How do Pro's first get sponsored?

[GorillaTactical]

This is a question for any of you sponsored shooters. When you first got sponsored how did it happen? Did you approach your sponsor? Did they approach you? I'm just curious what the process was and how it's evolved as 3 gun has increased in popularity.

[sirveyr]

Oh shit! Here we go again...

[Sarge]

Oh shit! Here we go again...

My thoughts exactly!

I'm not a pro shooter by any stretch of the imagination, but I was approached.

[Bigpops]

First...you need a cool shirt! (just kidding...feeling froggy this morning, my apologies)

[RePete]

Thw word is posted (don't ask where, I don't know) that they are looking for shooters, but sometimes it's by recommendation from another shooter. A friend has told me that it can be a lengthy process.

[cyburg]

(LOL)

My wife keeps trying to drop my sponsorship.

Edited September 9, 2010 by cyburg

[Seth]

Bring something to the table that the sponsoring company can USE to their advantage in selling product. If you get stuff, they want stuff in return.

In my case, I'm sponsored by my wife. I get room and board, plus play money. In return she gets free babysitting, poor housecleaning and 200# of loving.

[Pezco]

I woud imagine they won matches first before thinking about sponsorship.

[want2race]

Think of sponsorship like a job. If you have a desired skill and they have an opening, submit resume. It works very much the same, because it is. At a day job you get compensated for doing xyz for the company. Your level of compensation depends on your skill level, the size of the company and many other variables. Sponsorship (not just shooting, but racing too) has many levels. If you have something the company can utilize to acheive their goals then you are marketable and would be a good candidate.

[Steve J]

This is a question for any of you sponsored shooters. When you first got sponsored how did it happen? Did you approach your sponsor? Did they approach you? I'm just curious what the process was and how it's evolved as 3 gun has increased in popularity.

Your title is asking the Pros. You probably won't hear from them here. First, I believe, they make a name for themselves by winning major matches. Don't confuse team shirts and "sponsorship" with being a professional shooter, someone who represents a manufacturer full time.

.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Steve J

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Lots of hard work and winning matches. Thanks, Eric

[AZGunut]

Hi everyone, we usually meet shooters that we sponsor when we squad with them at larger area matches and nationals. We pick shooters who are good shooters of course, but who are good people first! In fact I usually pay attention to work ethic first. If you don't help the squad and pull your weight by taping/ resetting, etc that gives me the clue that you may not be a hard worker or willing to go above and beyond to help other shooters and represent well. Basically every action is watched not just the shooting.

[Corey]

keep an eye out for announcements of team adding memebers and send in a resume. You also may get approached by someone from the organization or another team member.

Above all... Ask not what your sponsor can do for you, but rather what can you do for your sponsor.

[MikeFoley]

This is a question for any of you sponsored shooters. When you first got sponsored how did it happen? Did you approach your sponsor? Did they approach you? I'm just curious what the process was and how it's evolved as 3 gun has increased in popularity.

Your title is asking the Pros. You probably won't hear from them here. First, I believe, they make a name for themselves by winning major matches. Don't confuse team shirts and "sponsorship" with being a professional shooter, someone who represents a manufacturer full time.

.

No one in this sport or the industry gets paid to just shoot. Even the top dogs can be seen taking meetings and doing demos at the SHOT SHOW, NRA Convention, etc. Everyone has to do some work other than shooting, everyone. Most of the time it is marketing or training.

Edited September 10, 2010 by fomeister

[fishhunter3]

Sponsership is a lot of work I have never had a shooting sponsor as I do it just for fun, but I have been fishing as a pro for several years and have had some major sponsor in the past

(taking a few years off for family reasons) it's what you can do on the sales floor not what you can do on the water or the range. I have had pro staff reps tell me that the don't care if you win (that would be gravy) can you make them money. I have taken alot of sales reps and store rep fishing worked on sales floors (selling product, stocking shelfs, setting displays) at the big stores talked to people all over about the equipment I use. it is alot of work and all of this on your own time, and still hold down a full tine job ( very few can make a living )

I have never won a major tourny but will work hard for the people that sponsored me and thats what it is all about

[CocoBolo]

Well you could wait for a sponsor to contact you but that would be like waiting for Kim Kadashian to come knock on your door and ask for a date. The way to get sponsors in most sports is to figure out how their sponsoring you will help their business. Then go to them and do a presentation of how you can help them. This is what I did in stock car racing many years ago. Getting and keeping sponsors is a lot of work. In shooting its even harder since the audiance reach is very limited.

