What's my ROI

[Michael Schilling]

As a Sponsor, the first thing I want to know is "What's my ROI"

ROI - Return On in Investment.

Bottom line, what will/can you do for me?

Along with posting all your accomplishments, you need to show what you are capable of giving back. How many tournaments you plan on fishing, what appearances you can make, etc...

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Personally, as a sponsor, the first thing I want to know is How will you increase my sales?

[Top]

I don't have ANY sponsors and I am returning a lot of businesses investments... here is how.. and this IMHO is how someone might want to think about getting started... I have become known in my unit as the "fishing nut" some folks joke about it... but 1/2 dozen or so folks have come to me asking for advice on what to get and how to fish etc. Right now I have 3 folks that have asked me to take them fishing. They don't have ANY equipment so they will use mine... I have the WHOLE gamut of rods from the  $40 rod to the $250 rod... reels I pretty much only have Citicas or better for bait casters but my spinning reels (which they WILL use) is much more basic... but when we go out... I teach them some basic stuff... I will show them what works... I tell them what I use and then I will take them to my place and get them online and show them were to buy them... ie: ***, Falcon Rods, Shimano Reels.... I point them in the direction they need to go for a beginner. I warn them about going overboard and buying 5 cheap rods... because anyone that is hooked on fishing knows... those cheap rods will be traded out easily in 6 months for a bit better of a product... so while NO I don't tournament fish here... I will tell them what to look for and I also ask in return that if they think about it... just mention that I was the guy that turned them on to the product... not because I want something free in return... but to let them know that their faith in me was well founded. Eventually it may just turn into a true sponsorship..I am very active in promoting the sport and catch and release and protecting our resource.  NOW having said that... some companies who will remain nameless at this point have been VERY good to me but its not that they expect a return on the investment... I am just a NICE GUY  ;D   and the way I show my thanks is by promoting their product... IF its a good product.. which it is...

AL

[Michael Schilling]

Well Al,

You seem like a very nice guy, and you seem to have a very good situation, and relation with these companies. What I am refering too, is the 85-90% people out there that just want FREE SH!T.

To them I say, "what are you going to do for me?". Now thats not to say that over time I will run across nice folks, but until that time, I must say "Whats my ROI?"

[Top]

I know what you were talking about... and that is round about why I said what I said... the kids with the give me stuff... they need to understand the "pay if forward system" or volunteerism or something along that line.. dip your toe in the water of "promotion" and before you know it you will have your first sponsor.. and giving true ROI

AL

[Bassbilly]

Hi Michael,

I wanted to run something by you. I have been fishing at the club level for a couple years and am planning on making the transition to the Stren Series in 2009 as a co-angler. Of course, I understand sponsorship is at a premium in this industry and highly sought after. Companies seem to not be as concerned with tournament performance as they are with ROI. I am a publicist by trade and recognize that promoting companies, their products and "selling yourself" and your sponsors is the top priority. For somebody like myself, with a PR background, how would you approach a potential sponsor when you are only fishing at the co-angler level (with hopes of moving up)? Any help would be appreciated!

Drew

[zellamander]

Bassbilly

You need to pick Senko77's brain. He is 17 years old, and a co-angler. He won AOY (angler of the year) this year for his BFL division. He has great sponsors, and a very impressive list of them.

[Garnet]

Instead of getting sponsors you should sell your skills to tackle companys.

Lots are very small and most need help in packaging, Advertizing, internet.

Garnet

[Michael Schilling]

Bassbilly,

Sorry it took so long to get back to your question.

ROI can come in many forms, it is not always about dollars in the beginning, as a small company like garnet indicated, we do not have lots of $$$$, so we have to find creative ways of getting our name out.

Tournament performance is HUGE, you can not believe what it would do for my company if you won a semi-major or major tournament using my product.

I hope I don't offend anyone here, and if I do I am sorry, but fisherman are simple, they are looking for the next best thing, no matter what it is. If KVD wins major tourney fishing with a widget, well guess what, a zillion fishermen are going to be out shopping the next weekend for the "Widget".

As a sponsor, I would look at a lot of things when considering who I would sponsor, tournament performance, attitude, desire, communication skills, and knowledge, basically are you going to go out and drive people to my business, the selling part is my job, if you can get them to look, I'll sell'em, get it!!!

[Michael Schilling]

At this point, If we as a company found someone to sponsor, we would only be able to give them merchandise, and clothing, and maybe pay a couple entry fee's. : Now down the road I hope to build some lasting relations with a select few anglers, and be able to pay for their whole series, maybe vinyl their boats, lease them a truck, etc.. ;D

As our company grows, so will the sponsorship dollars, I am a firm believer in marketing. I have worked for some companies that are not that way. For example, I worked for a very well known car audio company, they had an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of sponsoring Robby Gordon's Busch car, well their marketing budget was only $80k per year, and they passed it up, at the time they were a $150M+ a year company, now to me that is pretty sad. :'(

[CaptTodd]

Very good question.  Most of the time fishermen looking for sponsors do not take that into consideration.  Alot of companies especially in the fishing industry are bombarded with guys looking for sponsorships.  I have been on the saltwater side of things for the last 5 years guiding and doing tv and internet shows.  When I am looking for sponsors the first thing is I have to believe in the product.  I can not endorse something I do not believe in.  

The biggest thing that companies are looking for is to get product exposure without having to expend alot of money to do it.  I am sponsored by a boat company that gives me a free boat but in return I have sold alot of boats in a little over a year and their ROI has been very good and I am also sponsored by a graphics company that wraps my truck and their ROI has been very good.  I do alot of seminars, commercials, dvds, boat shows and much more.  Again the biggest thing companies are looking for is someone that is knowledgable and presentable to market their product or service.

Just because someone is a good fishermen does not mean they will be able to sell product.  You have to be presentable and knowledgable when talking about the products you endorse.