# Just a question from a guy new to the competition world of archery



## cbrunson (Oct 25, 2010)

You need a resume just like applying for a good job. They want to see that you will be a good representative for their company and products. There’s basically two ways of doing that. First, being a beginner, your best chances are to get involved with a local bow shop and earn some respect. Help them out. Spend some volunteer time with area clubs and shoots. Become known locally as someone who wants to help the sport grow. 

Second, compete. Go to as many shoots as you can both locally and nationally. Companies want to see their products in as many hands as possible. You don’t have to win necessarily, but it helps. If you’re just starting out, that’s not likely anyway. But by going, you will very quickly become a familiar face, and people notice. 

Another helpful but not necessary component, is to spend the money now, to save money later. Most companies only offer discounted prices to staff shooters. They need to make money on their products, not give them away. There are very few professional archers that receive equipment free from the manufacturers. They probably get thousands of people asking to be staff shooters every year that have little to no experience or reputation. They can’t likely reply back to everyone and still run the business that involves not only continual innovation, manufacturing, and travel to all of the shoots where they often personally represent their brand. 

If you want sponsors, show them and all others the respect of building your own good reputation in the industry, and proving to them that you would be a positive representative of their brand.


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## pitchfire (Sep 18, 2019)

When they see that you have as much to offer to them as you are asking them to offer you, they will reply. Until then show them by your acts as cbrunson laid out so well. It isn't personal, they don't know you. Make them want to know you.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

bigbuckdn said:


> But most no answer at all is this normal in the industry?


It’s normal in EVERY industry. Ask anyone who’s looking for a job.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

I'm not sure why you would expect a reply for wasting their time.

Sponsorship follows performance, not the other way around.


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

cbrunson said:


> You need a resume just like applying for a good job. They want to see that you will be a good representative for their company and products. There’s basically two ways of doing that. First, being a beginner, your best chances are to get involved with a local bow shop and earn some respect. Help them out. Spend some volunteer time with area clubs and shoots. Become known locally as someone who wants to help the sport grow.
> 
> Second, compete. Go to as many shoots as you can both locally and nationally. Companies want to see their products in as many hands as possible. You don’t have to win necessarily, but it helps. If you’re just starting out, that’s not likely anyway. But by going, you will very quickly become a familiar face, and people notice.
> 
> ...


I agree with all of this and I expect it to be as you state I am involved with a local shop and some volunteer work for shop with youth shooters 
I just was shocked to not get any response


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

Stash said:


> It’s normal in EVERY industry. Ask anyone who’s looking for a job.


Yea I guess 



pitchfire said:


> When they see that you have as much to offer to them as you are asking them to offer you, they will reply. Until then show them by your acts as cbrunson laid out so well. It isn't personal, they don't know you. Make them want to know you.


I guess I just fig that there would be some response 
But it is what it is not a big deal


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

grantmac said:


> I'm not sure why you would expect a reply for wasting their time.
> 
> Sponsorship follows performance, not the other way around.



Ok well was not wasting their time and you have to start someplace 
I am sure when I spent my hard earned money to buy there products I was not wasting their time 
For a few of the very small companies I am sure my money still matters 
I did not ask for any money or gear just to join their staff


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## cbrunson (Oct 25, 2010)

bigbuckdn said:


> I agree with all of this and I expect it to be as you state I am involved with a local shop and some volunteer work for shop with youth shooters
> I just was shocked to not get any response


Talk to the shop owner about shooting for his shop. Shop staff shooters are usually given discounted or even some free equipment as incentive for supporting local pro shops. They will likely have you sign an agreement and offer staff level contingency for placing in some events. If you are good enough, manufacturers’ reps may seek you out.


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

cbrunson said:


> Talk to the shop owner about shooting for his shop. Shop staff shooters are usually given discounted or even some free equipment as incentive for supporting local pro shops. They will likely have you sign an agreement and offer staff level contingency for placing in some events. If you are good enough, manufacturers’ reps may seek you out.


