1 The Local Fish Store “LFS” and YOU. 2 A Presentation for The Angelfish Society by Charles...

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The Local Fish Store “LFS” and The Local Fish Store “LFS” and YOUYOU

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A Presentation for The A Presentation for The Angelfish SocietyAngelfish Society

by Charles Hawksby Charles Hawks

July 19, 2009July 19, 2009

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Today’s GuestToday’s GuestTeresa Seaberg of Terre QuaticsTeresa Seaberg of Terre Quatics

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Deciding your ObjectivesDeciding your Objectives

The First Step is deciding and The First Step is deciding and evaluating your objectives. The evaluating your objectives. The raising of angelfish from one or raising of angelfish from one or two pairs, maintaining or two pairs, maintaining or improving a line, is very different improving a line, is very different than multiple pair, than multiple pair, cross/outcross/development cross/outcross/development situations.situations.

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In general, the less fish you maintain the more you should be to strive to In general, the less fish you maintain the more you should be to strive to produce angels of such exceptional quality that when available they are a produce angels of such exceptional quality that when available they are a must have.must have.

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That is not to say, if you have That is not to say, if you have more fish, quality must suffer. more fish, quality must suffer. BUT to sell more fish you will BUT to sell more fish you will need variety in color, fins and need variety in color, fins and size. Anyone who has size. Anyone who has approached a LFS to sell fish has approached a LFS to sell fish has heard “Do you have any heard “Do you have any Black/Koi/Gold?” when you have Black/Koi/Gold?” when you have Silver/Marble/Blue Blushing. It’s Silver/Marble/Blue Blushing. It’s not really about the color you not really about the color you aren’t offering it’s about aren’t offering it’s about presenting a wide variety of presenting a wide variety of quality fish. quality fish.

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The different objectives also The different objectives also affect the fish you pair and keep. affect the fish you pair and keep. The hobby breeder might strive The hobby breeder might strive to make the “perfect” Black Lace to make the “perfect” Black Lace by pairing two great Black Lace by pairing two great Black Lace producing DD Black, Black Lace producing DD Black, Black Lace and Silver. The production and Silver. The production breeder might be better served to breeder might be better served to pair Black Lace Ghosts producing pair Black Lace Ghosts producing DD Black/Ghost/Blushing, Black DD Black/Ghost/Blushing, Black Lace/Ghost/Turquoise and Lace/Ghost/Turquoise and Silver/Ghost/Blue Blushing, 9 Silver/Ghost/Blue Blushing, 9 related varieties vs. 3 helps fill in related varieties vs. 3 helps fill in the need of the LFS to offer more, the need of the LFS to offer more, to increase sales.to increase sales.

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Understanding the LFS PerspectiveUnderstanding the LFS Perspective

The LFS is buying a product from you, that product is compared to what The LFS is buying a product from you, that product is compared to what they buy from their local wholesalers. It doesn’t factor in your time, effort they buy from their local wholesalers. It doesn’t factor in your time, effort and love for the fish. It does factor in price, quality, availability etc. and love for the fish. It does factor in price, quality, availability etc.

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Beating the price of pond Beating the price of pond raised imports, particularly in raised imports, particularly in the warm weather months is the warm weather months is a losing game, if you can a losing game, if you can figure out how to beat it figure out how to beat it begin writing your book begin writing your book immediately!immediately!

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Quality, on the other hand, is Quality, on the other hand, is where you can shine. Fish where you can shine. Fish that look better, adapt better, that look better, adapt better, are hardier and active sell are hardier and active sell better. They also require less better. They also require less attention and time to attention and time to maintain, less returns and maintain, less returns and losses, and sell more related losses, and sell more related supplies when people buy fish supplies when people buy fish they can keep and enjoy. they can keep and enjoy. Quality angelfish, arguably Quality angelfish, arguably the most recognized tropical the most recognized tropical fish, aren’t just a fish, aren’t just a replacement, they can and replacement, they can and should be an asset to the should be an asset to the retailer. retailer.

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When you are in the store, if When you are in the store, if you are allowed the you are allowed the opportunity, make yourself an opportunity, make yourself an asset too. Answer angelfish asset too. Answer angelfish questions, recommend questions, recommend products the retailer carries, products the retailer carries, help transfer your fish to the help transfer your fish to the tanks, even grab a mop to tanks, even grab a mop to give the owner a chance to give the owner a chance to help another customer and help another customer and make a sale. If the owner is make a sale. If the owner is reluctant to be helped it’s reluctant to be helped it’s their store, respect that, but their store, respect that, but know that your offer will be know that your offer will be remembered and leave it at remembered and leave it at that.that.

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Tips for Getting StartedTips for Getting Started

Bring Samples, be professional, let them see the Bring Samples, be professional, let them see the difference.difference.

