The Dirty Secret of the Taxidermy Industry
I had a phone call recently with a man who was absolutely irate about the way he’s been treated by taxidermists. It’s a common complaint – despite multiple phone calls and reassurances and promises about a six-month completion date, his hides are sitting another year at least. And that’s not the exception – it’s the rule. The dirty secret of the taxidermy secret is that most taxidermists got into the business without any idea of what it actually takes to run the business. That’s the root of most of its problems.
Business 101
On the phone, this man’s frustration was palpable. All he’s asking is that taxidermists do what they say they’re going to do. And that’s certainly a fair request. It reminded me of a seminar I gave years ago, maybe even decades ago, on three simple things that would make a business successful:
1. Return all phone call.
2. Keep your promise and your word.
3. Pay your bills.
There’s nothing earth shattering or prophetic in those rules. They’re fundamental, simple principles, and yet it seems within the taxidermy industry, there are a great many people who are unable to follow them.
I am intimately acquainted with the allure of becoming a taxidermist. But a great number of taxidermists became taxidermists not because they wanted to run a business but because they wanted to hunt and fish, and doing taxidermy on the side allowed them to do so. That’s a hobby masquerading as a business, and I pity the clients who fail to see that before handing over the deposit check.
During our phone call, the man mentioned that he owns a very successful business. He said that one of the reasons his business is successful is simply because he keeps his word. It’s a simple principle that goes so far, and it’s something we understand here at Animal Artistry. We’re committed to creating the most incredible trophies and exceeding customer expectations at every interaction. And we do it all with a 90-day turnaround. If you have hides collecting dust with another taxidermist, we’d love to show you a different approach. Contact us today.