Services Offered By RBI To Its Members

RBI schedules and runs print advertising in upscale magazines and magazines with widespread distribution. Quality advertisements prepared specifically to attract the reader, educate him or her regarding the benefits of custom rods and encourage purchase and ownership. Advertisements are trialed in a variety of magazines and, based on responses received, repeat ads are scheduled where the success is most probable.

Advertisements focus on educating the fishing public on the benefits of owning and fishing with a custom built rod. Emphasis is placed on the value, performance and enjoyment derived from being the owner of a custom built rod. Particular attention is placed on dispelling the numerous myths and misunderstandings surrounding the design and construction of fishing rods.

RBI Web Site

RBI manages a web site dedicated to the promotion of custom rod building, attracting potential clients and cataloging best practices.

Online classes

RBI provides members access to a collection of online classes delivered over the Internet to your home or shop. Classes cover all aspects of custom rod building, business operation and effective customer service practices.

RBI strives to enhance the profession of custom rod building by making available educational opportunities for rod builders to increase their knowledge of rod building and small business operation. Cataloging best practices, creating educational seminars, printed material and web based instructional courses for the veteran rod builder, and the novice, are methods employed to advance the professionalism in our craft.

Ensuring that adequate business and customer service training is available for those who pursue rod building as their professional life to assure the best possible opportunity for a successful business venture is another primary goal. Owning and operating a small business requires, at minimum, knowledge of the basics of business management and customer service to be successful. Cataloging best practices from the business management side of our profession and assembling and creating instructional materials related to successful business operation will provide our members with the tools for long term success. In many ways, creating a stable and successful business will also help make you a better rod builder.

Onsite Promotion of Custom Rod Building

RBI provides printed materials, demonstrations, reference materials, etc. to members for use in their shop, at organized outdoor shows and events, for distribution to rod building or fishing clubs, at fishing tournaments and to organized youth groups.

Encouraging Clinics, Seminars and Public Forums

To enhance the image of custom rod building and provide opportunities for education of the fishing public, RBI strongly encourages members to conduct or participate in rod building clinics, fishing demonstrations, outdoor conferences, seminars and public forums. Custom rod building always generates a very high level of interest within the fishing public and the more we participate, the better informed our potential clients will be.

Periodic Progress Reports

RBI provides regular progress reports to members regarding marketing, referral and continuing educational activities. Reports in the form of a periodic newsletter, published articles and open discussion topics on existing forums are designed to keep members up to date and aware of the value returned for the fees provided.

Identification of potential clients

We actively solicit potential clients in all advertising, gather information regarding the custom rod they want designed and built, compare their requirements to the skills and experience in our member database and match rod builders with potential clients. Described in each advertisement is a free service that refers a potential client to an RBI member rod builder with expertise required to build the type of rod desired or within the same geographical region. RBI will gather data from the potential client and refer the request to professional members.

Matching clients with member builders

RBI provides a service to members that pairs potential clients with member rod builders who have the skills and experience necessary to deliver the custom fishing rod(s) desired by the client. Not everyone is able to establish a positive relationship with every single potential client. Not everyone has a schedule opening that allows booking a new client or meeting the time constraints imposed by the client. RBI will present the client request to multiple members simultaneously and allow you to determine whether or not to pursue the project.

Builder Directory

RBI maintains on its web site a directory of member rod builders, both professional and hobby builders. The directory is useful to members in locating other rod builders with similar specialties or interests. The professional directory is open to viewing by potential clients in the event they wish to select a custom rod builder without the aid of the RBI referral service.

Mentoring Opportunities

RBI assists members in searching for a mentor in developing a particular skill or set of skills. Member rod builders can receive one-on-one assistance from experienced members in learning a new technique. Members may also receive individual assistance in business practices and management techniques as needed to enhance their professional operations.

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