I did a FREE seminar at Wholesale Sports last spring, brought my Flathead Charter boat down, let people crawl all over it. Myself and another Mo Fisch guide spent three hours there, as well as the drive down and back. We did it for a number of reasons, mainly to draw attention to the Flathead Lake fishery and to drum up business for Mo Fish. They werent allowed to even advertise it, other than some in store posters and bag stuffers...We drew about 20-25 people maybe.
This winter I decided, no more freebies, if I am goping to take a day and drive a couple hundred miles to share my experience and expertise, I should get something out of it. For $75 I was planning to do a seminar or two and hang out all day...But apparently, thats not a good business decision for them, they will instead pay salespeople to stand around all day and answer a question or two...oh well, their decision.
As for Snappy's, you wont find much better service in the valley, no matter what the store. Yes, we may pay a little more, but you dont have the personnel turnover in Snappy's like you do elsewhere, and you have to pay( and treat) your people well if you want to retain them.
I enjoy doing the seminars at Snappy's and as a member of their Pro-Staff, thats one of the ways I give back to the store and to the customers. The Perch Assault tournaments wouldn't be what they have become without associating it with a good retailer like we have. You wont find better, more involved staff anywhere else, weather its the fishing dept, the gun dept, the show dept. etc.
There are some great on-line retailers out there and it is easy to save a buck or two here or there, but when you need something right now, or want to see it up close and personal, we have to have the local stores, so buy local whenever possible, and at least give them the chance to "make the deal".
