Selling your lures?

[Daren]

I joined this forum cause I saw it had a tackle making board. I figure some of you guys making it are selling it. I read the rules and am not going to get into anything that gets me deleted, I just want to talk in general I guess. I need to ask some questions about selling tackle, specifically handmade wood lures. I will start by giving a little background about myself. I have always been in the service business, I was a master plumber for 15+ years. Now I have a saanother sitell and do some custom saanother sitelling and woodworking. Retailing (or even wholeselling) a product is totally new to me. In the service world it was easy...charge by the hour and mark up the material. I don't have any problem selling my lumber I want to sell locally, and custom woodworking is not to tough to get (even though I usually underbid it and don't make much money, maybe that's why it is easy to get :-/) I am making some figured wood lures and am going to start selling them. Making something and THEN trying to sell it is totally new to me, since I only do custom woodworking. In custom they people tell you what they want, give you the money and you build it, pretty simple. I didn't know where to start so I posted on a fishing forum that a guy told me about that had a classified section, well I sold some. Then they guys who bought them brought me up at other sites and sold more...I even had an admin. from a big fishing board I had never heard of contact me and say they were talking about my lures over at his place and he wanted some. He even offered ad space on his site in trade for lures.

This is new to me, I only got the idea for the figured wood lures a month ago and it was going to be a "fill-in" thing. It kinda looks like it could be a little bigger deal than I had first thought. What is killing me is servicing the sale, all the e-mails/phone calls and the time it takes to pack and ship one or 2. Some guys just say "They look great, pick out 6 and send them". But right now for a fill-in it is taking alot more time than I had planned, sorta getting into my other hours I could be doing my regular work. If I could figure out how to streamline the process instead of so much person to person sales that would help.

What makes it hard I guess is no 2 lures are the same, every single one is different because the woods I use are unique. I really couldn't even duplicate many if I tried, the wood makes my decision on what I can make from it, I have to read the grain and go from there. I don't know, I just thought I would bring it up for discussion and if anyone has pointers I would sure listen.

Thanks

Daren

[earthworm77]

Do you have a working model? The first step to selling baits is to actually have a physical bait to sell. Do you have a bait that you have tested and can make to specific/consistent tolerances? I mean, looking great will only go so far. The real test is what the bait does in the water.

[Daren]

I have several working models, did you check out this thread ? http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1155650216 They are all the "classic" style, that is by design. I didn't want to get too complicated so I knew they would work. I mean chuggers and top water prop baits are pretty fool proof. The diving crank baits have a metal lip that is well screwed into HARDWOOD so they can be tweeked to do whatever you want them to. I will admit at first I thought the antique lure collectors would eat them up, I found out they had marginal interest in them. They will pay $1500 for a rare old Heddon before they gave $15 for mine, go figure, but that is collecting I guess. I am just a woodnut and the pretty wood does do it for me. I am not disputing your advice, and thank you for it. The fishing forums I said they were selling at are all southern Texas and the guys are all saltwater fisherman, they are just buying them for decoration and novelty. None of them ever plan on using them anyway, even though they do work. I mean heck, you can go buy a $3 plug that catches fish...I am trying to catch fishermen. I kinda geared the page on my site that way, as a "gift for the fisherman who has everything", maybe I am taking the wrong approach, that is why I am asking for advice. No way I can compete with guys selling painted lures for less than $10 and make any money. I am not even trying. I am asking for advice on how to make selling what I am making easier, they sell themselves to the right people. I am just looking to streamline the process.

[boatnik13]

Its a long process!  Anything you can make can be replicated in plastic with perfectness and 1/10 th the cost. The chain stores have bins full of plastic lures at $1.99 each. How will you ever compete? First > many people buy according to what sells them by "eye sight" not what the fish want. #2  We tend to buy the most for less so at 1.99 I get 5 lures for one of yours > what do I pick  5 or 1 ?  90% of your buyers are not after quality > meaning a solid wood lure that will last a life time providing they don't snag it is not  on top of there list.  I made solid wood lures for a few years starting out with broom sticks in order to get that perfectness. To perfection it I bought wood dowel, a mini lathe and a airbrush. I rap out a dozen lathed lures exactly alike to the eye. I used the best hardware and hooks and do a great paint job for about $6 and i figure its worth over $12.  $12??? who's going to pay that much when it can be found in plastic for $8? Now I know this lure is tough as nails and quality but the only way anyone else will understand it is to see it work and catch fish at a better rate then what they have. Its not going to pay you for what you put into it but you might start with local fish clubs as to test your lures ( so to say) to get the word out. Remember that your either a hobbist or a Mfc. at making lures and you might get taxed as a Mfc plant . Your going to need to buy supplies in bulk to bring a $6 lure down to a $2 lure to be competitive. Alot of bulk dealers on line.    You can do so much more with wood lures but that shop that makes the same lure in plastic is pressing 1000 to 1 ratio to your quality lure  and flooding the stores and making you  'CHOKE".    GOOD LUCK!

