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| i think a good lesson that anyone could learn from Mike Iaconelli's well-documented issues in the bass world is that it's very very important to carefully represent your sponsor's in a positive way at all times. put on a good public face, and it's always best to bring product issues to the sponsor in private, not to air them in public.
very very few people are in demand enough to be able to pitch a fit like the "screaming, yelling, hollering, dancing angler" over a product's performance and then get picked up by someone else. other companies pay attention and if you're looking for a sponsor, your reputation will preceed you.
in the muskie world, it's even less likely because there's nobody winning the amount of money, nobody being watched by millions of people on TV the way a couple of the top bass guys are doing such that they can "hop" after dogging a sponsor.
notably, the things people write on the internet are a big part of their reputation: so-and-so may not be your sponsor today, but what you say today about them will very easily impact whether or not they'll be interested in you tomorrow. some people don't care about that, preferring to "say what i think", and that's perfectly fine as long as they understand it may mean sacrificing potential sponsors down the road. it's not "right" or "wrong" to approach voicing your opinion in public one way or the other, it's just good to understand the costs and benefits and what it might potentially mean to you. running a website like this gives us a unique perspective because we get to see who is watching. it might surprise you!
nobody's getting rich off of sponsors...that's laughable. what's a couple extra baits each year? it's very nice, but it ain't gonna put any food on the table. boats? trucks? they're still getting paid for; maybe at a somewhat reduced rate, but realistically getting this kind of stuff for free is just plain nonsense. some people get a discount, and they've got to work for it. (work = pay) doing so in a positive manner is just part of the job description.
a creative approach such as your idea about approaching an RV dealer is a good one...what's the upside to the dealer? advertising the utility of RVs to a group of fishermen who do a lot of traveling. it's a good match, imho, so emphasize what you'll do for them from an advertising angle at every tourney stop.
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| Exactly lambeau. Many, many more mice than cheese. If fishermen think for one second that sponsors need them more than they need a sponsor, I think they're sadly mistaken. Iacconelli (sp?) was a super example of companies trying for that generation X 'too rad for mom and dad' market segment. His act wore thin pretty quick, I think acts like that have a short life span. Rapala has a similar target in mind when they put the tatooted guy with the DJ scratching moshing mid-cast selling X-Raps in that one spot. They are trying for another segment of buyers. I personally found Iaconneli's 'shock' tactics an insult to the intelligence of most would-be consumers. Talk about reaching for the lowest common denominator in a race to the bottom. I have noting against tatoos, dj scratching, moshing or bowling shirts with flames emroidered on them, it's just funny watching companies try to reach new buyers and how they think they have to do it. |
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Posts: 3867
| Very interesting discussion. I appreciate the civility as folks debate and discuss the subject. |
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| Along with fishing tackle manufacturers look outside the fishing world for sponsors. I obtained a MAJOR sponsorship for the PMTT from a company that has nothing to do with fishing. The B.A.S.S. guys get it - you see all kinds of product logos that have little or nothing to do with bass fishing. I think the key is exposure. The PMTT gets some T.V. exposure on Keyes Outdoors as well as through M.H. magazine. You need to conduct yourself in a professional manner on and off the water at all times. But go after sponsors that are out of the tackle box. Use your connections. If you know someone that owns a restaurant or a building contractor for example - hit them up. You won't get anything if you don't approach them. |
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Posts: 314
Location: Bristol, IN | Thank you to all for your input pertaining to this subject. The main thing is to be professional and to also be a professional representing their product or service. Obviously the first year is most generally the toughest, after the initial year there will be more to offer to a potential sponsor. My boat partner and I want to convey a professional approach inside and outside the WMT. Again, thank you to all!!! |
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Posts: 72
| Very interesting topic. What has opened lots of doors for us is the fact that we are a husband/wife team. |
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Posts: 1529
| the part that kills me. i sponsor a few. the bites hot, but the charter capt does not want others to know, that the color or size is working.. eveything is a secret till thing eventually slip out. . are you one of these folks.. this creates tremors for bait manufacturers |
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Posts: 1247
Location: On the Niagara River in Buffalo, NY | Starting out getting Sponser's can be very tough in todays tight econemy.Starting out working on a major fishing & hunting store is the best route. From the fishing & hunting store there are possabilities of rod,reel,line etc. sponcership through many different tackle mfg.. But even this route will not start you out with getting free product,just a discount off the retail price.Then to keep that discount from year to year you will need to promote and prove you promoted and help ed sell thier product. From there you can get to other levels over time,including free product.But to jump right to a full cash sponcership for tournament entree fees etc.,you most likely will never get there without starting at the bottom and working up. I have sponsered some products for over 20 years to get what I recieve each year in product.They also do look at your other sponcers and how long you have been with them.Loyality is a big part of it all,you have to use,promote and sell,they are looking for what you can do for them,not what they can do for you.Most MFG in the Fishing Industrey have been cutting back on the number of Pro Staff they have,the fishermen that stay on are the ones that are working to keep their sponcers profitable. |
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