Episode 127: Are Big Trade Shows Still Worth It For Lodge Owners

The floor may be buzzing, but the best trade show wins often happen in quiet moments—over a handshake, a shared story, or a thoughtful follow-up that arrives right when someone is ready to book. We open up about the early missteps, the pressure to sell fast, and why we chose a different path built on trust, clear expectations, and experiences we could control.

Rather than pushing deposits, we focused on unique selling points that never go out of style: great food with a sit-down lunch, comfortable cabins, and an atmosphere guests wanted to return to. We dig into the tools that turned browsers into warm leads—simple giveaways with clean consent, consistent emails that deliver value, and visual storytelling that works even when you step out of the booth. If you’ve ever wondered whether a packed bookings book is real or just theatre, you’ll appreciate our commitment to underpromise and overdeliver, which kept satisfaction high and repeat visits strong.

The real multiplier came from networking. We share how meeting TV hosts, writers, tournament anglers, and tourism leaders led to televised visits that filled calendars and boosted search visibility. Saying yes to last-minute media, then delivering a flawless stay, paid off far more than squeezing a few walk-up deposits. We also cover the operational side: aligning staff language, avoiding costly mixed messages, and building a simple follow-up system so promising conversations don’t go cold. If you’re a lodge owner, outfitter, or small tourism operator weighing show costs against digital marketing, this story gives you a practical blueprint for turning trade shows into relationship engines that pay off all year.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s prepping for trade show season, and leave a quick review with your best booth tip—we’d love to learn what works for you.

