Last week when I wrote the “Want to Be Sponsored?” piece, I heard from people in 32 different countries. Some were mad, some angry, some thought I was clueless, some agreed but what became evidently clear is that the definitions of the different levels were muddy and in some cases not even known. Luckily, Chad Hoover who has worn hats as a business owner, tv show host, manufacturers rep, pro staff director, kayak fisherman and brand rep chimed in. He saw what I saw: misconceptions and half truths. Chad wanted to give an outline of what the different levels were from a business and manufacturer rep’s standpoint as well as someone who had climbed through them all. It may not hold true for all companies but it does for a lot of them. Actually most of them.
You want the inside scoop? The real deal from Hoover himself? Here it is.
We’ll start first with definitions.
Level 1- Field Staff
At this level, a fisherman will typically get some stickers, maybe a hat or shirt and a discount. Usually the discount is less than 20%. There are few expectations for these folks except to say good things about the product.
Level 2- Pro Deal
At this level you are doing some significant things for a company. Maybe it’s blogging, videos, pictures, social media and some trade shows. You conduct yourself in a manner consistent with company values and may do a few seminars or speaking events. The discount increases at this level and is usually 20-30%. Read more….