It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to digital marketing as a fishing guide—especially when your busy season has passed.
But that doesn’t mean your charter business has to be put on hold while you figure it out.
There are plenty of easy ways charter captains can tap the power of online marketing to keep their business afloat (pun intended). Here are a few simple tactics to consider:
Join fishing communities
Fishing-specific online forums, Facebook groups, and Instagram pages can be excellent sources for prospective clients to find you.
Get involved in fishing conversations, post about what’s going on with your charter business, and highlight any recent trips or catches.
Even if no one books a trip right away, you’re getting to mingle with like-minded people who can at least appreciate your work and help spread the word.
Additionally, you never know who might stumble across your posts and decide to take a charter with you—or even just pass along your company to a friend or family member when the subject comes up.
Start a blog and publish regular content (and trip photos!)
This is an effective way to stay engaged with your audience and give them valuable fishing tips, advice, and other related information.
Share stories about your fishing trips, the trophy fish you’ve caught, funny stories, and any other fun experiences you’ve had out on the water.
And this one’s a big one—post photos from your trips.
People love to see pictures of your catches, and it’s a great way to show off what you have to offer. So take those pics and share them often.
Develop relationships with local businesses
Many captains already have relationships with local bait and tackle shops, marinas, boatyards and other service providers. But it’s not just enough to develop partnerships with these businesses—you should also be working together.
Now, I’m not asking you to go out and sell their services for them. But it wouldn’t hurt to mention them when you can (if they provide a quality product or service)—and they may be willing to do the same in return.
For example:
If you’re renting out charters for a special price, you could suggest that a tackle store you work with mention your offer on their website or social media accounts. And in return, you could encourage your customers to visit that store for bait or other supplies.
Or if a business is hosting a tournament, you could offer a free charter trip as one of the prizes.
Or hold a contest of your own, and give away a rod, a nice tackle box, or other fishing supplies from a partner shop.
These are just a few ideas for getting your business out there online. You don’t have to do them all—just pick the ones that seem right for you.
When you’re a fishing guide, having relationships with other local businesses can result in more exposure for your business—and more customers. So don’t be afraid to reach out and see what kind of collaboration you can do together.
The Bottom Line
By leveraging digital marketing, fishing guides can stay busy and in the minds of their potential customers no matter the season. Whether you’re joining fishing forums, blogging regularly, or partnering with local businesses—there are plenty of creative ways to market your charter business on your own.
Put digital marketing to use—and watch the catch come in.
Or if you don’t want to deal with digital marketing on your own—Page One Fishing is here to help make it even easier for you. We are digital marketers solely for the fishing and marine industries, and we know what works for fishing guides.
If you want more bookings, we’d be happy to chat. Click here to contact us and get started.