Transcript

Trade Shows In A New Year

SPEAKER_02 0:06

And the other thing that I did that was very um that was very helpful is design a way to collect leads and design a way that you can um draw people to your booth out of all of the other people's booths. And and not only that, also a mailing list with information. Um I would always do a giveaway, and that giveaway over the years, it was always um a trip to the lodge for free. And in return, all you had to do was fill out a ballot. This week on the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Networks, Diaries of a Lodge Owner, Stories of the North. With the new year underway and the trade show season kicking off, we're taking a closer look at the trade show scene and asking a question that every lodge owner has thought about at some point. Are today's big trade shows still as relevant as they used to be? On this show, I'll share why I didn't jump into the trade show circuit head first, and how for me, these events were less about the sales pitch and more about the networking and relationship building. Because sometimes the real value of a trade show isn't just the foot traffic. It's in the handshakes, the conversations, the relationships that grow long after the booths are packed up. So step behind the booth with me as we talk about trade shows in the digital age and how they can be used not just for booking guests, but as a tool for building foundational relationships. After all, the bricks and mortar in the foundation of every great business are the relationships that we build. Hello, folks, and welcome to another episode of Diaries of a Lodge Owner Stories of the North. Well, I want to wish all of you a very, very happy new year and uh all the best in 2026 as we kick off another year. Man, I can't even believe how fast they roll on. Um, it's uh it's amazing. But I'm looking forward to uh to another year and uh a lot of uh uh awesome challenges and and different things going on, and I certainly hope that all of you are are uh in the same boat. Um but you know what the new year brings in the lodging uh industry is um trade show season. And I thought I'd talk a little bit about trade shows and um and uh give you some insights on on what trade shows were like for me and for from my perspective and and how they worked. And um I remember when I bought the lodge, I hadn't even been, I went to look at the lodge the year before I bought it, um, at the end of the uh 2009 season. Um, and then I ended up buying it in uh early December of 2009, and I did my first two trade shows without even being at the lodge and um I uh I was nervous. Um I ended up getting a hand-me-down booth from one of the uh companies that uh I did work for through the sheet metal shop. Um, and they were back in those days, like the you know, the mid-2000s, and this booth was definitely an early 2000s booth. It was a monster, it was a dinosaur compared to what um what we've got today. Like today, it's bing bang boom, and and you've got walls and things pop up and beautiful looking uh artwork and and all of that stuff. Uh back in those days, it was uh to set up your booth was a process, man. It was it was a it was work. Um, but I was excited. I thought these trade shows were gonna be dynamite, like so much fun, you know. Um, and um I got this booth and I built it up and and uh this was in my garage to kind of refurbish it to fit my my uh business. And I didn't have a whole lot of pictures of my own. I was relying on stuff that uh Jerry, the old lodge owner, had left me. And um, you know, I didn't even have video or anything at the time. Um, so I set this booth up and I went to my first trade show. And um what an eye-opening experience. Um back then it was the uh the first one that I did was the the Toronto Sportsman Show. And the sportsman show then was like a five-day um affair. It uh doors opened on Wednesday and uh closed up on uh Sunday. And um you it like I mean, you go back into the uh 90s, like this was a seven-day thing. But um, so I I embarked on my first trade show, the Toronto Sportsman show. I paid for my booth uh area, went in, uh, got things all set up. And like I say, it took me near a day to to get it set up the way that I wanted it. And um I quickly found that um I didn't enjoy trade shows like I thought I was gonna enjoy trade shows. And I love people, I really do. Um, and that first one, I guess it was it was still pretty good uh for me. Um uh the new experience. Um the owner before uh Jerry, his name was Tony Stenson, and um Brian Dykstra, the real estate agent that sold me um well that represented myself and um Jerry, uh put me in contact with um with Tony Um first and foremost to he he said pick Tony's brain on people that used to come. And you know, you gotta you gotta flip every stone when you're trying to to book a lodge and you know, um, so Tony actually come to the sportsman show to see me, and um uh this is a great uh illustration of uh how the different generations from sports shows um um were. And uh the first thing and Tony, when he came to see me back in 2010, would have been um in his late 70s, early 80s, uh probably late 70s, or in really great shape. Like the man was in great shape. Um, and um uh his last trade show would have been um 1996 when he sold the the lodge to uh to Jerry. Um and uh the first question he asked me was where do you hide the beer? And I said, What? He said, Yeah, yeah, like where do you hide the beer? Like uh where where where's all the beer? And I said, I don't have any beer, Tony. What are you talking about? He said, Well, back in the day, we all had, you know, and behind the curtain there, there'd be a cooler full of beer, and everybody would drink beer all day. And I said, You gotta be kidding me, really? He's like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, no joke. Like, I mean, we drink beer and drink quite a bit. We'd even give beer to our guests, like the ones that come to see them year after year. Like it's that that is one that it that's a great thing about trade shows, and and still lives strong today, is it gives you an opportunity to see the people that are that are loyal guests and uh to to interact with them as well as try and sell you know pedal your wares. But um, I was like, oh my god, Tony, no, but that's uh to me at that time in my life, I was like, oh, that would be so freaking awesome. But nobody did it. Like there was nobody, well, like I mean, there were there were guys that would go to the beer gardens and and um, you know, or out to the truck and and had some beer or or alcoholic beverages outside of the booth, right? And there was always the uh the lodge owners that um that overindulged themselves, but nothing like what uh Tony was talking about. But uh it was uh it was a that was a great meeting to meet Tony and and uh his reputation was uh was uh preceded him. And and um once you met him, he was larger than life. Um and um I could I could see why he was so successful for so long, from the early 70s right to uh the um the late 90s, he owned Chaudiere. Um but uh there was Tony and then the other thing that I'll that I'll mention before we get into the the meat and potatoes of everything. Uh um the one thing that I remember vividly to this day, right? Um and and uh um was very valuable. Um there was a fellow that had a booth right next door to me, and his name, I believe, was Mike Apron, and I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing it right, and I'm not uh I would love for Mike to be listening, but he owned a um trailer parkslash cottages on it was um Rice Lake, I'm I'm sure, one of the core of the lakes, but I'm 99% sure it was Rice Lake somewhere. But um he saw me and I, you know, sweating and not knowing, and he knew I was greener than green. And um he came over and said hello, and and uh um I started talking to him and and I was just um um ears and eyes wide open. I had no idea what to expect, really. I'd never done anything like that. And um I only and and I had um Sonia Jensen. I uh I had Sonia come down and work in my in in the booth with me. Um she was a girl I went to high school with, and uh she worked at Hunter Steel as a receptionist at the time. And um uh I knew Sonia, I knew her from high school, but really got to know her well when she was at Hunter Steel and I had the sheet metal shop. So um she knew I was doing this trade show and she said, Well, hey, I'll come and help, you know, and and at that point I was anybody that wanted to help, I was in. So the pair of us were down there greener than green, and Mike would um uh and he knew um and uh he'd tell stories and ask questions, and he's the the he said, like at one point he said, uh uh like what are you doing? You know, what what possessed you at your age, and I was 32, 33, um, what possessed you to buy a fishing lodge? I'm like, well, I just you know I was sick of being a sheet metal mechanic. I, you know, I'm I'm I'm just this is what I this is what I want to do. And he's like, you are crazy. You're crazy. And then I started telling him that I had, you know, three kids under the age of four and and my wife, actually it was two with one on the way, but the timeline doesn't doesn't it's irrelevant at this point, but um he's like, You have a young family and you're you you jumped into this. He said, Well, I I've I've I respect your balls, but you know, um, and then he he come up to me and he said he uh he he hooked me with the classic um uh joke for lodge owners. And because I was so green, I fell, I I got her hook line and sinker. And uh he came over to me real serious and he says, uh Steve, you know how a lodge owner makes a million bucks? And I'm thinking, uh not a clue, but I really want to know. That's the you know, that's what I uh that's my aspiration. I need to know this. And he looked at me and he grinned and he said, You gotta start with two. And I and I'm thinking, gotta start with two, two what? And then it dawned on me, you gotta start with two million, and then you're gonna lose a million, and that's how you make a million. You don't actually make a million. Going through all this in my mind, I'm like, oh, that's no good. And he was laughing and laughing, and and we joked around the whole five days, and then at the end of the of the trade show, um, and he was a big guy, like he was probably three or four inches taller than me, built and and big old hands. And and he came up to me when I was getting, I was taking the booth apart and the show's over and everything else. And and he's he looked me in the eye and and put his big hand on my shoulder and he said, Steve, I've been I've been thinking all week, and um, I've been in this business for over 20 years, and I really want to give you a piece of advice that um that that will mean something to you that will help you become successful. And I was a little skeptical, like I mean, he already got me with uh how do you make a million bucks deal? So, but this was a little bit different. This was this was our parting our parting um um conversation, and um, so I'm like, I any anything that you can that you can tell me that might help, I am all ears, Mike. And um he said to me, he said, listen, there are two kinds of lodge owners, and only one of them survive. There's the ones that drink and the ones that don't. Make sure you make the right choice. And I looked at him and I thought a bit and I felt a little bit like I had to kind of defend myself. Well, not even defend myself. It just the thought of because I was like when I was in high school and and um in my um early adult life, um, I I did drink. Uh I you know, on on weekends I'd uh I'd party, uh, especially when there was no kids around. Once you get kids, it kind of slows you down. But you know, I'd go out and have drinks and stuff like that, maybe twice a month at that point, and you know, light her up. Uh and I said, Well, no, you know, that'll never happen to me. Like, I mean, I'm I'm good. I don't, I don't drink. It's uh it's good. And he looked at me, he said, Steve, don't forget what I said. Just do me that favor and don't forget what I said. And then uh we shook hands. I give him a big hug and uh and uh we parted ways. And and um just to wrap up that thought, I um it was probably um one of the most important pieces of information that I could have got. Um not that I I think that I would have fallen into um into a an alcoholic um uh state and and lose everything, but when you start to really look, and I didn't realize this until after I got into the um trenches of the business, I didn't realize how prevalent alcoholism was and probably still is in that industry. Um it's very stressful. Um you're always trying to keep people happy. Um every day for your guests is holiday, and everybody wants to see and talk to you. And and and I wanted that. I wanted people to come and see me and and I wanted to share an experience that was second to none with everybody. And because of that, I made friends with every person, well, 99.9999% of the people, and you know the ones that that I had issues with. Um, but I made uh I was friends with everybody, bottom line. And even if you're not, if you're the lodge owner, the first thing that happens is your guests roll in, especially rip returning guests, will roll in, they'll hit the dock, they've already um uh had um um uh a great uh introduction, reintroduction with the dock hands. And now they're on the dock and they're looking for the owner and there's Steve, how you doing? I haven't seen you for a year. Come on down here and have a beer. And it's nine o'clock in the morning, and and um, and uh they're all in it because as soon as you know, half of them would crack a beer on the dirt road on the way in, um, and uh, and then you know, get over to the dock, and all of a sudden, once you hit the dock, for a lot of these, you know, corporate groups and guy groups and and uh even sometimes couple groups or whatever, they're they're they're partying and they want you to come down and hug and you know um catch up and and uh here's a beer. And for a guy who who is under um stress because, you know, of the things that your guests don't see, right? The prime rib didn't make it in on the last order, or um, you know, the the the gas is is so low because the co-op uh uh they uh they wouldn't come down the Dokkeys Road because it rained so bad, it washed out a part of the road and it was so rough they wouldn't come. And now I'm now you're worried about boats uh running out of gas and everything else, and that stress level is huge. It would be very easy for a fella to indulge in that. And um I I I can honestly say I never did that way. There were a few guests who, when they came, and once Cole was there, and and once I had um uh a really solid staff that that could handle the business, uh Uh, I would go and have have a few drinks with a couple of people, um, but not much. Um, but that piece of information was huge. And all I can tell you is if you're a lodge owner, uh, and all you lodge owners out there know that um you could be wasted by four o'clock in the afternoon every day and not pay a cent, you know. It's just um there's the and then it's a vicious circle, you know. And everybody, well, not everybody, but there's there's business and uh owners out there and lodge owners out there who have fallen into that trap. And then all of a sudden they're the instead of being the uh the person that people want to hang out with all of the, you know, all of a sudden it's he that person is now a beggar. And um that's when businesses um spiral right out of control, right? But anyway, sorry, uh that was uh that was just a a uh a thought that came through my mind when uh when I started talking trade shows. When you're in the wilds of northwestern Ontario, you need gear you can trust and a team that's got your back. That's Lakeside Marine in Red Lake, Ontario, family-owned since 1988. They're your go-to pro-camp dealer, built for the North. From the Amaha boats and motors to everything in between. We don't just sell you here, we stand behind it. Lakeside Marine. Rugged, reliable, ready.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

