Getting customers

[foakes]

All of the above are very good ideas —

Early on, what worked for me also —

* Do seminars at shops or tackle shows showing folks how to service their own reels — most will not want to bother, and will just bring their tackle to you in a week or two, after they see all of the tiny complicated parts.  Adult schools also offer opportunities.

*  Go into tackle and sports stores, talk to the owner or manager by introducing yourself and asking if he has any personal reels needing service or repair.  Then offer to do his for free — just to show what you can do.  You would be surprised how many times this approach results in a LOT of business — as well as crates of old reels coming out of the back room and given to you free of charge.

*  Set up a mobile trailer, signs, and table at the launching ramp on opening days or busy fishing times.  Have a couple or urns of free coffee available for folks.  Reel service & repair.

*  One caution —don't get caught up in the fishing stories — be polite, but don't let the braggarts dominate your time when there are other folks waiting to ask you questions.  Pay attention to your customers, lookers, and the motives for your business.

There are very few folks doing this craft any more — and yet it is appreciated by many folks.

Best,

Fred

[Reel 224]

West: I have started a business many years ago of gun smith shop, It took a lot of work getting my name out there. What helped me along was I belonged to a gun club and was a known for my pistol shooting in the NRA pistol matches, word of mouth and business cards really helped.

Now I've started Rod building for customers and some reel repair I had I sign made for my truck and cards, when ever we go fishing I take my truck and hand out cards. It has worked but slowly. Personally I do more rods then reels but if your staring out you will get there.

It was suggested that you get you name out to boat captains, most in my area have people that have been with them for years and it's hard to get there business. Here they want to cut your price or no deal. I have not been willing to do that.

Joe   

[akfish]

One more thing: You need to go all in in the sense that you should stock up on parts so that you can tell customers that you can get their reels out in just a couple days. If you have to order parts, you're adding at a week or two to their wait. No one likes that. I also put a one season warranty on my work and will fix any reel that comes back unless there is corrosion.

[RamseyReelRepair]

Thanks guys. I can always count on Joe and Fred to help me out with some great advice. I'm a little Leary about sticking up on parts right now because I don't know what the main reels I will be working on will be. Thoughts?

West

[steelfish]

.....Be careful it will become a job at times.
Keith

hey West, careful for what you wish
follor Keith advices, once they (reels) start to show up dont get caught on pretending to do in time more than what you actually could do.


you might not know, I live in Baja, Mexico (born and raised here), I never really wanted to "have" a sidejob as reel repair guy (Im an CPA accountant by day and reel/rod repair by night), but in my small town the guys that were/are the local reel repair guys I didnt really liked their job, sending my reels to another city to an un-known reel shop was not an option as either was sending my reels to USA it was expensive and time consuming, so I opted to learn to fix my reels, thats when I found the Boss Alantani few years ago (almost 10 years now), then, without knowing it, I was fixing reels from my close fishing friends, then I attended a local fishing club meetings to give some tips on reel maintenance, that brought me some new friends equal to more work but I tell them that I will need to charge a minimal fee to recover cost of material cuz I bought my materials and tools from USA (expensive once shipped and converted to USD vs Pesos), they agree, then I started to get reels from friends of my friends that werent my "direct" friends, so, thats when a charged a normal fee per reel and I started to see some spare money for paying for my drug cuz Im a fishing addict, more lures and new reels appeared on my fishing cabinet  .
then while I was buying a pizza I knew a local guy which was owner of a local fishing charter, I gave them one of my reel reapair business cards and BOOM, the next day I had 10 reels on my front porch for repair, not much money for a living but those reels were $150-$200 job pending to collect yay!! and then that same guy recommended me to one of his friend, which was the owner of his competition charter boats, they liked my job better than the current known local reel repair guy, so I had another 5 to 10 reels every month, plus the ones from my friends, etc, etc.

thing got worse 2 years ago, when I told them I was also now repairing fishing rods with the best materials and components "a la par" (at part) with my reel's job quality.
so, that brought me lots of fishing rods to fix and restore and I was having hard time to comply with the estimated days to get the job done (I was taking more jobs that what I was actually able to do), so, I had to start with a new policy on my side-bussines, Im not accepting rush jobs anymore, I still working like this nowadays cuz I still enjoy fixing reels and rods and dont want to feel it as a job ( I have a normal job for that), if you want a fishig reel/rod fix it on a rush time frame you will have to pay my prime cost hour as a CPA, no one is accepting that so, now everyone is agree to leave me the reels and rods and let me work at my own time with the promess that I will repair it the same way I will fix it for myself or even better.
Im not bragging or feel "proud" of this way to working but Im simply dont want to change this part of the hobby for having real reel repair job that I MUST have to do on certain hours and days.

