Skeet Talks Sponsorship Tips

Auburn , Calif. – Being one of the most visible anglers in the sport, and one of the most recognizable spokesmen in the industry, 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion Skeet Reese fields the questions about sponsorship frequently. Through his website; www.skeetreeseinc.com , Reese receives frequent questions about how to obtain and retain sponsors. Sponsorship is a topic he speaks of with a great deal of knowledge and passion.

Reese said there are two major considerations when thinking of sponsorship for an angler.
1. “Anglers have to work their tail off for their sponsors, or prospective sponsors.
2. “Anglers have to perform on the water; they have to catch ‘em well enough to be competitive

For Reese, there are several things that are considerations within the above statements for an angler looking at partnering with companies in a promotional manner, and they started for him early on.

Get to Know Your Local Rep
Reese believes that many anglers in their zeal to begin the process miss an important step; contacting local reps. “You have to get to know local reps and show them your work ethic and skills first,” he said. “Many anglers start by trying to contact the manufacturer and it cuts out the person who can be the best representative for your future growth with a company.”

“I had my first dealings with the business side of fishing when I was 13 or 14 years old,” said Reese. “Some local industry professionals, Hal and Nora Huggins took over Fanguard Tackle, a regional distributor, and I helped them with some sales and at shows. My first Trade Show was for Fanguard in Oregon when I was 15 years old; I traveled with Benno Huene, who now owns Little Creepers Baits; that's where I started.”

From his early days, Reese moved on to a deal with Lamiglas rods, his first big sponsor, then deals with Horizon Lures, and the list began to grow. It was several years before he would reach the level of deals with boat and motor companies, and despite his fishing ability and personality; he didn't start out any higher than anyone else.

Reese started out like most anglers, with discounts on products, earned product for days worked at shows, and the occasional promotional giveaway. “That is how the game starts, and it starts with the angler putting himself out there as much as possible,” said the six-time BASS winner. “People will have to take the smaller deals until they can build a track record with their reps before moving up the ladder.”

He also said anglers should expect to put in a lot of work to prove their worth “I think anglers today believe that they can jump right in to being a paid pro staffer, but it takes time to reach that level,” he said. “I only had one paid position with anyone until I went full time on tour in 1998.”

Keep Fishing
Many anglers can stand in the booth at a trade show, or at an in store promotion and look pretty, but only the most credible anglers will make it the farthest, and winning on the water makes a big impression. “You've got to catch ‘em as much as possible,” said Reese. “Winning tournaments at all levels gives a company something to use in their promotions, and someone who wins gets their attention. Start with winning locally in team events and pro – ams, then regionally in FLW and BASS Open levels and further; when you place high, you'll be more valuable than you know.”

Know the Product
Reese often knows nearly as much about the products he uses and endorses as well as the company representatives who produce or market them, and in doing so, he becomes more efficient on the water, but also off the water as a spokesman. When Lowrance was ready to release the new HDS Fishing Systems and Structure Scan, Reese spent two days in training, learning to use the product so he could use it to its full extent in competition, as well as communicate its use to the public.

He also worked hand in hand with designers at Lucky Craft, Berkley and Wright & McGill Co. in producing the baits and products he uses on the water. “My Skeet Reese Tessera rods are designed to my specs, and many of the Lucky Craft and Berkley PowerBait lures I use are products that I either designed or had a hand in finalizing,” said Reese. “Being available to spend extra days on the water testing are great ways to bring value to your sponsors.”

Recognize Sponsorship for What it is – a Job
Many anglers don't realize that there is more to being a professional angler than going fishing. For Reese, the time on the water requires the least amount of time commitment of any part of his career. “I'm on the road 200 days each year, and about two thirds of that is not fishing related,” he said. “Working with sponsors, and fishing for a living is a job, and one that I'm my only boss; my only motivator. I put in sometimes as much as 120 hours a week into my job, and if people complain about the effort required in working a 40 hour a week job, they need to carefully examine themselves fishing as a career.”

Stay in Touch
Reese used to print and mail his activities to his sponsors frequently, but today's electronic age has proven to be more efficient. “I send frequent email updates to my sponsors to keep them updated of my travel schedule, marketing and promotions efforts that I make,” he said. “These companies are my partners, but also my customers and bosses, and keeping them updated of my activities is an important part of doing my job.”

“I have one of the greatest jobs in the world, but it's certainly not for everyone,” he said. “It's a lot of hard work, but I wouldn't change it for anything.”