[Seth]

Wanna make a small fortune in racing?

Start with a LARGE one.

My other favorite: Speed costs, how fast do you want to go?

Edited September 11, 2010 by Seth

[SinistralRifleman]

I think most "sponsored shooters" (which can be of any skill level) are people who work for companies that make guns/accessories in some capacity.

[GorillaTactical]

I feel like a big idiot ....I was in no way suggesting that I was looking to get sponsored haha...I am by no means even up to an acceptable personal skill level to consider it . i was just curious. You see guys shooting that have all these big name company's on their shirt and it gets you thinking how it started for them.

Secondly, when I used to term "PRO" in the title...I was generalizing that people who get payed to shoot (with a logo on their gun and jersey) are in the professional field of this sport, because as someone else suggested, NO ONE is a complete professional here.

[Singlestack]

I was just curious. You see guys shooting that have all these big name company's on their shirt and it gets you thinking how it started for them.

Most of them start here

http://www.techwearusa.com/

[calishootr]

yup...gotta have the cool 'race jammies' as i call em, like what was said earlier, its not what the company can do for you(get paid) but what can you do forthe company(hype and sell their products whatever it may be) funny how the companies best sellers are not the 'hotshot' top shooters, but the somewhere in the middle crowd who spend the time to talk to the rank and file about what it is they are using and how they like it. I was approached yrs ago, and thought wow, too cool, i get to shoot for free(was goingto pay for match fee's by no means was it mortgage type money) then i thought, now im taking somthing i love and turning it into a job....and have to be on my game 100 percent all the time and perform....not a lot of people can live up to the expectations setforth by the sponsoring companies...

[Charles Bond]

Based on what I am seeing lately in terms of new sponsored shooters, shooter skill level is less important than in the past. What sponsors seem to be reaching out for are friendly folks who attend a lot of matches that will push their product. In other words if you are a well traveled well thought of B shooter who is willing to demo product you might get more traction with a sponsor than you think. Now that may not mean any money and it may just be discounted product but that will certainly make your primary spousal sponsors feel better.

Putting "TEAM ACME OIL" on your shirt may not be as sexy as shooting for Springfield but when the choice is having a sponsor vs not having a sponsor the benefit is obvious.

[DWFAN]

Based on what I am seeing lately in terms of new sponsored shooters, shooter skill level is less important than in the past. What sponsors seem to be reaching out for are friendly folks who attend a lot of matches that will push their product. In other words if you are a well traveled well thought of B shooter who is willing to demo product you might get more traction with a sponsor than you think. Now that may not mean any money and it may just be discounted product but that will certainly make your primary spousal sponsors feel better.

Putting "TEAM ACME OIL" on your shirt may not be as sexy as shooting for Springfield but when the choice is having a sponsor vs not having a sponsor the benefit is obvious.

+1

[GorillaTactical]

Based on what I am seeing lately in terms of new sponsored shooters, shooter skill level is less important than in the past. What sponsors seem to be reaching out for are friendly folks who attend a lot of matches that will push their product. In other words if you are a well traveled well thought of B shooter who is willing to demo product you might get more traction with a sponsor than you think. Now that may not mean any money and it may just be discounted product but that will certainly make your primary spousal sponsors feel better.

Putting "TEAM ACME OIL" on your shirt may not be as sexy as shooting for Springfield but when the choice is having a sponsor vs not having a sponsor the benefit is obvious.

ACME Oil is popular in the shooting community?

I know what your saying, but with the limited exposure to people at matches, is an advertiser like "ACME oil" - or another unrelated to shooting company, or the local gun range/pro shop really have a reason to give you a sponsorship?

[Charles Bond]

I know what your saying, but with the limited exposure to people at matches, is an advertiser like "ACME oil" - or another unrelated to shooting company, or the local gun range/pro shop really have a reason to give you a sponsorship?

Not anywhere near a full one but it is a start. There is a lot of room on match shirts. So what if one of them is Danny's Transmission. At least in my area, shooters will support those who give to the sport or the shooters in it even on a local level.

But I am also seeing some major players do much more for some B and A shooters simply because they are such excellent product ambassadors. This has been going on in sporting clays for years.