Yea I will be shooting for the shop he is really putting in time getting me ready and set up 
He is lending some of the equipment and discounted some without my local shops help I would not be doing this 
Like I said earlier I did not expect anything I was just surprised at the fact that companies gave no response 
But I guess it’s normal


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

And if applying the wrong time of year you won't get a response and this getting close to that time of year. I think the latest I've sent in my application was in January....most of the time in November. 

Gotta agree with cbrunson for the biggest part. I never once shot at the National level for Pearson and made Silver level for my start and then Gold level. The move to Gold, National Staff Coordinator said I'd been with Pearson a while (2008 to date) and helped where I could.


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

Yea I guess it’s normal business for them so no big deal it just surprised me that’s all 
But lots of learning to be done


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## Minsch1 (Apr 23, 2017)

In my experience, and this is only my personal experience, sponsors tend to reach out to you, when they feel you are ready and a good fit for their company. Since you are already active at your local shop, ask if you can be there when the rep for the company/companies you are interested in come for their visit. Visit the booths of the companies you like at bigger shoots and introduce yourself, and talk honestly about why you are enthusiastic about their products. Be willing to show/demonstrate the equipment you use to other archers at shoots. Just be yourself, and be generous and passionate about what you use and like. Once you start making those personal connections, offers may come.


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

bigbuckdn said:


> So I am just starting out in the target archery world
> Now don’t get me wrong I did not expect to land a single sponsor, but I filled out forms and sent emails and sent letters
> I was kind off surprised about how many companies did not even give me a simple sorry not interested at this time
> One company sent a nice sorry but you need to build a resume. But most no answer at all is this normal in the industry?


I dont want this to sound snarky or mean, as that is not my intention . But today i received another request for sponsorship from an international archer who had the wrong attitude in his asking. 

So as a recurve archer who has some sponsorship, and as a company bow rep who gets asked by archers all over the world to be sponsored, i have to ask you...

Why would you even send out inquires to be sponsored? As you say, you are new to target archery, what do you have as value for a bow company to give away their product? That part i dont follow. I am not trying to be demeaning in any way. But archery is a business, and you are wanting free or discounted product from a company in exchange for your value shooting it. So what would be your value? Will people buy the bow because you shoot it and talk it up? If so, how many? two? five? ten? 

Companies arent super rich mega machines that make so much product, they can give it away by the truckload. Most of the bow companies have a limited ability to give free or discounted gear. Even Hoyt has a limit to what they can do, and 90 percent of their staff shooter sponsorships are discounted to dealer pricing. Hoyt still makes the same on the bow. Many bow companies are small and have very little budget to discount or donate gear. 

So for the company to give away or deeply discount the product, they must receive something tangible back that generates revenue. That is plain and simple. What does the bow company get for giving you a bow? 

Plenty of archers already shooting said company bow are already promoting it for free having bought the bow. So you promoting the bow is lost in a sea of others. 

As was said previously, you dont have to win to be sponsored. Many other factors are way more important. I never made a podium at a large tournament. My scores were average at best. But i sold a crap load of bows for the company by shooting their gear at tournaments. I promoted the brand for free. I let other archers at tournaments shoot my bow/ limbs/ whatever. I ended up selling so many bows over a 3 year period that the company made me a distributor. I was selling more bows than any other store or shop in the USA for that brand. 

That is what got me sponsored. And i am still sponsored currently, though i have not shot a tournament in almost 2 years. 

I get requests and resumes all the time from archers who won national this, international that. Usually they are so full of them selves, they say things like " i will be happy to START promoting your product if you sponsor me". This is not the way to think about sponsorship. 

You first have to prove to the company that you are an asset to the brand, and that you sell bows by your promoting. People start to associate you to the brand, and the brand to you. You become a spokesperson that is knowledgable and accessible. You do those things, and sponsorship will come to you. 