And I'm Pete Bowman. Now you might know us as the hosts of Canada's favorite fishing show, but now we're hosting a podcast. That's right. Every Thursday, Ans and I will be right here in your ears, bringing you a brand new episode of Outdoor Journal Radio. Hmm. Now, what are we going to talk about for two hours every week? Well, you know there's gonna be a lot of fishing.

SPEAKER_07 22:20

I knew exactly where those fish were going to be and how to catch them, and they were easy to catch.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

Yeah, but it's not just a fishing show. We're going to be talking to people from all facets of the outdoors.

SPEAKER_06 22:30

From athletes, all the other guys would go golfing. Me and Garchomp Turk, and all the Russians would go fishing.

SPEAKER_07 22:37

The scientists. Now that we're reforesting or anything, it's the perfect transmission environment for line with these chefs.

SPEAKER_04 22:46

If any game isn't cooked properly, marinated for you will taste it.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

And whoever else will pick up the phone. Wherever you are, Outdoor Journal Radio seeks to answer the questions and tell the stories of all those who enjoy being outside. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Unique Selling Points Beyond Fishing

Storytelling, Visuals, And Lead Capture

Giveaways, Mailing Lists, And Draws

Networking With Media And Industry

How Free Media Built The Lodge

Last-Minute TV Shoot And Overbooking

Trading Short-Term Revenue For Exposure

Say Yes To Media, Then Deliver

Follow Up On Leads Or Lose Them

Final Thoughts And Thanks

SPEAKER_02 23:31

In the years that I owned the lodge, they were something that I really couldn't do. I did a few. I did uh I did usually one, sometimes two a year. Um, but the relevancy of uh of it made no difference to me because Melissa was at home with young kids all summer, right? Uh thankfully she was a teacher back in those days, and she was well supported too, and she did a wonderful job with the kids, right? But in those early years, like I mean, I wasn't home much from May until November, really. Um, and uh once I did get home, there was no way that I number one wanted to, or number two, could look Melissa in the eyes and say, Yeah, I'm home for a month, I gotta get ready, and I'm going on the road for another six or seven weeks to do six or seven trade shows, like they did back in the day. That's when, you know, uh it was truly a family business because wife and kids traveled, because if you didn't, you would never see each other. Like uh uh it was it's it it's a grueling grind to do those trade shows. So were they relevant for me? No. Did I did I make them work? Yes. Did I find a way to get around um the lack of me doing trade shows? Yes, I did. But not every business and not every person would have been um capable or would have wanted to do things the way that I did them. So I do believe that back then and even now, there is there is definitely a place for trade shows. And the few trade shows that I did do were very productive for me in in a in a in a few ways. Um and um um some of the things that that you need to do at trade shows. And I would for me after seeing the the I don't want to call it cutthroat, but the selling that went on at trade shows, I realized that I am not a salesperson. I uh well, I shouldn't say that. In a sense, I am. I build relationships, I I um I I tell the truth. Um, and and in that first year when I was when I started, I didn't even know what the truth, like what the fishery was like at the lodge. So I couldn't I couldn't very well tell people like the and the question always was back then, especially in those days. Walleye was king, walleye was the the um walleye was gold. If you didn't have walleye, you better have really, really big fish, because people came for walleye and um and they wanted big ones and they wanted lots of them. And uh I would people would ask me, even years after I I did that first show, um, well, can I catch um you know 26 to 30 inchers? And I'd say, well, there are 26 to 30, even 31 or 32 inchers caught on Lake Nipissing every year. But if you want me to tell you that you're going to come and catch a 30-inch walleye, uh I can't do that. I'm not sure anybody here can do that, but I can't do that. And um, I'd watch those people talk and you'd you'd chat and and and everything else. And and I didn't I didn't know how to effectively give them bad news, but still reel them in. Um, where people I would watch these these people that I just talked to walk across the hallway to another booth, and I would see the book come out and people would uh would be signing up. And I just I was like, I don't even know how this happens. Like I, you know, it doesn't look that doesn't look any different to me over there, and I don't know what they're telling them. But you know, and and this was this is another little piece of of um, I don't know if you want to call it advice or what, um, technique maybe. Um, I remember about my third year. I finally after, and I didn't really, I don't think I ever took a deposit at a trade show. Mind you, I only did one to two a year, but I don't think I ever in all 10 years, I don't think I ever took a deposit at a trade show. Um, but I remember going up to this fella and saying, I I don't your your techniques are awesome because I uh I I watched him sign up in like two hours. He pulled out his bookings book and he had people written in there. He probably had six bookings, and all people that I talked to prior to them booking with him. And uh I said, I don't understand how you're so efficient at booking these people. And he looked at me and he said, Um, where's your booking? Oh, and I said to him, I said, I'm scared to pull my bookings book out like at this time because it's the the the bookings book is freaking empty. You know, I don't want people to see the bookings book like shit. I you know, in January, February, at that on those days, I was, you know, the book was awful light, to say the least. And um, he looked at me and he laughed. He said, You don't bring out your real bookings book, dummy. I'm like, what? You don't bring out your real bookings book. You bring out a bookings book from two years ago that's near full, and you make sure you've only got one or two spots. I I said, huh. Yeah, he said, that way, you know, when they're when you tell them they got a book now or it's gonna be gone, I'm gonna sell it to the guy next door or the guy next guy that's coming up. And then he said, you know, you get people when when you when you catch one and people see people signing that you're putting them in the book and they're passing over money all of a sudden, you know, they're like they're like smallmouth bass. They see that there's bass over there eating, and then they want to come and see what they're eating. And then all of a sudden, you're you you sell them, you you tell them, you know, if you don't book now, you're not getting in. You might be able to, I can book you in for next year, but hey, listen, and if I don't book it on this trade show, I got four more coming down the line. So, you know what? If you want that week in July, you better jump on it. And I was like, oh my God. That was for me, that was um as close to lying as you could get, really. And I thought to myself, I don't, I don't like this whole I'm not a high pressure salesman. I I choose to to undersell and overperform because for me, um, and he was one of the guys that was like, oh yeah, you can catch all kinds of walleye. Don't worry about it. 30 inches, no problem, right? And then you get there, and yeah, you got them once, but if it doesn't work out perfectly, which it could, like, I mean, there were lots of times when people come and caught 30-inch walleye, but there were more times when people didn't and didn't didn't like I mean, if I had have gone and and