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Targeting the Outdoor Enthusiast

Targeting the Outdoor Enthusiast

By Stephanie Vatalaro

Oct 17, 2022

As we look to grow fishing and boating participation, RBFF spends a lot of time, energy and budget on creating angler and boater “newbies.” But who should we be targeting to convert?

As we look to grow fishing and boating participation, RBFF spends a lot of time, energy and budget on creating angler and boater “newbies.” But who should we be targeting to convert?

 

To answer that question, let’s look at our research. According to the 2022 Special Report on Fishing:

  • Nearly 4 out of 5 anglers participate in additional outdoor activities outside of fishing
  • New anglers are 40% more likely than continuing participants to say fishing was part of a larger trip or outdoor activity
  • 46% of first-time anglers also went camping last year
  • More than half of new participants saw fishing as an opportunity to spend more time outside.

 

With that data in mind, we’ve been cross marketing with other outdoor and general lifestyle content to draw in new audiences. On TakeMeFishing.org, we share blog posts that attract people who enjoy camping, hiking or biking, but maybe don’t fish or boat yet:

 

We’ve found it more effective to target outdoor enthusiasts rather than homebodies as the former already have an awareness and interest in the outdoors, we just need to move them down the funnel into consideration and action. Kudos to Orvis for featuring a group of women using e-bikes to get to their fishing spot in a recent catalog (nearly 1/3 of female anglers also enjoyed biking in 2021). And to Zebco who has a whole section on their website dedicated to fishing crossover activities such as hiking, camping, and biking.

 

Now it’s your turn to give it a try! Share our content from Take Me Fishing’s blog and social channels or create your own to help convert more outdoors enthusiasts into active anglers and boaters.

Stephanie Vatalaro
Stephanie Vatalaro
Stephanie Vatalaro is vice president of communications for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation and its Take Me Fishing and Vamos A Pescar campaigns where she works to recruit newcomers to recreational fishing and boating and increase awareness of aquatic conservation. Stephanie grew up in the Florida Keys as the daughter of a flats fishing guide. Outside of work, you can find her fishing and boating with her family on the Potomac River in the Northern Neck of Virginia.