Learn how to bag and transport fish, practice Learn how to bag and transport fish, practice until perfect, a Rolex looks cheap in a paper bag, until perfect, a Rolex looks cheap in a paper bag, fish in a Ziploc or a cloudy bucket of water undo fish in a Ziploc or a cloudy bucket of water undo months of work raising them.months of work raising them.

Invite the buyer to see your fishroom and the Invite the buyer to see your fishroom and the care you put into raising quality angelfish, even if care you put into raising quality angelfish, even if they can’t visit your willingness speaks volumes.they can’t visit your willingness speaks volumes.

Be a customer, accept credit -particularly when Be a customer, accept credit -particularly when starting out-, confident that as the retailer starting out-, confident that as the retailer becomes comfortable with the product paying becomes comfortable with the product paying you cash isn’t a risk at all.you cash isn’t a risk at all.

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Tips for Getting StartedTips for Getting Started

Attend and enter local fish shows, local club meetings, Attend and enter local fish shows, local club meetings, look at them as advertising, BUT never undercut or look at them as advertising, BUT never undercut or undermine the LFS, balancing individual sales vs. undermine the LFS, balancing individual sales vs. LFS, an individual might buy a dozen, the LFS may LFS, an individual might buy a dozen, the LFS may purchase as many as 100 a month for years to come, purchase as many as 100 a month for years to come, if you raise enough for LFS sales don’t sell to if you raise enough for LFS sales don’t sell to individuals so cheaply that you make it hard for the individuals so cheaply that you make it hard for the retailer.retailer.

LFS’s are not a place to “dump” your undesirable, LFS’s are not a place to “dump” your undesirable, runt or unhealthy fish – they need to be culled. They runt or unhealthy fish – they need to be culled. They are a showcase for your hard work, a point of pride, are a showcase for your hard work, a point of pride, every time you hear “My angelfish breeder” when a every time you hear “My angelfish breeder” when a LFS owner is talking to a customer it makes the hard LFS owner is talking to a customer it makes the hard work and burden of raising the best angelfish a work and burden of raising the best angelfish a blessing and an experience I would wish for everyone.blessing and an experience I would wish for everyone.

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Continued RelationshipsContinued Relationships

For the LFS owner the store For the LFS owner the store and everything in it is their and everything in it is their livelihood, it represents years livelihood, it represents years of struggling to sometimes of struggling to sometimes barely break even. They are barely break even. They are general experts in general experts in fishkeeping, your opportunity fishkeeping, your opportunity is to be their expert in is to be their expert in angelfish. You know how to angelfish. You know how to make angelfish look their make angelfish look their best, how to cure disease and best, how to cure disease and stimulate breeding. Make stimulate breeding. Make that expertise available to that expertise available to them and by extension their them and by extension their customers to achieve a long customers to achieve a long term relationship.term relationship.

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Continued RelationshipsContinued Relationships

Visit if you can, or call, as the fish purchased are sold. Are Visit if you can, or call, as the fish purchased are sold. Are they selling well? Are there any problems or concerns? they selling well? Are there any problems or concerns? Are they adapting well? Are they eating well? To continue Are they adapting well? Are they eating well? To continue selling fish to one or more stores consider matching their selling fish to one or more stores consider matching their conditions.conditions.

If their water is harder or softer than yours and that’s If their water is harder or softer than yours and that’s causing a poor reaction, transition yours by the tankfull to causing a poor reaction, transition yours by the tankfull to those conditions before you bring them.those conditions before you bring them.

If they are taking time to readily eat what the store is If they are taking time to readily eat what the store is feeding them, transition your fish to the same and save the feeding them, transition your fish to the same and save the owner and yourself time and effort.owner and yourself time and effort.

Make yourself available to consult for any problems or Make yourself available to consult for any problems or questions the buyer may have, your knowledge may save a questions the buyer may have, your knowledge may save a tank full of angelfish and a lot of headaches for the store.tank full of angelfish and a lot of headaches for the store.

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Return to the ChatroomReturn to the Chatroom

Please return to the chatroom and welcome Please return to the chatroom and welcome a special guest Teresa Seaberg. As a long a special guest Teresa Seaberg. As a long time fish enthusiast, store employee and now time fish enthusiast, store employee and now owner of Terre Quatics she has as a special owner of Terre Quatics she has as a special favor to myself and The Angelfish Society favor to myself and The Angelfish Society made herself available to answer your made herself available to answer your questions on anything related to LFS’s and questions on anything related to LFS’s and angelfish breeders and sellers. I hope this angelfish breeders and sellers. I hope this presentation and Teresa’s wisdom can help presentation and Teresa’s wisdom can help you successfully enable you to market fish to you successfully enable you to market fish to your hometown LFS. your hometown LFS.

1 The Local Fish Store “LFS” and YOU. 2 A Presentation for The Angelfish Society by Charles...

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