answered all of the people's questions with yes, no problem, there would have been so few guests that come to Shaudi Air and actually um got a experience that lived up to what I said. And I didn't want that for longevity. I want people to come back. I want I want people to come and experience something that they can't wait to get back to. I don't want to build up expectations for people by telling by by by overselling and underachieving. That's the fastest way like that you can lose guests. And I don't know, maybe people do well doing it, but I I didn't. So um that that leads me into what how I treated trade shows. And um I tried, I always tried to to highlight um unique selling points. You had to pull it out. So I learned very quickly that one of the unique selling points that I could I could um I could capitalize on and control was the food, right? I would I would um use food as a um selling point, as a feature. And one of the simple things that I didn't even realize, I just went by what Jerry's model was. Um there's not many lodges, even today, that um do a sit-down lunch. Um, a lot of them are bagged lunch, box lunch, out you go, see you later. Here's your you know, shore lunch kit or whatever. But I did I did a full proper lunch meal um and made sure that the food was outstanding. And that is that was that's a that's a unique selling point. Everybody's got a unique selling point. So when you're when you're at a trade show and you've got your business there, isolate those unique selling points. Yes, I actually do have a good population of very big walleye and numbers. That's a unique selling point. You know, I have geodasic domes, and you can watch the stars when you're sleeping at night. That's a unique selling point. You gotta isolate those and um sell that kind of stuff. Um, but I never sold. I chose not to sell. I I I went in with the intention that I was not going to actually physically sell um experiences in that moment. I just wanted to share the experiences that I've had that other guests have had, um, and and you know, um tell stories. Um and there's there's lots of ways to tell stories, and especially at these trade shows where they can become monotonous, believe me. Standing on your feet behind a um uh a table for 12, 13, 14 hours a day um is a is and and talking to people, which is great. I love talking to people, and that's why storytelling was important. Uh, but you always answer the same questions, right? And you need a break. So storytelling, not only is it personal. I had a guest in the booth every every once in a while, right? I had I had guys who come up, and they were friends of mine, right? Um, who come up and experienced it. And then they would just sit there and talk to people about um about uh their experiences and and um they knew enough to to to give you information on how much it is and that kind of stuff, but that wasn't why they were there. They were there to hand out a brochure and talk about their experience at Chaudi Air. Um the other thing in the booth that tells stories is great visuals. And today, not like back then. Like, I mean, I remember I had to I had to reinforce the back wall because I bolted a television onto the onto this wall, and and I was running these um uh I made DVDs and had a DVD burner and and you know I had the very first episode that the Fish in Canada show did at Chaudi Air, I run, I run that thing on a loop constantly. And then, you know, you have pictures and and um and and all of that stuff, but today it's so much easier, right? The TVs are light, they they it's all a pop-up thing, but it's all about the visuals, it's all about the storytelling, and you can have videos on TVs telling whatever story you want people to see when you're not there, constantly running. Not that you know you'll probably maybe make more bookings if you're there because people want to meet you, right? Um, but have those visuals there, and the other thing that I did that was very um that was very helpful is design a way to collect leads and design a way that you can um draw people to your booth out of all of the other people's booths. And um for me, and and not only that, also a mailing list with information. Um, I would always do a giveaway. And that giveaway over the years, it ranged from you know uh a full week for two people to um uh uh uh a weekend for two, a weekend for four, three days for four, but it was always um a trip to the lodge for free. And in return, all you had to do was fill out a ballot. And on that ballot, for the ballot to be counted, you needed to provide your full name because I need to know who you are, um, your uh contact information, because if you win, I'm just drawing it out of a hat. Actually, on YouTube, you can go and you can see one of the ones. Ange um was up on my second year, and he drew a name out of the out of a hat. It was actually um uh a fine person who turned into uh um uh a dock hand um and uh uh after that. But uh um you can go and see all of that stuff. Um and that was the hook for me. That was hey, you want to win a trip to Chaudiere? You know, come on over. Uh, I'll tell you a little bit about it, or go out into the into the aisle and say, hey, there's a there's a um uh uh draw for a trip coming up here. Um go check it out and fill out the the um uh Um, fill out the the information, your ballot. And that gave me the opportunity to rather than say, Hey sir, hey ma'am, do you want to come to show the air? Come on over here. Let me talk to you. Right? That was very unnatural for me. Um it was, it was, it was totally unnatural. And um, um, so that's what I did. And like I say, you never know what's gonna happen with those people. Like that, that Doc Han that that Ange drew the name, his name is Jake Monk. And uh uh I'm pretty sure Jake's been a guest on on the show. And uh he he uh years later, he come that first um uh he might have been the first winner or the second winner of of one of these trips, but um he came up as a as a young teen and then worked for me for a couple of years, you know. So you never know how that's gonna go. But bottom line is you're getting leads. You're not booking people per se right away, but you're getting leads, you're getting you're getting um information that you can then um um um market to. Now you gotta have that little box on the bottom that asks permission to to to would you like to receive future deal, blah blah blah for Shaudi Air. And you know, if they don't check that, then obviously you well, actually, it was the opposite. You had a box that says if you don't want to receive, because that way if people miss it or don't see it or whatever, you at least get that first shot, right? So that was always a very important um thing for me. Um, and then you know, I didn't really go with a big team of people, um, not rec like recently with um the outdoor journal radio tel um podcast uh um network and the Fish in Canada television show. We've done some pretty big um trade shows and and booze at the sportsman show, right? So that's a whole different thing, but it doesn't matter whether you're going with one person, um uh with a guest, you gotta you gotta really um prepare everybody so that you're conveying the same messages, you're telling, you're giving the same information. You know what I mean? Because there's nothing worse than than somebody saying something and then that not being right, and then now as the owner, where am I? Somebody comes up and says, Hey, I talked to your guy. He said that um live bait is free. Well, live bait's not free, and then now because they've got the the potential guest has got that information from an employee, whether you're paying them or not, they're a representative of your business. Now you're in a bit of a predicament. What do I do? Do I provide it for these people for free? Do you know, and then you run the risk of of other people finding out, well, they got it for free. Why didn't I get