my normal daylight job is already leaving me too little free time, I dont want another job that kills my current spare time for family and fishing, even working that way I have enough reel and rod jobs to keep me busy for many weeks in a row now, but to tell the true the really best part of this "side job" are all the new friends I have made on this new actitivy, now I have more and better quality fishing toys, more fishing trips invitations and more friends than ever.

so, back to your original question, wait some time so the word on quality job spread for itself and fast, customer service = treat your customers the best way you would like to be treaten as a king (this really work), enjoy what you do and give plenty of guarranty on your jobs and this is really important even if it looks suspicious.

this is my motto in reel/rod repair... it works

[foakes]

Stocking parts is important, as a pro like Bill knows so well.

Having said that, until I really had a feel for the types of reels I enjoy working on, and what needs work in my area — I would be wary of stocking too many parts unless they were pretty common maintenance parts like drag washers, bail springs, level line mechanisms, etc.

I have thousands of new old stock parts that I haven't ever touched in 25 years.  Got to be careful, because the $$$ get high real quick — and if a client needs a part or two, usually down here in the lower 48, it can be sourced in a week or less.  Too many $$$ tied up in inventory is a major issue until you get your feet under you, and have a better idea of the need.  Even then, parts can be ordered.

Simple services requiring bearings, drags, washers, etc. — are easy enough to have in stock without a major cash outlay.  

Plus, I didn't want to mention this — but this repair work may or may not fit into your life.  That needs to be worked out first over a period of time, experience, and other priorities in your life.

Just my opinions...

Best,

Fred

[Alto Mare]

West, try to do a great job all the time and they will come to you, no need to hunt them down.
They will know how to find you.

Sal

[RamseyReelRepair]

Thanks guys I appreciate the input. Fred is there a red flag you have seen that may lead you to think this isn't a good fit for me? Full time or part time it doesn't matter to me.

West

[foakes]

Thanks guys I appreciate the input. Fred is there a red flag you have seen that may lead you to think this isn't a good fit for me? Full time or part time it doesn't matter to me.

West

Just that very, very few guys make a living at this reel repair craft.

Generally, it is a hobby that hopefully will pay for itself, and offer a little income.

If you are relying on this for a source of income, usually another profession is required for your main source of income.  I only know of two or three folks on our site who do this full time as their main source of income.

All of the others have a full time other profession or job.

Much like farmers — unless you are a giant corporate operation — you still need a main job working for someone else or yourself — that puts beans on the table, pays life's bills, provides shelter, benefits and health insurance, and a future possibility of retirement.

Everyone is different though.  So no red flags, just caution about doing something you love as the main source of your income.

You likely have all of this dialed in and figured out — this is just information for others who may want to follow this path.

Best,

Fred

[RamseyReelRepair]

Thanks Fred. I'm actually in land surveying so I'm hoping to just supplement but if it becomes more I'm good with that too. Appreciate the heads up though.

West

[foakes]

Excellent, West —

There is an old joke about business — sort of goes like this (pick your profession):

"If you want to make a small fortune in the (reel repair business) — start with a large one".

And as for the rest, do what you love — hopefully in your hobby as well as your main profession.

You are wise to ask questions — and experience, patience, and planning will be your guideposts.

Your passion will make you successful.  And money $$$ is a poor yardstick for real success.

All the Best,

Fred

[xjchad]

And money $$$ is a poor yardstick for real success.

All the Best,

Fred

Best thing I've heard in a long time. 
Thank you for the reminder Fred!

[RamseyReelRepair]

And money $$$ is a poor yardstick for real success.

All the Best,

Fred

I love it thanks

West

[Reel 224]

West; You have gotten some good advice from a bunch of people, Here is my advice. Do quality work don't compromise your work to do cheep for sake of getting more business. Be honest with people, and most of all study as much as you can to learn about the trade along with that love of it or leave it. If you don't love your work you will always be so-so at best.

I would follow Fred's advice with going slow to figure out what reels are the most popular with you and also you have to look at customer volume. (spinning or conventional). IMHO.

Joe

[RamseyReelRepair]

Thanks Joe I always appreciate your input. I'll do my best with every reel as if it were my own.

West