Am I Sponsorable??

[Steve H]

Is that even a word??

Here is a brief Bio

male

43 years old

fishing as long as I can remember

Fishing Exploits

1983 Pa State Team Qualifier (Pa Fed)

Redman Competitor (Pre BFL)

1997 BCAC Angler of Th Year

Many time regional qualifier ABA

Have appeared as a guest on the Delaware Valley Outdoors TV show in the past 10 years.

Appearing in new Tidal Water instructional DVD

Skills

Retail Sales and Management as well as Wholesale Territory Sales Experience

I know it's brief and vague, but what do you think?

I have never persued sponsorship in the past.

[Gatorbassman]

What are your latest accomplishments? Say, in the last two years. What can you do for them that they haven't already heard a million times?

[Steve H]

I guess what I could do for them that most people can't would be getting additional TV coverage even on a small scale. Again, it would have to be something I use and believe in. I have been out of tournament fishing for about 3 years.

[Steve H]

Is it OK to post a link to some of the TV I have done so you can judge wether or not I am a complete bafoon.

[Gatorbassman]

Sure, why not.

[Steve H]

Here are a couple of links

Please be honest

Carnegie lake Pre Spawn

DVD trailer (teaser)

I do a few shows a year with them for the last 10 years or so

[earthworm77]

Bug, why are you considering pursuing a sponsor, what is your motivation? What do you hope to get out of it.

[Steve H]

Worm,

I guess I am at the stage where I need to put up or shut up with fishing. I enjoy the competition and I am pretty well liked by my peers. I am considering stepping up to the plate and every little bit helps. I believe a relationship for a sponsor and their fisherman should be mutually beneficial. I don't want to endorse something that I don't believe in just for a few packs of worms(or cash for that matter). I am the type of person who is willing to help others catch fish (thats why I do the videos). If I were to be sponsored by a junk company I am junk and if a company sponsors a junk fisherman they are looked at the same way. I realize that I can't reach the audiences Jimmy, Roland, or Bill can so I wouldn't expect the same. I think we could lend credibility to each other.

[earthworm77]

Well, my question to you was made because you said you have been out of competitive fishing for about 3 years. Are you getting back into it?

I still have my sponsors despite not fishing competively for about 2 years. I'm a writer and I can get exposure that way and I've done TV as well. The thing is, as a writer, which I think I read that you are, you need to be very careful. I obtained my sponsors through my competitive fishing before I really started to appear in print.

You don't want your credibility damaged because people will look at you like the guy who is always hawking company X's goods in his articles. Obviously you need to be unbiased to be a good writer who is well respected. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the payoff from a sponsorship deal is likely not worth damaging your reputation as a writer.

I'm not sure what you mean by a junk company. I mean, if you are comparing a major manufacturer to a Mom and Pop, to be honest with my experience, I'd rather go for the Mom and Pop and build a true relationship rather than a generic one where you deal with a handler and the experience is impersonal.

[Steve H]

What I meant by a junk company was one who's product just isn't what it should be (quality) or to promote some type of gimmick that is smoke and mirrors. If you look at some of the smaller companies, they are probably the ones who got into it for the love of the sport and may be least likely to be junk.

I may get back into tournament fishing next spring, so that was the thought of sponsors, but not necessarily in the beginning. Working on the game plan, goals, etc and this is all part of the process.

[George Welcome]

There is nothing personal in a sponsorship deal.

[earthworm77]

I partly disagree.