The Fish and Lake Improvement Program for the Parkland Region

History   Strategy   Water Quality   Fishery Improvement  Marketing  

 

Marketing

Marketing is a major component of the FLIPPR strategy.  Promotion is key to re-establishing, maintaining and enhancing the fly-fishing industry in the Region.  In order for local and foreign fishermen to become aware of the quality of the facilities available in the Region, an extensive marketing crusade is required.  The campaign wdivides into two components.  The first deals with attracting fishing enthusiasts to the Region.  It focuses on the advantages of the Region including size of trout, abundance of fish and wildlife as well as the quality of accommodations.  In addition, the strategy is multi-faceted using a variety of media including print, radio, television and Internet.

The second component of the strategy focuses on local residents and the community for donations to the project since they ultimately are the ones to profit either through better fishing or fiscally. 

Promotion Outside Region  

In part this component of the marketing strategy for FLIPPR is similar to past efforts of the Region.  The area was successful in using a variety of media during the initial enticement of fishermen to the Region including attracting three television shows that highlighted the fishing prospects of the area:

•  The Complete Angler shown in Western Canada

•  Outdoor Life Network shown in the United States

•  Tony Dean Outdoors shown in Northern US and Canada  

•  An Annual Parkland Trout Festival

•  Hosting of World-Class events such as the Canadian Flyfishing Championships (2003)

In earlier days, The Tony Dean Outdoors show was of particular benefit as this very popular television program, concentrated in the United States immediately south of Manitoba as far as Oklahoma, Illinois and Montana, provided a significant and immediate impact.  After the Dean Show, local campgrounds bore many US license plates and of those that were interviewed all mentioned the Tony Dean Show as being the reason why they had come to the area.  

Given the explosion in the use of the Internet and its relatively inexpensive costs, FLIPPR continues a strategy of marketing that includes extensive use of this medium.  Monies are allocated to enlarge and improve current website information to ensure maximum exposure and benefit from the World Wide Web.

Finally, in addition to TV and Internet promotion, paper media, trade shows and sponsorships will be incorporated into an overall marketing strategy at some point. FLIPPR personnel may attend popular tourism shows in the USA to promote the area face to face with prospective fly fishing travelers. Efforts are already in progress with Travel Manitoba in this regard and will continue.

A magazine article on the entire region was featured in the 1999 summer issue of the Canadian Fly Fisher, a national Canadian fly-fishing magazine. Fly Fishermen Magazine, the leading USA Fly Fishing magazine is also very interested in sending one of their leading writers to the area.

Continued efforts to ensure promotion within leading Canadian and American fly-fishing magazines will be crucial.

Promotion within Region

Although the attraction of foreign fly-fishermen is vital to the success and expansion of the industry, a key will be local education and knowledge.  A strategy designed to increase local interest and knowledge in the industry will be implemented.  Well-informed locals will make better hosts for visiting tourists and better custodians of the natural resource.

This strategy will include information sessions for the public on the recreational and economic benefits and opportunities for the Region from fly-fishing. The establishment of a monthly news article in local papers would also be a means of disseminating information about the industry at some point.

A Trout Festival

While FLIPPR is a non-profit entity, we obviously need to raise funds annually to carry out the various projects outlined. One of the ways this was accomplished in the past was a Trout Festival.  This was and in future, when a Parkland community is interested in hosting it, will continue to be a mini conclave as is held annually throughout the USA for various chapters of the FFF, the Federation of Fly Fishers.

Such a festival offers booth space available for members of the fly-fishing trade to display their wares, a host of professional fly tyers who  display the ways and means of tying various patterns, an annual banquet, a fly-fishing youth school and various contests.

Overall

In order to be successful, FLIPPR must develop a marketing strategy that will bring together local, provincial and national resources and allow for extensive promotion within and outside of Canada.  A strong marketing strategy will ensure the success of the venture and protect the investment made by partner government and private organizations.