First post here..resume?

[reddman]

Hey guys I have lurked here for a time and have comeup with a few things I wanted to ask.

First when you send out a resume, do you send a cover letter along with it or just the resume itself?

Do you send a little packet of information about you and your fishing skills, etc?  Promotional activity?

Send pictures?

Do you follow up with a face to face visit shortly after the resume has been sent out?

Ive been working on all my resumes and stuff over the last few weeks to send out for next season as Im going to try to fish a ton more tourneys than I did this season.  

Most of the potential sponsors that I go after are all home town non fishing businesses...I know these people as I have grown up in the area, so I always see them out and have a good relationship with them,  

With that said how much do you try to charge?  I can get 8 sponsors on the front of my tourney shirt and two big ones on the back.

Well thats enough for now,  I will try to post more often rather than just read the posts..Great site and keep up the good work.

Reddman

[nwgabassmaster]

Having a fishing resume is something that will help your career in fishing, there is no doubt about that.  However, to answer your first question, I think that asking a company which they prefer, a cover letter or no cover letter, is a great way to start.  You can never ask enough questions.

I also believe that having a portfolio is a huge step in making a great presentation.  Add that a portfolio is available, upon their request.  I would have photos in it, small pieces from some of your fishing expeditions, lure reviews from those expeditions, etc.  I think that having reviews from the company that you are trying to gain as a sponsor is a plus.  It shows the company that you have used their products for sometime, and that you have fished in several conditions.  I would not write a review on a lure that I have only used for 2 weeks.  The minimum amount of time I feel that you can have a lure, and then write a review for it is 2 months.  

As for the face to face portion, how are you going to do that if the company you are trying to gain as a sponsor is 1000+ miles from you?  If they are close, schedule a face to face meeting, at a time that you both mutually agree upon.

Tournaments are a great way to show how well you can do against other anglers, but it is not always the most important thing to a potential sponsor.  However, with that being said, fishing with a potential sponsor's products, and catching fish with them is a huge plus.  Always write or record your catches, lures used, depth, etc., whenever possible.  

Do not let the first things that come out in a coversation be about what the sponsor can do for you.  That will come up in due time, and I feel that it is best that the sponsor's representatives talk about that.  Instead, let them know what you can do for them, and what you see yourself being able to do for them in the future.  They are there to sell their products to the public, and they are only going to give those sponsorships to those people who represent their companies in a professional and respectable manner.

I hope that this helps, and I hope that the others will plug in their opinions about this, so that you can get a broader picture of things.  

[reddman]

As for the face to face portion, how are you going to do that if the company you are trying to gain as a sponsor is 1000+ miles from you? If they are close, schedule a face to face meeting, at a time that you both mutually agree upon.

I will tell you that is some good advice and I thank you for your help.  Your resume that has been posted is very well written and I wish you much luck in the future.

TO answer or comment on the above post you made.  Most of the sponsors that I go after locally are local business that are not fishing related.  I have known most of the owners for more than 15-20 years in some cases.  SO without any question I will be talking with them face to face.

As always Im just looking for more ideas and to see how others approach a touchy subject.  I have found that bass guys do not talk about there sponsors nor do they offer much help with the process in gaining them.

Again I thank you for you words of wisdom and give me a buzz if there is anything I can do for you around VA.

reddman

[nwgabassmaster]

Since you are going to be visiting them face to face, my suggestion is that if you have tournament shirts, wear them, with whatever patches that you have.  

Be neat in your appearance and be clean shaven, if applicable.

Thanks for the kind words, and I hope that you are able to land the sponsors that you are seeking to gain.

[IneedAnewScreenName-93875]

As far as sending out a resume goes I would recommend that you wait to see if your potential sponsor would like to see one in the first place.

I have a number of people on my "pro staff" and I have never seen their resume.  One of them happens to be Randy Howell and obviously he didn't need to sjhow me a resume.

But, the other handful of guys that are on my pro staff have never sent me a resume and I've never asked for one.

When I fished tournaments I never had a resume prepared.  The main reason why - there was nothing to put on it!!

I always told my potential sponsors what I would be doing for them in the future.  How many tournaments I'd be fishing.  How many people I could put them in front of. Etc.

And like reddman, I had very few fishing company sponsors, maybe 2 or 3 - and they were business associates.  

So as far as a resume is concerned I "might" put something together in case you get in a jam, but other than that I'd focus on preparing a long list of things you will do to promote your sponsor.  

A long list.

My 2 cents.............

fff

[nwgabassmaster]

Fishforfree, while I agree that Randy Howell does not need a resume, I would tend to think that the reason that he is on the pro-staff for you is because his name is well known.

Of course, for the rest of the pro-staff, that might not be said.

I also agree that finding out if a potential sponsor wants a resume.  However, I consider it a better move to have one.

[nwgabassmaster]

I have been wanting to get one.  Did not know if it was worth it or not, but, now that someone has gave great reviews about it, I will probably end up getting one.

[reddman]

I can see it now.  Randy Howell and I will be side by side at the board meetings from here on. ;D

After that rave review...

All jokes aside it is a good booklet.

Reddman

[IneedAnewScreenName-93875]

Remeber you.............heck yeh I do.

I mailed your copy to Virginia last week.

Thanks for the shamelss plug. ;D I certainly wasn't expecting that.

If you ever get to be at an event Randy is fishing at, go up and introduce yourself - he's very approachable.

You're right nwgabassmaster - that is why Randy is on my pro staff.

FFF

[nwgabassmaster]

FishForFree,

I have submitted a "contact us" submission to you on your website.

Please get back to me when you are able to.

Thanks,

John P.