Tip of the Month
This month’s “Tip of the Month” is really more of an observation from the Gray Taxidermy Team. We spend a lot of time on the docks talking to a variety of captains and mates from all around the world.
It always seems to be in EVERY Marina we visit, there is always one or two “Over-Achievers.” These boats are very consistent at bringing in orders. We are constantly being asked, “How do they mount so many fish? Why do they get such great tips?” And those questions are usually followed by explanation; My boat gets different kinds of customers…. My boat only does repeat business - I can’t sell more mounts to the same customer... Being able to hang back on the dock and observe all the boats as well as captains and crews, we’ve noticed a couple of things. We see customers getting off boats at the end of a trip and exchanging e-mails with the crew, giving “high fives,” buying the boats T-shirts AND mounting fish!
Then there are those customers that as soon as the boat backs in the slip, they are in the air and on the dock - on their way to the car with very few words spoken. Many of us, having been in those situations, know it is sometimes easy to get tired – fed up with difficult customers or even lousy fishing for the day. But it seems that the crews we watch go out first thing in the morning (yes, we are at the dock at that time too) that are fired up, show excitement and understand that they are an entertainer for that trip – these are the guys that are making the big tip at the end of the day, and mounting more fish – they GET IT – this is Your Business!! Remember, no-one wants to commemorate a fishing trip (which was expensive) where they didn’t have any fun.
Engage your customer, exchange facebook pages, and most of all, make it fun for them – regardless of what you catch, they will come back, tell friends, give better tips and MOUNT MORE FISH. Of course, this is just our observations, and we really do want to help ALL our captains and mates to be successful, so we are simply passing on what we are seeing! A captain and mate from one of our top mounting boats recently said – “Customer engagement is simple…. when meeting the customers in the morning, immediately repeat their name back to them as you introduce yourself and refer to them all day by their name. It creates a bond – a friendship, and it shows at the end of the day with a happy, repeat customer, great tip and usually, a trophy mount. That makes them a friend in my book”!
It Works!
Did you read last month’s “Tip of the Month?” We know you did, because we heard from several Captains around the globe that called in with story after story about how they used this tip and it WORKED. More trips are being booked – More mounts are being turned in! We love to hear what works – keep the stories coming!
Tools for Success!
Gray Taxidermy’s goal is to support the charter industry by offering our assistance in mounting more fish to our captains and mates. We are continuously working in the field and on the docks listening to your thoughts and concerns. We understand how difficult it is to successfully run a charter business and the importance of having the proper tools to effectively get the job done. Your input and opinions are vital in the development of our new programs, and the new tools that can aid you in your business. With your feedback, we will know what works for you and where improvement is needed.
All of the following Gray Taxidermy tools were created using your feedback. We want to know, “WHAT DO YOU NEED?” Our pledge is to stand behind our agents but we require your thoughts and opinions to grow and better suit your needs.
Catch & Release Certificates
Now you can offer your customer a ‘Catch and Release Certificate’ with their trophy fish. We understand the difficulties of mounting a release fish and have created a certificate that you can give to your lucky customer. The benefits include but are not limited to the following:
* Another way to engage the customer in the catch and release process.
* Writing your name and the name of your boat on the certificate increases repeat business when
the certificate is hung in the customer’s home next to their trophy mount.
* Now you are giving the customer something other than just the invoice when they leave. They
have another way to remember their special day on the water fishing on your boat.
Catch Certificate
Now you can solidify the mount even with an edible fish!
* The “Catch Certificate” can be filled out for the customer maintaining a level of excitement about
their trophy catch even once the trip has ended and the fish has been fileted.
* Writing your name and the name of your boat on the certificate increases repeat business when
the certificate is hung in the customer’s home next to their trophy mount.
* Now you are giving the customer something other than just the invoice when they leave. They
have another way to remember their special day on the water fishing on your boat.
Trophy Flag
The Trophy Flag is another way of continuing the level of excitement that the customer felt when fighting their trophy fish. The flag is a tool to engage the customer in the process of building a bond between the angler and their fish. Trophy flags can also create a positive response to the changes in the fishing regulations for the public rather than viewed as another restriction. |
* When the fish is first caught and is near the boat, you can hold the flag while standing near their
fish for photos before the release.