[justtrying]

daren,

i just sent you an email.

please contact me if you DON'T receive it.

thanks

ronnie jones

jones7773@msn.com

[Daren]

boatnik, I for sure get what you are saying...like I said I do custom woodworking.(and I live in the middle of Amish country...I am not even close to Amish) THAT my brother is a tough racket. People come to me and want a table built that just to keep the lights on, not make any profit on, I would need $200 for and they could go right down the road and buy it at WalMart for $89.97.

99.9% do just that go to the big box and buy that imported, mass produced junk. The .1% is my market. It may seem like I have low expectations only wanting such a little piece of the market. I do know those people not only buy and buy again from me, but they are so proud of the piece/thier experience with me that they tell EVERYONE the know. I stay busy, I turn down as much work a I do.

Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree here, my lures ARE selling at my price. I am not looking for advice on how to make $1.99 plugs, I can sell the pieces of wood I make the lures from for more than that to "pen turners". As a matter of fact I did for years until I thought of this lure idea.

I had not really planned on this being a big thing, just a way to use some of my great scraps and something to do when my knees/back/shoulder...whatever else the saanother sitell has tore up hurts to keep busy.

The fact is I have had demand, and am on the verge of wholeselling just to get out from underneath the "customer service" involved. I don't mind talking for 1/2 hour on the phone or sending 3-4 e-mails for a $2000 custom table...that just don't cut it for a $15 lure.

[Daren]

Ronnie, I replied to the first note you sent, I thought you blew me off or went on vacation. Something goofy is going on with my e-mail, you are not the first guy who said they didn't get my e-mail. I did a quick jump around the links, looks cool to me. I don't know alot about rod building so I have to do some more research on what I could bring to the table as far as good wood. The links are a good start, they look great, I dig some of the reel seats and bet I could supply wood that would make them freak. I will holler back in a few days, like I said I have some readin' to do now.

Thanks

[Keithscatch]

Darren:

This quote on your other thread is a little confusing:

  Quote

A little closer shot to show the grain. I may some day want to make these to sell, so I will be asking more questions about that here probably.

It seems to me that you have figured out how to sell them and that posting pictures of them on various forums is how you do sell them. You posted that comment above only days ago yet you mention in this thread that you have already sold several on another forum.

My simple advice is to be honest and real at all times. You have a nice product there just mention your intention upfront. Obviousely it is to sell them.

[Daren]

  Quote

It seems to me that you have figured out how to sell them and that posting pictures of them on various forums is how you do sell them. You posted that comment above only days ago yet you mention in this thread that you have already sold several on another forum.

My simple advice is to be honest and real at all times. You have a nice product there just mention your intention upfront. Obviousely it is to sell them.

Honest and real is I have NEVER offered (or implied I was trying) to sell them on a this or any forum, I posted them and wanted comments positive or negative about the lures to help me make them more attractive if someone saw something about them they didn't like even. I brought them up and people offered to buy them (NOT my intention). My INTENTION is not to have to try to hit every fishing discussion forum and try to pimp these dang things one or 2 at a time for a weeks worth of posting, that is a BIG waste of my time. The truth is I am very proud of them and I like showing them off. When I talk about "Selling them in the future" I am not talking about selling to the guys who are buying them now through word of mouth. I mean REALLY selling them, big time-nation wide with thier own site and really trying to promote them, not just the last page on my saanother sitell/woodworking website.

The ones I said I sold were on a site that had a CLASSIFIEDS section...that I was invited to post in by a member who had seen them and liked them. The rest I sold we as a result of that classified ad. An Admin. from another board saw my ad and guys I didn't even know were talking about me at his site and he sent me an e-mail saying "Send me a free lure, and you can sell them over at my site " I greased his palm and sold some there too with his help. That was an invitation to sell on a forum from the guy who runs the site. http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=80305&page=1&pp=10 , here is a link to that classified ad that started the little chain reaction I am talking about. If you want to take the time to read it, maybe it will give you a better idea of how I do business. I don't beat around the bush and talk abunch of crap, I'm straight up.

I did not come to this forum to sell lures to you guys, anyone who has bought one from here please respond calling me on it (there ain't nobody...I got some notes from some, but I have not sold them any that's not what I am here to do.) I even waited a couple days before I posted after I registered, I was leary someone would take my idea who was already set up to sell large amounts and run with it.

