Mark McMurray is passionate about the outdoors and fishing - so passionate that he wants to eventually live out his retirement years helping others create wonderful days on the water. In 2003, he purchased an existing bait and tackle shop in Alton, Illinois, and decided to make it his own. McMurray called the shop Bluff City Outdoors. He runs it with his daughter Whitney with the help of a part-time employee named Butch Emery. Located a short drive from the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers, the store offers a wide variety of fishing tackle, bait, trapping supplies, outdoor apparel and specialty products for outdoor adventures.
Defining and attracting target customer groups
Mark's dream is to transform his catfishing equipment shop into a gathering place for neighborhood anglers. But first he had to get more locals through.
In addition to the local crowd, Mark had to attract out-of-town trophy anglers to his shop. Since Alton is an action-packed place for catfishing, Mark wanted to position Bluff City Outdoors as a place for specialty catfish tackle that the big box stores don't offer.
Ultimately, Marky had to manage the seasonal ebb and flow of the store. Fishing slows down in the winter months, so he asked members of the Delux team to help him find additional revenue streams to keep sales strong year-round.
Changing the website display strategy
Bluff City Outdoors offered much more than bait and tackle. It was the place to go for advice from passionate fishing professionals, specialty catfishing gear, and superior customer service. Unfortunately, these unique attributes did not shine through in the store's current marketing strategy, especially on their website, which was a product-focused e-commerce site.
Realizing that they needed a way to attract online visitors, the Deluxe team proposed an engaging, new website that would tell the story of Bluff City Outdoors and showcase exactly what made the business special. After extensive research and discussions with McMurray about his goals and the vision he had for his business, the team jumped into the design process.
Dynamic website design
The Deluxe team started by designing a home page that would grab attention and attract store visitors. The team knew that Bluff City Outdoors was very different from other bait and tackle shops in the area. In fact, it was the primary store of its kind where the locals shopped.
To position Bluff City Outdoors as the local experts and the best place in town to get ready to fish (or trap), the team added scrolling text that read, "We know Alton. We know fishing. We know trapping."
New Home page
To improve local business ranking in search results, the Deluxe team included multiple points of contact on each page of the website. This will also drive more foot traffic to the store as customers won't have to search for directions to the store, hours of operation, or other highly sought-after information.
Focus on solving common problems of fishermen
It is known in the shop that big catfish can easily destroy a standard rod and reel; so it was important to promote McMurray's quality offering designed specifically for catfishing. The team used storytelling to demonstrate why Bluff City Outdoors products are the best choice. Examples include "Sinkers built to cut through the strongest current" and "Rods that won't buckle while you're fighting a 100-pound monster." The words on the website leave no doubt that customers will find the quality products they need.
In case customers do not find exactly what they are looking for, the Deluxe team has added a search form to the website that allows customers to request a specific product. It's the perfect way to demonstrate the store's commitment to customer satisfaction.
Product page
They shared the business story
Customers like to do business with people they know. So the Deluxe team created an "About" page to give visitors a closer look at Bluff City Outdoors and its staff. Allison is the star of the page because she is the full-time manager and friendly face of the business.
To demonstrate the knowledge and expertise of the staff, the Deluxe team has added such details that encourage closeness between customers and vendors:
About Page
A shop for the sale of materials and a local guide for fishermen
Mark wanted to make it easy for customers to get out on the water for action-packed fishing without having to look for a guide. The Deluxe team created a "Book a Guide" page for the website with information on the six participating river guides and a calendar showing their availability. The page also included a pop-up window that allowed customers to contact McMurray to book a guide.
Expanding its offering to include a guide service would be a win-win situation. Guides would meet their clients at Bluff City Outdoors and purchase all the necessary gear for their trip. Customers would enjoy a great stress-free day on the water. Guides would earn. And the store would share in that profit and generate more sales in the store.
Local experts give advices
The team also added a "Local Tips" page with insider knowledge on nearby waters, catfishing techniques and more. This was a great way to build credibility and offer customers the local information they wanted that they would never find in other stores. these exclusive tips might even lure curious shoppers into McMurray's store.
The Deluxe team also helped create an "Events" page on the website with a mix of tournaments, gear swaps and in-store sales to showcase the fun and encourage registration. The team then integrated this page with the Bluff City Outdoors Facebook page to make it easier for users to to stay up to date.
"I didn't realize until I saw our new website that we really are the experts in this field," Mark said
Getting the most out of social media
Marky was already involved in various Facebook groups for anglers, but to make the most of social media, he needed to create engaging content and better promote his tournaments. The Deluke team provided McMurray with hands-on training to help him shoot, update and optimize his photos. The team also provided monthly social media content to kick it off.
Designing a new logo
Mark had some challenges establishing a logo and identity for his business right out of the gate. For starters, when he took over the store in 2003, it was called Rodney's Bait & Tackle. Even after renaming the store, McMurray still had multiple variations and logos floating around the Internet, on his e-commerce site and on signs outside his store — all of which confused potential customers and search engines.
Meanwhile, the logos on its e-commerce website and Facebook business page were more modern and interesting, but many of the colors and design elements made them difficult and expensive to reproduce:
Realizing that a well-designed logo can significantly influence how customers perceive a brand, the Deluxe team set to work on a logo design that would be bold and eye-catching and represent the business:
Mark liked how the new logo aligned with the company's identity and put the store's specialty - catfish fishing - in the spotlight. The catfish graphic gives the logo shine and personality, and the badge element makes it stand out on merchandise and stick with customers.
Google My Business (before)
When people searched online for bait and tackle shops in Alton, Illinois, they found variations on a theme, including the name of the previous store that McMurray bought in 2003 — Rodney's Bait & Tackle. But Bluff City Outdoors was nowhere to be found.:
Google My Business (after)
The Deluxe team updated the store information to ensure it was accurate and consistent everywhere it appeared online, making it easier for customers to find and visit the store:
No fish tale: New customers are already biting
With a new website that tells the story of Bluff City Outdoors and the passionate people who run it, McMurray's brand is better and stronger than ever, and the positive results keep coming.
5,000 average monthly views in search and maps
60 percent of all people who search are likely to be first-time customers
300 monthly actions result in calls, inquiries and site visits
McMurray's shop may continue to be the place in Alton where fishing enthusiasts gather, share stories and find the best gear for their fishing adventures. And McMurray is ready to grow his business in Alton - and he's ready to fulfill his dream of helping people have their best day's fishing.
Original source: Deluxe
Photos: Bluff city Outdoors