* Fly your Flag proud whether it is a Catch and Release or a harvested fish, this is a proud moment for
your customer and it’s still another way to keep the excitement alive on the way in to the marina.
Let EVERYONE know you have a trophy catch today! The Best crews will help each other and come
around to support and cheer as you back in.
Gray Taxidermy Coupons
The Gray Taxidermy Coupons have been very successful in improving the relationship and level of trust between a captain and their customer. The coupons are a great tool for saving a mount when the customer is looking for a deal or is reluctant to spend more money. The coupons have proven to increase repeat business building customer relations.
* You are willing to use the coupons because they are regular customers and you want to offer them a deal because they are important to you.
Don’t miss out – if you don’t have them on your boat yet, or you want additional training in how to use these programs effectively, give us a phone call or email!
Gray Taxidermy's Captain of the Month
With the start up of this newsletter, we knew we wanted to highlight our captains and bring you information on what’s happening with Gray Taxidermy. The Captain of the Month and the Mate of the Month program has been a big hit!
The determination of Captain of the month comes from a random drawing. Each month, for every order placed with Gray Taxidermy, the captain’s name will be entered in a drawing. At the end of the month, one name will be drawn from all entries.
The winner will be featured in the following month’s newsletter as the Captain of the Month, and will be awarded REACTORS GRAVITON 2 watch (The Official Watch of Gray Taxidermy) as well as a Trophy plaque with an engraved plate showing them as Captain of month. And if you’re wondering – yes, you can win with only one order! Get as many orders in as you can to increase your chances!
We would like to recognize and applaud the involvement of our sponsors of both of these programs. As mentioned, REACTOR Watches have given us a really cool watch to give away to our Captain of the Month for each newsletter. Costa Del Mar also stepped up to supply a pair of Sunglasses for the Mate of the Month. It’s really awesome each month to get the names pulled and let the winners know! So keep up the good work!
Another Sponsor we want to thank is Pelagic! They have stood behind every program for Captains and Mates, and they understand how important you guys are to their business. They will continue to support the guys who work in the trade and We Love It! Way To Go Pelagic!! So, BIG Thanks to all these sponsors for believing in Gray Taxidermy and our Captains!
Click to Check Out Previous Winners from 2011
The March "Captain of the Month" is Captain Paul Paolucci
Captain of the “Foxsea” out of A Dock at Bahia Mar, in Ft. Lauderdale, started fishing in the Rio Vista canals in 1980.
“I would fish every day before school. I always wanted to sportfish for a living. My parents told me I was crazy and I had to go to college. I earned my B.S. in Economics from the University of Florida in 1999.” “I began working in the business world and hated every minute of it! I took a job working at LMR Tackle in 2000. That was like fishing college. I learned how to rig everything but I still wanted to fish every day.
In 2007 I decided that I wanted to get my captain’s license and start fishing for a living after charter fishing Christmas week with Captain Kent Smith. Once I gained complete mastery of the many fishing techniques practiced by the Ft. Lauderdale Charter Fleet, I finally discovered what I was doing - I was making dreams come true while sportfishing. I still enjoy every minute of it”
“People will tell you all the time that you can’t do something, if you don’t try, you won’t know. One secret to how I’m doing this is - I always wear two pair of socks. It makes you a little taller and more confident, which helps sales, and makes your feet feel better when it’s rough out. Good luck and Tight Lines to anyone trying to make a living fishing. Put every line out like your gonna make $500 on it and you will catch a lot more fish and be a lot happier at the end of every day.” Capt. Paul did have one more piece of advice, but sometimes, I need to edit… Congrats Capt. Paul!!!
Mate of the Month… Capt. John "J.J." Logan!
J.J. is a native Floridian, living in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Like many Floridians living on the coast, he was introduced early to fishing. His grandfather, who he grew up fishing with, was a charter boat captain. J.J. is a third generation fisherman that has been doing business with Gray Taxidermy for over 20 years, so we know him well – Congratulations, J.J.!
Over the last 50 years, Gray Taxidermy has had the pleasure of knowing and working with so many captains and mates all over the country, so it was great to hear from J.J., “I have really come to appreciate the wonderful friendships and business relationship that has grown over the years. Thanks to everyone up at the office”!