You said I only posted the first note a few days before the next one when I said I had sold some, that is a fact, that is the timeline. I only made my first "figured wood lure" less than 4 weeks ago. I joined this forum to get some advice on making and selling lures. I need to get up to speed, they are getting attention I had not planned on and I was not sure what the to do since this is a new thing for me. I am a custom woodworker and do custom saanother sitelling, I have never made something THEN tried to sell it. I only take orders for exactly what people want, then I do the work.

I am not being hateful, but that really rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe you got the impression I was a snake in the grass. I am posting this as a response to let you know I am not, and don't like being read that way, just in case anyone has the same impression.

[justtrying]

daren,

bo, i am absolutely SHOCKED by post by keithscatch!!!!

i can ABSOLUTELY see where you would have been rubbed the wrong way.  it aggravated me, & it wasn't even about me!

i could go a tirade & say some un-flattering things about kc, but, that wouldn't help.   he, evidently didn't read all of your post(s), or, if he did, must have mis-understood.   i don't know man.

i reckon these are these are the kind of times that build/refine character.     ....don't you just love it????  Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Keithscatch]

Hey Daren,

Well, I am glad that you cleared that up. My opinion of this was just that my opinion. Maybe I responded the way I did because I have been around bulletin boards & forums since 1998 and have seen dozens and dozens of people come onto websites promoting their lures. It is not uncommon even for forums to begin mainly for the purpose of selling lures. So forgive me if several years of other website experiences got in my way and blinded me to the truth. So my apologies to you for not getting your intentions right to start with. I was just responding to what I thought about this at the time. NO offense intended or taken. But I will say that it does appear rather dubious to come right out of the shoot on a forum with posts like this.

justtrying, sorry that you got offended especially since it had nothing to do with you. Hey, saying unflattering things about me ain't no big deal. I never said I was perfect. Far from it bro.

[Daren]

KC, I have been around the boards that long myself. Not fishing boards, I fish in my free time, forestry/saanother sitelling and wood industry related boards are where I visit to learn what I need to know for my business/passion. And I know the kinda guy you are talking about (that's why I got so huffy), we blow them off/kick them out or call them a "troll", a guy who is trolling for business and using our freindly forum as a place to market himself. That is what raised my hackles, being called a troll.

I am cool, I posted my reply to try and clear that little misunderstanding up.

I quess if I was posting all over this board "Hey look at me, I make pretty lures!" I could see getting called on it. I have only posted in the "tacklemaking" section. Not a logical spot to try to sell lures...to guys who are making them themselves (kinda like trying the sell the Good Humor man an ice cream cone).

I don't feel it was unusual to come right out and start asking questions about making/selling tackle...I got the impression that is what this section of the forum was for. I only have questions about tackle, I have been fishing my whole life and know what I think I need to about that, so the rest of the forum doesn't do much for me. Making and selling tackle is new to me and I joined here to learn. I would have not been suprised, and even invited it, if some guy posted a reply saying he has been making tackle for 20 years and I am doing it wrong.

I was going to let your last post slide as an apology and move on, but I didn't feel we were on the same page "But I will say that it does appear rather dubious to come right out of the shoot on a forum with posts like this."

so I wanted to clear that up too.

[Daren]

Before anyone asks, no I didn't catch that fish in the picture. Heck I am straining to hold it up, it would have pulled me in. I used to fish in Florida with my Grampa. The back of the picture says 1971, so I was 4-5 years old. The front says 9 1/4 lbs, he used to catch 10+ lbers pretty regular back then. We had a ball, look at the grin on my face. Man, there ain't anything more fun than taking a kid fishing. That was 35 years ago, I still remember days like that. Setting in the boat with Grampa, catching fish and eating bologna sandwiches and drinking Dr. Pepper.

[Keithscatch]

Daren,

OK, we are cool.

Just one thing, when you say the rest of the forum doesn't do much for you because you have been fishing all of your life. Can I say then that there are allot of young kids on this forum or those who are new to fishing, that can benefit from your fishing and life knowledge. To me that is allot of the reason I join forums. Not only do I enjoy learning from other seasoned anglers but I also like to help those who are just getting started and maybe even other seasoned anglers.

If in fact you don't feel that the rest of the forum can offer you anything, chime in anyway and help out another fellow fisherman. It is better to give then to receive anyway  

BTW, that is a nice picture. I myself lived in Florida that same time as a boy. I still have fond memories of Miami and the canal that was right behind my house. Here is to good times, past, present and future  

Take care Daren.

[RollONTwo]

I would like to say as I did in Daren's other post. Your lures are beautiful no doubt.

KC I dont think what you said was wrong. On forums we all read and intake things different. Any of us that post and even reads any forum need to have tough skin. People may not agree with everything everyone says but at least you said what you feel. That is real cool in my book.