it for free? You know, it's just it's just a a terrible, terrible can of worms that that can be um opened. And believe me, I I've been there. Um, and not only at trade shows, you need to be prepared at trade shows, but you also have to have your staff on site prepared. You're you know, that goes without saying. But that was um um that was one of the uh the the strategies that I used uh to to try and not convert in the moment. I was I I I I knew I wasn't good at converting in the moment, nor did I want to become good in the moment if that's the way that you had to be good. Um so my my my mentality was a more long-term mentality where I could go and and um uh get people's information, be able to, you know, soft sell them with uh with um um a quarterly email to let people know what was going on, a fun draw, you know, that was always a good way to get another email in. The draw is going to be held um on um uh January or uh say uh July 15th of uh this year. Um tune into the YouTube channel and and we'll send you a link. So that was always an easy send, right? You draw the name, I would record it, uh put it onto YouTube, onto the a YouTube page for Shaudiere, and then uh embed that link into an email that I would blast out to everybody. And that one was always open because obviously, if you put your name in the draw, you want to know if you're gonna if you win, right? So that was always a way to to you know crack the shell, crack the shell, crack the shell, slow and sure. Wonder what this show de air stuff is all about. Maybe he's got another draw. And I would do different things like that, even at the lodge. I had a uh a CPR catch photo release um uh contest that always that always uh uh went, and I would do two or three of them a year where guests would go out, uh any big fish, they would put the the the and uh um um uh a 25-inch walleye, for instance, qualified. You take a picture of your 25-inch walleye with every picture that I get, your name goes into the hat. And honestly, folks, I didn't care if it was 25 inches, as long as it was even half decently close, and I knew that that fish was going back in the water because they had to take a picture of them holding the fish, which went to my website, which is content, and they had to take a picture of that fish swimming away or them releasing it. It's a win-win-win-win-win-win for everybody, right? So, and their name goes in the hat, and then that hat that gets drawn. And at the end of the week or the end of a month, then you know, there's a a muskie bait for uh that somebody wins. And again, it's another link to all of your people, and they get to see who won. And you know, it's it's one of those snowballing effect um deals, right? But going back to the um trade shows, probably and and you know, um, probably one of the or the biggest asset for me was networking and building relationships. And um I had already I was lucky enough to already have um somewhat of a relationship with the Fish in Canada television show through the last call um uh reality TV fishing show that I was a part of in the early 2000s. And um I got to know Ange and uh uh Pete um at those not so much at the trade shows, but we were acquaintances back in those first in those early days. And you folks, you know the story about how I had them come up and and shoot that first show and and we become fast friends, right? So when I was at the um uh and I had no clue how um tourism or anything worked uh in Ontario back then, not a clue. Um, but I knew that if I could get um a television show like Fish in Canada to come and shoot, um, there's other television shows out there. There's there's authors, there's um um um, you know, magazine uh uh um authors and and uh um all of the the the who's who in the tournament fishing world. And you know, I I went and introduced myself to them all. That's why video in your booth is is important because I spent more time out of the booth than I did in the booth. But that's beside the point. That was me. But I went and introduced myself to Charlie Ray at the time. He had a he had one of the the big three or four television uh fishing shows in the in the country, Fishful Thinking. Hey Charlie, my name's Steve Nidzwicky, and I just bought a lodge on the upper French River called Chaudier Lodge, and I would love to have you up anytime. And I would preface it with, you know, whether or not you shoot, I don't care. Just know that if you want to come up and you want to see the facility, if you uh if you've got family to bring, um, you know, you're more than welcome. That's on me. I'd love for you to come. And also, and this was always the hook, because you know, when people come and and say, hey, come see my place, I'll let you stay for free, there's always, you know, it depends. Like, I mean, when you're in the business, you're you're wanting to you're wanting to um um sell your products and sell commercials and and that kind of thing. So I would say, hey, and also if you've got any charity events or you need a um a giveaway for something, um, let me know because I've got um I'll give you uh, you know, a three-night stay at Chaudi Air for two, and and uh that's uh that's on the house, and you can donate that to a charity or do whatever you gotta do with it. Well, through all of that, I got to know the the um television hosts, all of the uh all of the the um um authors, I got to know, you know, the the fishermen, um, the Charlie uh uh Cro or the the the um big Jim McLaughlin's of the world and and uh Dave Chong's of the world, and you know, um Rocky Crawford's of the world, and these these guys start to talk, right? And and once you build a good relationship with them and you have fun with them, and you know, funny enough, I mentioned uh Rocky, um, great guy. Uh and in those early years, like I mean, I really didn't know a lot about those early tournament anglers because I was young. Uh I was watching I was watching uh the Fish in Canada television show and Babazumi's Real Fishing. Meanwhile, they're involved in the tournament uh side of things, but um Rocky at the time was a big tournament angler and a very well-accomplished um um um figure in the fishing world. And um uh the first year I I met Rocky and and uh we got along great. It was really um a wonderful uh he's a great guy. And then I don't know, the second year or the third year, I hadn't seen him in a year. And um Charlie Ray and Rocky, they kind of look alike a little bit. And Rocky, if you're listening, uh I'm sorry, buddy, uh to this day. I still feel bad. But anyway, I saw Rocky uh at the at the um sportsman show, and I knew it was Rocky. I went up and I, you know, said a big hello and and grabbed his hand and I said, Hey Charlie, how you doing? And he knew exactly who I was this uh uh who I meant uh with Charlie Ray. And um he said it's Rocky Crawford, and uh he was he was a little offended by that, and I felt awful, I felt terrible, right? But yeah, he was he was a little offended. I I could see it in his eyes, and I could, you know, it was uh it sucked. Sorry, sorry, uh Rocky. Uh I really knew it was you. It was I knew it wasn't Charlie, but Charlie came out for whatever reason. But um, it's all about that networking. It's all about and then Ange introduced me to uh Tourism Ontario and and uh um to all of the the people involved with tourism Ontario and I got to to kind of learn, you know, uh that uh Jimmy at the time, Jimmy Grayston, and and again go back and meet Jimmy. We did a great uh podcast um uh about a year ago. Um, but once you get to know the people inside the business and inside tourism and inside all of the all of the the um different organizations, Nodo and and uh, you know, um, you get to understand how the cogs begin to turn, and then you know, you get to understand how to how to help them. And that was always my intention. Um, it was always a symbiotic relationship that I wanted to provide. I did never want to