J.J. will be awarded a plaque from Gray Taxidermy naming him as Mate of the Month as well as a pair of Blue Mirror 580 Fathom sunglasses from Costa Del Mar. The winner each month is determined from a random drawing from ALL orders submitted from the previous month. So get in as many orders as you can to help your chances!
Catch and Release Doesn't Kill a Mount
Here in South Florida, it’s most apparent to us the techniques being used to mount fish. The south-east Florida coast line has been riddled with restrictions on many species. The true experts in the mount business wasted no time perfecting the “Release Mount.” Our South Florida sailfish and shark season are in full swing and I can’t believe the stories from Palm Beach, to the Keys!
Guys are boasting of the numbers of release mounts they are doing. At Bahia Mar, Haulover and Sailfish Marina, the words are ringing through “No More Sharks to Wreck my Boat,” “No more dealing with those stinky things and the customers are happy”! Our hats are off to you for changing with the times! Now that the shark fishery is almost all catch and release, you are still engaging the customers and mounting their catch!
Our numbers of shark ‘release’ mounts are higher than ever before and it is all due to your hard work and ability to adapt. It’s really cool to see the crews using the Release Certificates, Trophy Flags and GT Coupons to aid in the mounting process. Thank you!
Sandy Einiger – A 38 Year Legacy at Gray Taxidermy
Sandy was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Sandy comes from a merchant family who owned and operated the Gabila Knish Company, which was also located in Brooklyn, NY. She was able to re-locate to the Miami Beach area with her family in the early 70’s. Sandy resided in Surfside with her husband and two sons, Warren and Kenny. As her kids grew, she felt it time to re-enter the workforce. Her friend saw an ad for Gray Taxidermy and suggested that Sandy apply. In 1974, she interviewed with Bill Gray and was hired! Sandy quotes, “I thought it was a taxi company” when she was hired. Gray Taxidermy at that time mounted animals as well as fish and Sandy was in awe at the product line. For the first few years she couldn’t believe what came through the door!
In the mid 70’s Gray Taxidermy was a small family business and Bill Gray was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. At that time Bill and Lois lived in the back of the property on Oakland Park Blvd. Bill and Lois realized the importance of building relationships with Captains and Sandy was there, always focused on the needs of our captains. Sandy felt a bond with every captain and often referred to them as “My Captains.” As the business grew and developed, Bill and Lois began traveling to develop new areas; Sandy really took care of the captain needs here in Florida. She always understood the personal side of our business.
In 1992, the business moved to Pompano Beach, Florida, and as we grew, Sandy remained in a captain liaison role as well as handling specific areas such as Oregon Inlet, Cancun, Mexico, and of course, Hawaii where she still maintains relationships with many captains whose families she would consider her close, personal friends. Sandy always made sure the guys in the field had all of the tools they needed and no matter where you fished, you could probably catch a “Say hello to Sandy” from the guys on the dock. Many thought she had her favorites, but she loved them all. She would often help them write up the orders, give pricing and even chat with our customers.
Along with her true passion for the business and Sandy’s love for the Captains and mates she made some very special relationships here at Gray. Sandy is quick to point out her love for the families of Bill and Lois, Ian and Susan, and Leo and Linda – and all of their kids, having seen each birth throughout the years. Sandy also feels a love for the whole gang here at the shop, mentoring Little Leo, Lisa, Vick and many more as she watched them grow over the years.
We at Gray Taxidermy are a family business and Sandy will always be family to us! We are so happy she is enjoying herself with friends and family these days and are proud to celebrate the long legacy of our friend, Sandy.
PS: she asked that we list all of her beloved Captains and friends in this newsletter, however there is no way we could come up with that much space – so, from Sandy: “I love you all”!!
You Love Fishing... Now Like us on Facebook!
 It is now easier than ever to reach us. Whether you are looking for product information, a cool video, product related answers to give to your customers or just connect with fellow anglers, you can now do so by visiting any of our online social sites. Find Us Here: Facebook.com/GrayTaxidermy Twitter.com/GrayTaxidermy YouTube.com/GraysTaxidermy |
