10 Ways Marketing Is Like Fishing

There are many benefits to fishing. Sunshine, fresh air, and sometimes fishing turns into catching. On a recent outing with friends down on the river, we got skunked. However, we had a great time. We drank a few beers. We watched an osprey swoop down and catch a fish right in front of us. We also saw a majestic bald eagle hovering over the osprey’s nest, looking for an opportunity, when mama osprey left her chicks unattended to show off her fishing skills in front of us.

Perhaps the best part about fishing is it gives you time to think. And the grand idea that I came up with last weekend is “Marketing is like fishing.“

1. If you want to catch more of anything, you need the right bait. Customers respond to marketing that looks “delicious.” If your ads look “unappetizing,” then they probably won’t bite.
2. Fish bite when they’re hungry. So do customers. Timing is everything. Put your marketing messages in front of customers when they’re “hungry” (a.k.a. ready to shop/buy).
3. You need the right tools for both. A pole, hook, line, and sinker are the tools for fishing. In marketing, there are thousands of tools. Picking the right ones are very important.
4. Patience is key. You rarely catch a fish on the very first cast; the same is true with marketing. Be smart, but also be patient.
5. When you stop, you don’t catch anything. If you quit fishing and still expect the fish to jump into your boat, that’s silly. The same is true with marketing. You can’t stop the process and still expect results.
6. If they aren’t biting, move to a new fishing spot. If they aren’t biting, it’s pointless to sit there for hours and hours expecting a different result. In marketing, it’s smart to try a new spot – a new neighborhood, a different zip code, etc.
7. You catch one fish with a hook, but lots of fish with a net. The more lines you get in the water, the better the odds. Marketing is best done with a net. After all, if you just sent one email or direct mail piece at a time, you may not get good results. Use a bigger net and a bigger boat.
8. Fishing is a process; catching is the result. Some people forget that marketing is a process, and that sales are the result. Conflating marketing and sales is a bad idea.
9. Both are better as team sports. You can catch more if you have a team. No one ever rides out 60 miles to the Gulf Stream by themselves to land a tuna. It takes a team to find them, reel them in, haul them onto the boat, process the fish, and drive the boat home. Solo marketing is just as futile.
10. A professional guide always helps. The best fishing I’ve ever done is when I chartered a captain, a mate, and a boat. You’ll catch more with a marketing team, too. Just call me Captain Dave. LOL.