Fly fishing confused me. You don’t fish for flies; you use flies to catch fish. Everybody knows that, right? Since I had never “fly-fished” before, it took me a while to figure that out, but eventually, I got the hang of it … sort of.

My fishing companions, Dan, the didactic family physician; Geoff, the pedantic courtroom litigator; Buz, the consummate salesman; and I spent three days on Montana’s Big Horn River the second week of August fly fishing and sometimes catching those elusive, yet world class, rainbow and brown trout.

As I reflect back on our daily fly-fishing experiences and our evening remonstrations about that day’s fishing, I am struck by the animal aphorisms and meat metaphors such a short three days produced.

I asked Buz his secrets to sales success. He said quite simply, trust in your product, believe in yourself and respect your customer. Those translated into his personal life as he and his wife passionately raised a blended family of seven children with love and understanding that became a mantra for life.

I asked Geoff, as a litigator that often necessitates a pugnacious attitude, what did he do to win cases without compromising his integrity. He told me that he felt you had to get to know your opposing counsel. Ask them out for a cup of coffee and explore their needs and wants, because you sure want to know what’s driving their questioning and what better way to find out than asking them about the one subject they know best: themselves. And don’t forget the judges. Get to know them, too.

Dan told me that when he started in medicine, he didn’t have a dime. But, after he had woven himself thru medical school, internship and residency, he started his medical family practice in which he found his passion. He developed personal relationships with his patients that lasted lifetimes. It was not the money, though he became very successful, but it was the patients who became friends that drove him to succeed.

There are many common themes running through the successes of my three fishing companions. To me, the success of each in their chosen fields was the personal passion they brought to every day aspects of traversing some “mine fields” of controversy and difficulty. Each was very successful by nearly any measure, and each had a passion for getting to know beyond superficiality their customers, opposing counsels and patients.

I have tried to apply these common themes to our meat and poultry businesses to provide me and maybe you some success lessons. We are all in the sales business, and Buz’s sales secrets are ones we can apply. It seems so simple to trust the product you are selling. Why wouldn’t you? But if you don’t, it’s evident every time you try to sell. Not believing in yourself is just as evident. And, respecting your customer is the hardest to accomplish as we often fall into the trap of foolishly “talking behind their backs” to compatriots and those bad words always leak.

I was surprised to hear an acerbic trial attorney say that his first act in beginning a trial is getting to know the competition, e.g., opposing counsel. And, if that’s not surprising, the method of sitting down to share a cup of coffee for seemingly small talk was not what I thought of in competitor intelligence gathering. But, it sure seems like a good idea now.

And, how many of you have developed a personal relationship with your doctor that certainly makes visits more enjoyable in understanding complicated diagnoses or what curative steps need to be taken? The important aspect is having a doctor willing to develop that personal relationship with you from someone often considered a “god.”

But, the most valuable lesson I learned from this fly fishing trip is recognizing when the fish is striking the fly and what to do. It may be just a nibble of interest as the line jiggles a bit. But, that is the time to set the hook. Don’t wait for a more dynamic, rod bending bite—act now. Just like recognizing when your sales presentation has reached the critical phase and it’s time to ask for the order. Do it now!

Don’t wait for the big “bite.” It may never arrive.

Went Fly Fishing, Caught No Flies

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