How to Become a Guide & Start a Guide Service

guidehunting.com

We will teach you how to become a hunting guide or fishing guide and how to start your guide service.

Video Transcript:

Welcome to our video on how to start a guide service. In this video I will teach you the top 3 things you need to do in order to start your fishing or hunting guide service. Be sure you stay for #3 as I will be sharing with you the top way to ensure that your guide service will be successful.
My name is Scott and I am the owner of GuideHunting .com. We are the premier company helping people start and grow profitable guide services, now let’s get started!
1. The first thing you need to do to get your guide service started is understand that starting a guide service is starting a business.
• This means that to be successful you must do what any successful business does including decide what type of business type you are form such as a sole proprietorship , LLC or partnership, you must also market your business, tracking your expenses and earnings and get insurance to protect your customers and yourself.
• I like to remind our clients who are thinking about going into guiding that guiding is a business. This is because many outdoor enthusiasts think a career in guiding would be great so they can get paid doing what they love but they often times they forget about everything else that goes into guiding. There is no doubt that guiding can be a great career but you need to keep in mind that there are many business aspects that go into guiding outside of taking people into the outdoors.
2. Ensure you have the proper skills and education to become a guide.
• Some of the key skills necessary to be a successful guide are:
i. good communication skills,
ii. well organized,
iii. ability to work with diverse groups of clients and
iv. willingness to teach others effective hunting and fishing techniques.
• Education required is something that varies greatly by state. Some states require some type of formal training such as hunting guide school or fishing guide school or certifications while other states have no required trainings. We encourage you to contact your states wildlife office to see what training requirements, if any, your state has for guides.
3. Finally, the most important part to become a successful guide and it is providing excellent customer service. The best guides book 80% or more of their business as repeat business because they understand the importance of customer service and they know that it is much easier to book repeat business rather than finding new clients year after year.
• So what are some ways to provide excellent customer service?
i. Show excitement when getting bookings.
ii. Follow up with your customers via phone or email a week or so prior to their trip to ensure they know all of the final details and have an opportunity to ask any outstanding questions.
iii. During the trip ensure that you spend time teaching your clients effective hunting or fishing techniques. A quick training can make a big difference in the experience and success your clients have on their trip
iv. Follow up with your clients a few days after the trip via email or letter and thank them for their business.
v. These are all simple things but each one of them goes a long way in satisfying your customers and ultimately if your customers are happy with the experience you provide them they will come book again and they will refer others to book with you as well.
Review: Now lets take a quick minute to review how to become a guide
• 1) Understand that starting a guide service is starting a business
• 2) Ensure you have the proper skills and education, if necessary go to guide school
• 3) Provide excellent customer service
I hope this video was informative and I would like to invite you to visit our website guidehunting.com as we have many more resources available to help you start and grow a profitable guide service.