How to sell fish? NOT HERE! I only want advice.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 8/9/2022 at 8:28 AM, Brandon p said:

Everyone had great responses but @Fish Folkhad thing laid out it would nice to have that as a list for this question for anyone else.

I unintentionally copied @Fish Folk there with the palustris puffer fry. I'm a little unique on the specialties here but it's fun. I essentially cultivate individual relationships with everyone, build rapport long term, and frame it like they are helping me out....which they are. Puffers eat probably 20 times the expected amounts of food I had guessed they would when growing up.  

I have 3 lists for this project one for each store: 

LFS A - same state 5 hr drive

(1) made 5 spaced out and not small orders over a few years to become that good, paying customer. 

(2) chatted up the stock manager about my plan to be the/among the first to document breeding Pao palustris in captivity. That definately got us to a first-name level now

(3) Asked once 6 months ago if they would like any F1 Pao cf palustris fry at 1" to sell. No expectation of credit or payment. Didn't get a response there but I wasn't concerned 

(3a) Asked again last month, included a hd photo and link to the video of the F1 fry spawning at 9 months. They took 7 of them immediately we didn't bother on credit or payment but I eventually accepted 20% in store credit. They had highly detailed needs for shipping which were at my level of packing. 

(4) I Followed up weekly and made sure the fish did well for them. 

(5) I then described my breeding projects and talked shop a bit.

a.Here is where I can sensitize them to what I'm looking to do next project species wise. The real value for me is working on that next rarer project that they may see on the list and be willing to tell me about and possibly order in for me.

(6) I do try and touch base regularly to let them know how my projects are going and genuinely see how they are doing as people.

(7) If there is interest they are generally going to let me know in conversation that they want some when I bring up fry I have.  

 

LFS B - 2 hrs drive

(1) "cold called" on facebook messenger. A bit of a drive for me 1 hr each way. 

(2) chatted up the owner about the pao cf palustris sent pics and video through that app to the owner about how i did it and how great they are as a fish. 

(3) I gave 6 1" fry to the store to try out no credit no payment. That definately got us to a first-name level

(4) I followed up weekly and made sure the fish did well for them. 

(5) I stopped in a few times after and described my breeding projects and talked shop. 

a.Here is where I shared what I'm looking to do next project species wise. The real value for me is working on that next rarer project that they may see on the list and be willing to tell me about and possibly order in for me. 

(6) I do try and touch base regularly to let them know how my projects are going and genuinely see how they are doing as people.

(7) If there is interest they are generally going to let me know in conversation that they want some when I bring up fry I have

 

LFS C - another state 

1) made 12 spaced out and not small orders over a few years to become that good, paying customer. I also sent a few people to them directly and was a bit of a matchmaker on a few bigger orders. 

(2) I talk to their sales so much they actually know me. I chat up the group about my plan to be the/among the first to document breeding Pao palustris in captivity, pao baileyi, and Tetraodon miurus. That definately got us to a first-name level now.  I also send them photos semi regularly 

(3) Ask occasionally if they want andly fry but that has not yet happened. I fo not take that personally I am just trying to share not put a wing on the fishroom. 

(4) I Followed up when I order and quarterly or so for my updates. 

(5) I describe my breeding projects and talk shop a bit. The real value for me is working on that next rarer project that they may see on the list and be willing to tell me about and possibly order in for me. Here is where I discovered red eye puffer species are normally Fall catches and shows on their lists then. 

(6) I do try and touch base regularly to let them know how my projects are going and genuinely see how they are. The relationship though distant is worth maintaining for me. They even offered to let me know where their puffer cages came from once. 

(7) If there ever is interest they would let me know in conversation that they want some. 

Edited August 31, 2022 by mountaintoppufferkeeper