Now in my opinion, sponsorship is highly overrated. Shoot the gear that you love, shot it and promote it, and you will be happy whether you are sponsored or not. I know archers who buy MK bows to shoot, but have a WinWin sponsorship for free bow, so they cant shoot the bow they pay for at a tournament. Being sponsored may make you shoot gear you dont like, or that does not produce the best results. 

two years ago, i was approached by someone asking about a possible sponsorship for a nationally ranked archer. As i was the USA contact, i was approached. I said i would speak with the bow company at the next major tournament where they would be in attendance and see if i could put in a great word and get the archer sponsored. 

At the tournament, i spoke briefly with the archer and said, I understand you are interested in sponsorship, and i will introduce you to the company reps to help make that happen. The archer actually said to me " well i'm not sure yet i want to be sponsored, i will have to shoot the bows first to see if i like them". 

needless to say, the introduction never happened, and that archer was not sponsored. That archer had the wrong attitude. The bow company isnt going to give you two free bows so you can SEE if you like it or not and will then agree to be sponsored. That attitude is the complete wrong approach.

Its what can you do for the company that gets you the sponsorship / gear. 

Being a new archer, your best option first is to be at your local range. Help out, become known as a friendly great guy. Try after a while to become a staff shooter. At some ranges, this is hard, at others its not. Then as a staff shooter, promote, work, shoot tournaments, get out in the archery community, become an asset to companies and to the sport. Then you will get noticed. 

most all sponsorships will come to you. Very rare that you get a sponsorship by asking, unless its a brand new company and they need archers. 

Most will not respond to say no, because most dont have full time people to answer all the emails asking for sponsorship. They have to prioritize the ones asking for info on their product, or answering emails for orders/ shipments. 

Good luck with your archery. Its great to see your passion for competing and wanting to get to that step. When you are ready for sponsorship, it will come knock on your door. 


Chris


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## pitchfire (Sep 18, 2019)

chrstphr said:


> I dont want this to sound snarky or mean, as that is not my intention . But today i received another request for sponsorship from an international archer who had the wrong attitude in his asking.
> 
> So as a recurve archer who has some sponsorship, and as a company bow rep who gets asked by archers all over the world to be sponsored, i have to ask you...
> 
> ...


On the plus side the guy in your story wasn't going to end up like the first guy you mentioned using something he didn't like (so +1 for integrity on that principle), but on the other hand expected something for nothing (-1 for integrity on that principle).

Lessons learned: Keep your integrity by only accepting sponsorship (or soliciting it for that matter) for products that you are willing to stake your (good) reputation on, and don't solicit such products until you have made that determination AND have a reputation that adds value to the product in question. That way it is a Win-Win or perhaps Mk-Mk situation...


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

pitchfire said:


> On the plus side the guy in your story wasn't going to end up like the first guy you mentioned using something he didn't like (so +1 for integrity on that principle), but on the other hand expected something for nothing (-1 for integrity on that principle).
> 
> Lessons learned: Keep your integrity by only accepting sponsorship (or soliciting it for that matter) for products that you are willing to stake your (good) reputation on, and don't solicit such products until you have made that determination AND have a reputation that adds value to the product in question. That way it is a Win-Win or perhaps Mk-Mk situation...


The US archer in my story had access to an MK bow to shoot and determine if they wanted to pursue MK as a sponsor well before i was approached. So the archer should have known if they would be interested in being sponsored by the company before i was ever approached. The archer ( in my opinion) suddenly tried to switch the positions and make it seem like the company should pursue the archer, when in reality, the archer was pursuing the company. The archer had nothing yet of value to MK Korea. This attitude of the company needing the archer, or the archer being above the company was ridiculous. But it is an attitude i find common when archers ask for sponsorship. 

So it wasnt integrity that the archer was showing, it was a false sense that they were an important archer and the company would be lucky to sponsor them. 