um come across as someone who was um taking advantage of the system or you know, wanting, wanting, wanting, never giving anything, right? And um, and that's how I got so many television shows uh shot at the lodge was getting to know Jimmy. And, you know, uh at the time and even to this day, you would be surprised, honestly, at how many owners will not take advantage of a some most well a s uh uh I'm gonna say it, a free television show. Now, it's not uh totally free in a sense that when we go to a fishing lodge in Ontario, Ontario foots our bill, right? They pay us to go to see Steve at Shaudi Air. And we go uh shoot a television show, and all Steve has to do is provide the crew with number one accommodations, obviously, and you want to. You want to show them your best accommodations. They're the they're a they're a television show, right? They're the people that are gonna trumpet your your worth to the world. Provide them your best, you know, accommodation, provide them with food, right? And at the time for me, I looked at that as free because my accommodations weren't always full, right? I had to have the same amount of food, whether there was, you know, 30 or 35. I would provide a boat for a second boat if need be. I would give them guides if need be, right? Provide the television show with the best experience that you can provide so they can trump it into the world. And I can't even, I I'm I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how many experiences I had with the Fish in Canada television show after selling show de air and in a position where I was calling lodge owners and saying, Hey, you want to um uh the to do a fish in Canada show? Number one, you know, you as a lodge owner, you should know who the fish in Canada television show is, um, which there were a few of those. And number two, the answer should be hell's yeah, absolutely. And um a lot of them were, yeah, but when are you gonna come? Well, I would say, well, the best time to come is the best time that you can show us um your greatest fishing. Like, you know, we should the best time to come is is when there's great fishing, or when there's a species that you want to highlight. Okay. Um, well, that's uh that's all right. Well, where are you gonna stay? Or are the or I would get um uh the uh the cottages are uh are two thousand dollars uh a week, or and I would say, well, yeah, that's not um exactly how it works. Um we're going to come and and do a a show for you for free, but in return, you're gonna need to feed us and put us in one of your uh cottages or accommodate us. And they would just say, Yeah, no, I uh no, no, no, that's that's not gonna work for me. And I'd say, What? Yeah, no, I um I uh it's not gonna work for me. And those were out of those those lodge owners that were difficult, well, that didn't know, um, those were the good ones. You want to know what the bad ones were? They would say, Okay, yeah, no problem. And this is where I cashed in on um um a number of the 28 television shows that I had shot at Chaudi Air, was they would say, Yeah, okay, no problem. They'd book um book us in to uh come and do a show. And I can't remember that this hasn't happened, well, I don't think it has anyway, since I started shooting um full time with Fish in Canada in 2019. But there were a ton of the of this particular situation that happened uh when I was on Show de Air, and you would have uh Bob Azumi or Charlie Ray or whoever, um they would have a uh a shoot booked with a operator in a week or two weeks or three weeks before your the the show is due to arrive, but so before Bob's due to arrive, they phone and say, Yeah, sorry, bud, we got no room for you. What do you mean you got no room for me? Yeah, we got no room for you. Well, I'll tell you what that means. That means that they booked the television show into the accommodation in the second week of July or whenever it might be. They filled up all of their other cottages, and now they've got an inquiry, they've got somebody that wants to come, and they're starting, they're they're they're gonna lose real revenue, right? That cottage could it that cottage is gonna make them 2,000 bucks if they if they. Book it to Joe Blow and now I've got to give it to the fishing show for free. Wow. I lose it. I snap. Like the the the the the the shorts. Well, thank you. Thank you all very much because the short-sightedness of that lodge owner built mine. Built mine. I had Jimmy call me, uh, it was like the second or third week of July. And um, he said, hey, and I and again, I would tell Jim, the you know, Tourism Ontario, hey, anything that I can do to help you, I'm there for you because I really appreciate what you're doing for me and every other um um uh business in Ontario that's in the that that uh lodge owners all all alike, all the boats rise with the tide. So Jimmy takes me up on this, right? He phoned me up. Uh this is like say Thursday. Hey Steve. Uh can you you remember when uh you said you would you you you'd help me out when I need a hand? I said, Yes, Jim, absolutely. Yes, one hundred percent. What do you what what's going on? He said, Well, what's your occupancy looking like for Monday through Thursday? I said, Monday through Thursday. So Monday through Thursday, when? Like what week, what month? He said, no, no, like Monday. Like this is Thursday, like in four days. I said, I said, oh, I looked, I quickly flipped through my book and I already knew. I flipped through the book and I'm like, uh, yep, um, it's okay. Why? What's up? He said, Well, um, Bob is looking for a place to shoot. And um, I said, Okay, um Bob Zumi? He said, Yeah, yeah. Something come up with uh the location, which is the situation that I just told you. I guarantee it. I don't know for sure, and I don't know what the the who it was, and I doubt Bob would even remember, or Jim for that matter. But I was like, Oh, so you need need to provide Bob Azumi a place to shoot for next week. Yeah, Steve, you know, you'd be really I before he got the words out of his mouth, and I knew that I was booked solid, I said, yes, no problem, Jim, done. I it done before I even thought about how I was gonna fix this problem. So I hung up the phone. Now I have the real fishing show, and you can go on on on uh YouTube and watch it. It was one of the one of the better shows. Like Ange and I have done some beauties, but as far take fish in Canada out of it, I think it was the best show that um that um that I was involved with um for uh a multitude of reasons. It was a wonderful show. Um uh it was it was j it was go watch it. It's a it's a good watch. Um, but um so now I'm left with a fairly major conundrum. I'm full, and now I've got Babazumi's real fishing show coming in four days, and I have to like everything that I had said before about providing a um uh the best experience that you can provide. Now I have to do that, and I have nowhere to do it in. I can't put Babazumi in the staff quarters, nor can I put any of my guests in the staff quarters. Tried that once and it didn't work out very good at all. That was the first time that I had uh you always, as a lodge owner, think, oh, it's I just can't wait to be overbooked. