and can out perform a produced rod. Of course fitting and putting together of rod is as important as well; people usually don't like "hack" jobs even if they do fish well.

DG

There are a couple of items that help make sales.

The first is a quality product. People who buy custom expect quality. Form, fit, and finish are important factors and add to the quality of any build.
Second - actually matching the rod to the person purchasing. - If possible always have a customer come to your shop and touch and feel the components. Let them decide where to put the reel seat, thread color, what guides and grips they want, etc. Doing this allows for a truly custom rod for made for that particular person.
Third - being able to put there name on it. I think it's a silly little add on to the rod, but for some reason customers' eyes light up when you say "I can put your name on it if you want". Like selling candy to a baby. I don't get it as it adds no performance to the rod but . . . . . . .
Fourth - microwave guides. I have a "microwave challenge" set of rods and the microwave guided rod sells itself. One or two casts and customers usually say "yeah that one, make me one just like it."
Fifth - a fairly quick turn around time. The quicker you can get the rod to the customer the better.
sixth - titanium guides - I like the NIRLC's and NIRLVL from American Tackle. With most of my saltwater customers I explain the advantages of titanium and most usually go for the upgrade.

I'm sure there are a few more, but these are the ones at the top of my list.

There are a couple of items that help make sales.

The first is a quality product. People who buy custom expect quality. Form, fit, and finish are important factors and add to the quality of any build.
Second - actually matching the rod to the person purchasing. - If possible always have a customer come to your shop and touch and feel the components. Let them decide where to put the reel seat, thread color, what guides and grips they want, etc. Doing this allows for a truly custom rod for made for that particular person.
Third - being able to put there name on it. I think it's a silly little add on to the rod, but for some reason customers' eyes light up when you say "I can put your name on it if you want". Like selling candy to a baby. I don't get it as it adds no performance to the rod but . . . . . . .
Fourth - microwave guides. I have a "microwave challenge" set of rods and the microwave guided rod sells itself. One or two casts and customers usually say "yeah that one, make me one just like it."
Fifth - a fairly quick turn around time. The quicker you can get the rod to the customer the better.
sixth - titanium guides - I like the NIRLC's and NIRLVL from American Tackle. With most of my saltwater customers I explain the advantages of titanium and most usually go for the upgrade.

I'm sure there are a few more, but these are the ones at the top of my list.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2016 04:57PM by John E Powell.

Education... Educate your customer. For example, micros still are a craze and people love them. Go look at a factory rod with micros....they also have a micro tip top....but if you've done your research (searching on this forum and others and running names like gardner) you'll learn that if it's a pitching rod, you want a larger tip top and not necessarily a size 3 or 4 due to the natural arch of mono and fluro when the tip is up. This chokes the line, and you'd be better off with a larger tip top around a size 6. Anyone can glue up parts, etc, but knowing the purpose of your build and having the knowledge is what will sell the rod.

As far as components go I like the following

Microwaves with the insert and without insert (used the most on bass rods) (pro staff with AmTac, but you can also search my name and see I liked them way before i was ever associated with AmTac)
--easy to sell if you have a rod built up to compare with. They are very smooth.
Fuji KR theory (used 2nd most on bass rods)
Pac Bay minimas -but will likely not be using these as much now that the microwaves are without an insert now.

Blanks
Bushido (one of the best panfish blanks out there and great value blank and performance)
Rod Geeks have been requested a lot lately. I have some, but haven't built myself one yet
Here lately these have been the blanks used, but I use all sorts of blanks and usually give the customer 3 blank recommendations and I tell my customer the blank...some builders don't provide the blank but I do.

Grips
Most of my grips now are Mad-swirled over rigid pour foam. I also use:
carbon fiber
cork
eva
if you're just starting, contact a builder to help supply some grips if you want a custom look. Several vendors have great grips, but some want more. You can also contact other builders for help with seats and grips. For example, if you don't have a lathe, you can get with someone and have them turn it. Facebook is a great source to see all kinds of work.

Seats
I'm a big fan of TN for spinning and then Aero seats that are mad-swirled.

For casting, I like a blank exposed seat.

Also, what is your market? Are you in an area near lakes, good freshwater fishing / saltwater? If you're 3 hours from the closest fishing hole, you may not sell much no matter how hard you try. I sit between Kentucky and Barkley lakes so we have bass, panfish, catfish, etc and a great place for a side business.

Eddie
I have found out people like rattle snake skin wraps, carbon fiber handles and microwave eyes with their name on the rod. Just something different that they cannot go to a store and buy.