Charting new waters

Canoe restorer Mike Elliott uses blogging to grow his business

1 of 3The Chestnut Prospector proves it’s seaworthy at Christina Lake. Every restored canoe gets a test ride before being returned to the owner. — Photo courtesy of Mike Elliott

2 of 3Mike Elliott’s son James helps out in the shop restoring a Chestnut Prospector canoe. James is removing a seat that needs to be repaired. — Photo courtesy of Mike Elliott

3 of 3Mike Elliott applies the final coats of paint to the canvas coverings for two canoes in his shop. The canvas is stretched on to the hull and held in place with tacks. “It’s essentially an upholstery job,” he said. — Photo courtesy of Mike Elliott

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Mike Elliott, owner of Kettle River Canoes, is charting new waters with what may seem to be a very traditional skill--restoring wood and canvas canoes.

Elliott, 57, is bringing his art into the 21st century by developing a following online. For the past two years he’s been a well-know blogger, with 48,000 online hits in the past year.

Elliott knew the Internet would be a big deal when he started Kettle River Canoes out of his home in Grand Forks back in 2003. One of the first things he did was set up a website. However, he had to overcome a little reticence when his niece, Kristen Luke, a marketing expert based in San Diego, encouraged him to start using social media to promote his business.

“She knew two things: she knew that my business was a niche, and she also knew that I loved to write, and so she walked me through all of the steps,” he said.

Elliott’s business started out as a hobby. He was an avid canoeist, and with a father who worked in forestry there were always opportunities to paddle growing up in Ontario.

However, it was another career--fencing--that ultimately brought him to Grand Forks. He was working as a provincial fencing coach on Prince Edward Island when he was invited to do an interview for CBC Radio. The interviewer’s name was Christy Luke. To say they hit it off would be an understatement. Elliott agreed to follow her to B.C. and they settled in Grand Forks in 1994 and married soon after.

Elliott found government contract work in human services; however, that eventually dried up.

“During the process of looking for work, Christy mentioned that the only thing that was keeping me together emotionally was the fact that I was restoring a wood canvas canoe for a friend,” he said. That observation started Elliott on the path to owning his own business.

Elliott’s customers tend to be people in their 50s and 60s who are looking toward retirement and remembering the things that gave them pleasure in the past, such as that old canoe sitting in the shed. They come from all over B.C., Alberta and the United States. They’re willing to make the trip to Grand Forks because the canoe means a lot to them.

“I set aside at least four hours for a client while they basically tell me the history of the canoe, all of their adventures and the connections to the family,” Elliott said. “The canoe is part of the family and it’s treated like that.”

Elliott said social media has helped him build a reputation online and start a dialogue with his customers. Clients can read about the progress of their canoe on the blog, and they often send him updates once their canoe is back on the water.
However, despite necessary time in the shop and in front of a computer, Elliott still finds time to pursue his own passion.

“Every single canoe that comes out of the shop is not finished until it has a test drive on the water,” he said. “So I get to paddle a lot.”

Mike Elliott’s tips for promoting a small business online

• Find your niche. If there are not many people doing what you’re doing, you’ve got it made.
• Don’t be afraid to share. Don’t feel like you’re giving away your secrets when you write a how-to article. What you’re really doing is positioning yourself as the expert.
• Be consistent. Write your blog and post on social media regularly or your fans will drift away.
• Don’t expect results right away. It takes time to build a community.
• Have fun. Write in your authentic voice and people will respond.