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no. First time you're overbooked, you realize it is not fun. But anyway, so I'm thinking, what am I gonna do? And I figured, well, we gotta just buy, I gotta buy my way out of this. So I looked at every group coming in and phoned the the um the group leader, and um, and this was my this was my um um my offer. I said, hey, listen, um, you don't have to take this offer at all. Um, I know this is very short notice, but um, I'm wondering if you could reschedule your trip starting on Saturday or Sunday, whatever it was, however it fit, whatever cottage fit that time frame that I needed for Bob. And I said, if you can reschedule your trip to any other time that I have available between now and the end of this year, I'll give you your trip for free. Like I'll give it to you. So now not only am I am I if I was to be a Neanderthal and and look at the revenue, um uh I shouldn't say Neanderthal, maybe there's some guys that really can't can't afford to to give up that the little bit of revenue for the long-term gain. But at that point, the business is not going the business is going to fail. But um, you know, so I was losing the revenue that um I was getting from the from that week, plus I wasn't getting the revenue from the next week that I gave that group for free, but worth every penny, worth every penny and worth it in spades. So and and it it come down to the wire. Um, I finally and it and it was I I should have I should have uh not panicked and just started calling everybody. I should have looked into who um who it was and started with these guys because they were all retired, right? I didn't know the story behind all of the other people, but I got to a group of of four guys and and um retired and and phoned them and said, Hey, listen, Rod, um I'm wondering if you could um uh and and don't feel obligated. Do not feel obligated at all. But I'm wondering if you could reschedule your trip coming up on Sunday or whatever it was. Uh and um if you can, I'll give you that trip for free anytime this year. Just all you need is to reschedule. And he said, wait a minute. So you're saying that if we don't come this Monday, um, but we come the following Monday, and I said, Well, just hold on. Uh, let me grab my book. I looked and sure enough, I had the the space the following week. He said, I come the following week. My trip and everybody and our group's trip is free. I said, Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I got Bob Azumi coming in. Um, it's a favor for you know, I told him I told him the truth. And he said, You're damn right, Steve. Sign us up. I don't even need to talk to them old boys. We're coming on. We'll come, we'll see you next Monday. And um, and that's how I fit Bob in. Um and that, and again, that that that's how I built my business. There that wasn't the only time that stuff happened. And and I urge you guys out there, any lodge owners or any time that you can trade for media exposure or or um uh have people like that in um do it, do it, do it, do it. Whether it's uh YouTube, bloggers, um, you know, all of these guys, it's all media, right? You never know where you're going to um where you're gonna where you're gonna um be exposed to people and who's going to be interested and and how that all unfolds. You just gotta get your feet in the water and and and and get your name out there. And then just finally, um, to wrap up the uh the the trade show um um season or talk, um I said networking for me was the important most important thing, which uh I'm gonna say it was, but this is a very close, if not tied, second. And that is follow up on your leads. Put strategies in place so that you can follow up on your leads. Because and I was guilty of this. I would go to these trade shows, I'd have a giveaway, and then uh, you know, back then it was pretty, it was it was pretty labor intensive, I'll say, because when I was doing giveaways and people were filling out ballots, they were actually filling out ballots. Like, I mean, they were handwriting their email address and phone number on a piece of paper with their name, which if I wanted to take advantage of the information that I was collecting, I had to then physically sit down in front of a computer with, you know, two or three thousand pieces of paper with people's names on them and physically transcribe that into the computer. And I'm pretty sure I didn't get them all done. There might be a few out there that I that I missed, right? Um, but put together an accurate and reliable strategy to follow up on your leads, especially the real leads. Never mind the the the ones that I was just talking about, um, which you which you should do that too, building your mailing list, um using that, but the real leads, like the people that leave you a um um uh a card. A lot of a lot of people back then and maybe still today walk around with a card that has their information on them that they'll pass over, or notes that you have made, right? You have a group of guys, the Lancasters, they walk up and and they're very interested, but didn't pull the uh pull the trigger, and they uh, you know, they say, Well, you know what, we'll get back to you. And then you say, Okay, no problem. Bill, uh, Mr. Lancaster, um, can I get your phone number? Yeah, yeah, sure, no problem. Write down the phone number. Call that guy, call that guy, right? Follow up on those leads. Again, I don't claim to be um the best guy with doing all of that stuff. Um, but it's extremely important. If you're gonna put the work into going and doing the trade show, get that uh get her, get her done. You know what I mean? And uh follow up on those leads. And and even if you don't sign the guy, following up on a lead is is it shows initiative and and and maybe you get him next year. Or maybe because you followed up and you made sure that he has your information and you you you you remind him of your business, maybe he calls you next year or the year after, or tells somebody. Follow up. And there you have it. That is that is trade shows in a nutshell from my perspective. And uh hopefully, um, hopefully there's a little bit of uh a little bit of uh gold and a whole lot of entertainment in there, but um that was uh that was trade shows for me. Um and and you know what? They are fun. Like, I mean, I did uh I just before I let you go, I I did one trade show with um uh Colin McEwen and uh his crew from the uh new fly fisher television show. And Colin came in and did a show at Chaudiere, and he suggested that um fly fishermen were a untapped resource, which he was right. Um, and uh and uh he said, come to Newark, New Jersey, and there's a trade show there that we do, and um um uh you can just come and be in our booth, you know, whatever. So I thought, you know what? I'm gonna do it. I didn't, it was easy. I didn't have to pay for the booth, I didn't have to uh I didn't have to do anything. All I did was take at that time there were some pop-up things, right? With a pop-up sign. So I just took one sign that I packed in my suitcase and stood it up in the in the booth. And uh I think it might have been the Ontario booth and Colin was the um was the um the the the keynote uh um I don't want to say speaker, but he was the he was the main attraction in the Ontario booth at that fly fishing show because he's God rest his God rest your soul, Colin. You are you are the the man. Um he was the best um fly fishing angler uh in our country. And um anyway, so I went down there and had a wonderful time. Uh, you know, Carol Caputo was there, um um Colin and Rebecca and uh Rebecca Redd, who was a host at that time, and and um Bill, uh the the the whole crew was down there. And we uh traveled into New York one night, and you know, it was it was a lot of fun. So trade shows, they could be uh a ton of fun, right? Um, but um take it for what it's worth, guys. Hope you enjoyed it. And uh I just want to thank all of you for getting to this point. Uh hope I didn't talk your ear off. Um, thanks again to the Diaries family, to Lakeside Marine in Red Lake, Ontario, the Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network for making all of this uh possible. And um uh honestly, to our producers, uh, we've got uh Anthony Mancini, a fine young gentleman, as well as Dean Taylor. Um and uh if you haven't already, head on over to fishingcanada.com and uh look for those free giveaways and all of the contests. Um it's uh it's uh a great thing to win a bunch of uh a bunch of stuff, and and uh thus brings us to the conclusion of another episode of Diaries of a Lodge Owner, Stories of the North.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:42

