A lot of fishing clubs assume that going online means another nail in the coffin for their local independent tackle shop. However, offering an online alternative to buying a membership at the shop actually has the potential to significantly boost business for all involved – it does not need to be a case of online versus tackle shop. Anglers still need to visit tackle shops to collect their bait. Having an online platform simply means more exposure and better promotions, which result in greater business and greater efficiency.
With that in mind, in this post, we are going to take a look at why encouraging your members to go online could prove to be the answer for your local tackle shops’ long term success.
Nevertheless, before we reveal more about the benefits of going online and the positive impact it can have for tackle shops, it’s important for clubs to realise that this is a two way thing.
Whilst we all want to support our local independent tackle shops, you have a responsibility to look out for your members too. In fact, looking after your members should always be your first priority. Clubs are therefore encouraged to negotiate better deals for their members. If you show that you are going the extra mile to drive more of your members to the shop in question, there should be a benefit for your members as well. It works both ways after all!
So, how can going online help drive more business to your local tackle shop?
There are different ways the Internet can help clubs boost business for tackle shops, so let’s take a look at this and the benefits in further detail:
Promotion, promotion, promotion!
Advertise via your website & social media
If a shop is willing to provide a discount for members, then it should be shouted about via social media and your website. Make sure you include details about these offers on the website, as this can also help attract new members to join your club. Win, and win again! Including logos and links on pages with a high volume of traffic will also help drive more customers to the tackle shop.
Including links to tackle shops via email
When sending out messages to club members, you can include links to your local tackle shops in the footer of your email. Instead of the shops relying on word of mouth, members will be reminded about where to buy their bait, tackle, and equipment in every single club communication. This is something that can be set up and sent on every email automatically, so it is not going to require any effort on your behalf.
See ‘how to’ guide for Customising email templates with Clubmate
Highlight local tackle shops to members via the secure members’ area
Display the tackle shops’ logos in a secure member portal. Make it really clear for members to see where they can buy their tackle every time they log-in to their account to buy a membership, make a booking, or update their details. You should remind members of the discounts on offer too. Again, this is a far more frequent reminder of where to buy their tackle and it works to drive more business to your local tackle shop.
See ‘how to’ guide for Customising your Member Portal with Clubmate
The average time the UK adult digital population spends per day online is 3 hours and 8 minutes (2 hrs 23 minutes for those aged 55+). So if you’re engage with your members on a regular basis and promote your local tackle shops online, you’ll drive more awareness of what your tackle shops have to offer, especially when compared to an annual visit an angler might usually take just to purchase their membership.
Be more efficient
Make it easy for Tackle Shops
Start making it easier for tackle shops too. Provide them with a poster outlining your fees and a QR code that points to your online joining page. This makes it easier for the shops to keep administration down, keep money separate, and also ensures that the member data goes straight into your database (and not on a handwritten piece of paper!).
Make it easy for yourselves
If members are joining online, they’ll be doing your work for you. No more deciphering handwriting, no more picking up cash from shops, and no more data entry. With Clubmate, we can make life easier for your members, help you reduce your time spent on administration but also drive more customers to your local tackle shops too.
So there you have it: an insight into why going online does not negatively impact the volume of business you can drive to your local tackle shops, in fact it’s quite the opposite!
If you would like to find out more about how Clubmate can help you, your club and your local tackle shop, please get in touch and we’ll be delighted to explore further.
