August NewsWaves
Table of Contents
5 Ways You Can Help Us Reach 60 in 60
While RBFF’s R3 guidelines, which will be pivotal in the path to reaching 60 million anglers, are still months away from being finalized, there are plenty of ways each and every member of the boating and fishing community can get us on the right track to meet that exceptional mark.
Today, state agencies, manufacturers, retailers, media and non-profits alike can all take meaningful steps to help us get on track to reach 60 million anglers. While certainly not comprehensive, here are just a few ways you can make a difference now:
RBFF has readily-available, free resources to help you more strategically and effectively conduct recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts.
- Research on industry trends, audiences and programs to better guide your outreach efforts.
- Did you know?
- Adults with children in their households participated in fishing at higher levels than those without. Learn more about who’s fishing and who you should be targeting in ourSpecial Report on Fishing.
- The most significant obstacle to boat ownership among Hispanics is the perception of affordability. Learn more about the barriers you should address in your outreach in our Hispanic Boating Path to Purchase Research.
- To improve the customer experience in your retail store, you should invest in employee sales and customer service training. Learn why in our Retail Customer Experience Assessment.
- Marketing materials (logos, photos, PSAs, etc.) to help build awareness with new audiences and engagement with existing audiences.
- Dynamic “how to” and “where to” information and educational videos to help break down barriers for new participants and/or engage existing customers.
- Webinars on various R3 tactics (email, social media, reaching new audiences, etc.).
- Event planning materials and promotional opportunities to support your angler and boater recruitment and engagement efforts.
- Direct Mail & Email Marketing Toolkit to reactivate lapsed anglers.
- Additional ideas:
- George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund
- Donate to the Fund to help fund state and local initiatives that focus on engaging Hispanic families – the fastest growing U.S. demographic – in fishing, boating and conservation activities.
- If your state is a grant recipient, match the funds 3:1 for additional impact.
- Donate equipment and/or gear to groups like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts to ensure children who are actively participating in outdoor activities are introduced to the sport.
- Encourage your local high school to start an after-school fishing club and donate gear as needed.
WHO BENEFITS FROM 60 IN 60?
We all benefit from 60 in 60! Increases in participation mean:
- More customers for your business
- More fishing license and boat registration purchases
- Increased tackle and equipment sales
- More funds for states to protect our aquatic natural resources and the wildlife they sustain through fish stocking, habitat management, fish surveys and research, boat ramp management and more.
Reaching 60 million anglers would have an incredible impact on our industry, our natural resources and the individuals and families who so enjoy their time on the water. More specifically, attaining this goal could mean a $200 million annual increase in license sales and funds for resource management and conservation and an extra $35 billion annual increase in economic contributions from anglers. Additionally, this increase in fishing participation would lead to greater boating participation to the tune of an estimated 7.5 million participants, who would generate an extra $10 billion in economic contributions. Why should you support 60 in 60? Learn more at RBFF.org/60in60.
Georgia Reactivation Program Shows Impressive Results
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division partnered with RBFF on an effort to bring lapsed anglers back to the water. Utilizing RBFF’s Direct Mail and Email Marketing Toolkit to Reactivate Lapsed Anglers, Georgia sent emails to anglers who had previously purchased any fishing privilege in the past, but not subsequently. With the help of RBFF’s free resources, the agency was able to see impressive results across the board, with total revenue from the program exceeding $171,000.
Georgia’s lapsed anglers were split in to two subgroups: (1) Those who haven’t purchased a license in less than five years and; (2) Those who have gone more than five years without purchasing a license. Results for each group are as follows:
- Emails sent to anglers less than five years lapsed:
- 112,069 emails sent
- 4,782 licenses sold
- 4.27% response rate
- $77,991 in revenue
- Lifetime Licenses sold: 8
- Emails sent to anglers more than five years lapsed:
- 95,203 emails sent
- 5,015 licenses sold
- 5.27% response rate
- $93,481 in revenue
- Lifetime Licenses sold: 19
- Total revenue from both audiences: $171,472
Every agency can begin implementing these free resources today by downloading the Marketing Toolkit and direct mail and email template files. Outlined in the Toolkit are the steps for running a successful campaign, including choosing the preferred messaging, working within your database to determine which anglers to target and sending the appropriate messages to targeted lists.
In addition to this successful reactivation campaign, RBFF and Georgia have partnered on a year-long First Time License Buyers Retention Pilot Program. While final results are still several weeks away, we can preliminarily report an average renewal rate of 18.8%, resulting in 1,857 license sold to date. More details will be shared at the upcoming Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies annual meeting.
RBFF Education Fund Gets Boost from Cabela’s Outdoor Fund
Cabela’s Outdoor Fund has generously granted $75,000 to the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund to help increase awareness and participation of fishing, boating and conservation activities through grassroots programs, classes and on-the-water activities held in high-density Hispanic communities.
“Support from important industry organizations such as Cabela’s Outdoor Fund is very encouraging,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “The Hispanic audience keeps getting bigger in terms of sheer size and spending power, and it’s imperative that we educate and encourage them to participate in fishing and boating from a young age.”
Our recently-released Special Report on Fishing shows progress is being made in engaging Hispanics in fishing and boating, however, this audience is still underrepresented in outdoor activity overall. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics currently make up 17 percent of the U.S. population (55 million), and are projected to grow to 20 percent of the U.S. population by 2020. In comparison, out of 46 million total anglers, 3.4 million are Hispanic, representing only 7 percent of all anglers in the U.S.
“The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the George H.W. Bush Vamos A PescarTM Education Fund have done an outstanding job introducing families and entire communities to conservation, fishing and boating,” said Scott Wanetka, vice president of Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. “Cabela’s Outdoor Fund appreciates the positive impact they’ve had on the communities they serve, and we are proud to support their efforts.”
The George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund was initiated with a $125,000 donation from Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny Morris to bring conservation education and fishing and boating experiences to Hispanic families in key metro areas. With the help of similar donations from other individuals, companies and associations, the Fund supports local programs to engage the entire family in fishing and boating, and focuses on multiple engagements rather than one-day events to foster long-term participation in the sport. Earlier this year, the first grantees of the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund were announced at an event held at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas.
More information about the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund, including how you can contribute, is available at TakeMeFishing.org/educationfund. More information about Vamos A Pescar and all of RBFF’s programs and products is available at TakeMeFishing.org/corporate.