I'm a good old boy, never meaning no harm. I'll be the only you ever saw been reeling in the hog since the day I was born, bending my rug, stretching my line. Someday I might on a lodge and that'll be fine. I'll be making my way the only way I know how working hard and sharing the north with all of my plows. Well, I'm a good old boy, a bottom lodge and live my dream. And now I'm here talking about how life can be as good as it seems. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:40

As the world gets louder and louder, the lessons of our natural world become harder and harder to hear, but they are still available to those who know where to listen. I'm Jerry Oulette, and I was honored to serve as Ontario's Minister of Natural Resources. However, my journey into the woods didn't come from politics. Rather, it came from my time in the bush and a mushroom. In 2015, I was introduced to the birch-hungry fungus known as Chaga, a tree conch, with centuries of medicinal use by indigenous peoples all over the globe. After nearly a decade of harvest, use, testimonials, and research, my skepticism has faded to obsession. And I now spend my life dedicated to improving the lives of others through natural means. But that's not what the show is about. My pursuit of the strange mushroom and my passion for the outdoors has brought me to the places and around the people that are shaped by our natural world. On Outdoor Journal Radio's Under the Canopy podcast, I'm going to take you along with me to see the places, meet the people that will help you find your outdoor passion and help you live a life close to nature and under the canopy. Find Under the Canopy Now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:10

Back in 2016, Frank and I had a vision to amass the single largest database of musky angling education material anywhere in the world.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:18

Our dream was to harness the knowledge of this amazing community and share it with passionate anglers just like you.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:25

Thus, the Ugly Pike Podcast was born and quickly grew to become one of the top fishing podcasts in North America.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:32

Step into the world of angling adventures and embrace the thrill of the catch with the Ugly Pike Podcast. Join us on our quest to understand what makes us different as anglers and to uncover what it takes to go after the infamous fish of 10,000 casts.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:46

The Ugly Pike Podcast isn't just about fishing. It's about creating a tight-knit community of passionate anglers who share the same love for the sport. Through laughter, through camaraderie, and an unwavering spirit of adventure, this podcast will bring people together. Subscribe now and never miss a moment of our angling adventures. Tight lines, everyone. Find UglyPike now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.