I’m a thinker. On a daily basis I come up with ideas. “What now?” is what I hear from my wife on a regular basis after I tell her of my new ideas.
Why do I say I’m a thinker and why did I title this topic – Forget What You Know? I should have added a little more and said – Forget What You Know About Sponsorship. Yep, forget what you know.
When I fished tournaments and had sponsors, I never even considered
accepting free or highly discounted tackle in exchange for sponsorship, I needed cash to pay entry fees. Discounted worms, rods, reels, etc. was only going to cost me money, which I already didn’t have to pay my entry fees. I guess the reason I did it this way is because I didn’t know any better. I didn’t know that discounts on tackle were considered sponsorship. I didn’t know that companies wouldn’t just give you cash to cover your fishing expenses, so I asked them to, and lo and behold – They did!
So, I thought. I thought about how I could raise cash. How I could
raise enough cash to pay to fish. I sat and thought. That’s why I say “forget what you know about sponsorship and the fishing industry”. Completely remove those thoughts from your mind and focus, really focus, think of ways to obtain FUNDS.
So, now that you’ve forgotten everything you know about getting free worms and discounts off your tackle, now what? Pretend you are writing your senior paper and it has to be on the subject:
Finding Sponsors That Will Provide Cash. And you have to find companies that can provide enough to cover all your expenses.
Now I know most people will agree with me that it’s a pretty good way to look at obtaining cash sponsors. However, most people won’t sit down, put pen to paper, and start the assignment. But YOU aren’t ‘most people.’ You have a choice that some people don’t realize: to believe in yourself or to disbelieve in your abilities. Know that you can do this. If you force yourself to sit down, do some research like you had to do for your senior paper, and actually write, research, THINK and finish the project, you’ll actually accomplish it. Take charge and never surrender to mediocrity. If you persevere, you’ll find a cash sponsor because you are looking for it.
In reality we only look for discounts and free tackle as far as sponsorship is concerned because that’s what everybody else in the fishing industry does. Now, obviously there are the big-time pros that are way past discounts. They get free products and cash to promote and endorse products. However, that only affects a handful of people.
I challenge you to sit down and think, uncover, search for ways to obtain cash for sponsorship. Commit to finding a sponsor and stick with it. Forget what you know about the fishing industry and sponsorship. Look at it differently. Look at it like I did.
Scott Rauber – Author
How To Get Sponsored For Fishing Tournaments Volume I & II
www.fishforfree.com
www.fishforfree2.com