So many times i see someone win a tournament in their division, and suddenly they think, now i can get free stuff. Bow companies dont see it that way. They must have a return on their investment. Especially the smaller companies. 


Chris


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## pitchfire (Sep 18, 2019)

Sounds like posturing akin to deceit. Good on you for passing on him.


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## Mahly (Dec 18, 2002)

I’ve had a good few sponsorships in my time.
Some came to me (and I suspect many more), some were looking for archers in general (the usual dealer discount stuff), and a few I came to them.
I look at archery sponsorships the same way I looked at racing sponsorships (had several of those as well).
1) I am going to keep my integrity. I’m not gonna be that guy that changes bow brands every few years and proclaims the current brand to be without peer. No one believes that when they see it too often. As such, if I am asked to support a product I don’t think is that great, I won’t.
2) I am not going to go out of my way to advertise for companies that don’t help me out. If I’m not getting help, I am not going to put their name on me or my gear. I’m not advertising for free, and it cheapens the efforts of others who are getting help. Now, I’m not going to scrape the mfgs name off of my stuff, I’m not that petty, but I’m not promoting gear for someone not helping me. Even several of my race bikes were without a brand name. If I repainted it, and Suzuki didn’t help me out, I’m not putting their name on the bike.
2a) I am not paying more for a team shirt, than I would pay for a similar shirt without their logo.
3) Those that DO help me out, I go the extra mile to advertise for them. Be it ad space, or offering to let people try my gear. The best way IMO to do this is find someone struggling, find out what is their issue, and offer them the chance to try your gear to see if it works better for them. It may be a placebo effect, but I believe in my gear, so I don’t feel bad if they buy my brand of ______ even if it really didn’t help them physically. If it helped them psychosomatically, great. Point is, it helped them, and they may tell their friends how they cured their issue with my brand of ______.
4) You do NOT have a temper tantrum! EVER! Even if you THINK your gear is at fault, you brush it off. There is nothing you can do right now to fix the problem. Throwing a fit is virtually guaranteed to make you shoot worse, look worse, and make your sponsors look bad.
If you have to say anything. Say something honest, even if unrelated. “I should have got more sleep last night, I’m just not shooting my best” etc.
I don’t care if you were in the shoot off at Vegas and an arrow went into the 8 ring and you don’t know why. You keep your head. Throw a fit when you get home if anything.
5) Mind your manners online. ESPECIALLY in archery forums! But also in places like Facebook, you are virtually ALWAYS a face for your sponsors. Do not embarrass them.
6) Look good! Be neat and organized. Unless you are Brady, and can pull it off, keep yourself neat (hair, facial and otherwise, clothes not wrinkled etc.). You are selling a professional image. Have one to sell.
7) Be patient. Not everyone is going to be lining up at your door. Not everyone is going to say yes. Do NOT bad mouth them! Maybe in time, you will get picked up by your favorite brand, but it is their call. Don’t burn bridges. 
7a) Don’t bad mouth other brands. It looks bad, and is burning a bridge you may regret someday. A smart technique is to praise competing brands, “The guys shooting brand _____ were really strong today! They are tough to beat! But we were able to come out on top! Couldn’t have done it without my _______”.


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

So things actually worked out in the end better than I could have hoped for
I had a lot of companies I did not hear from 
I had a lot of companies that sent back a nice reply I was turned down but a reply all the same 
The Shop I will be shooting for became a carter dealer and I shoot a carter release 
And I currently shoot Shrewd Accessories and they do sponsor amateur shooters 
So it was more then worth all the letters and forms 
Now I just hope to shoot well, put in time, influence others to join the archery world 
Thank you 
To all who commented and offered advice


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## brasscow (Aug 8, 2015)

grantmac said:


> I'm not sure why you would expect a reply for wasting their time.
> 
> Sponsorship follows performance, not the other way around.


This


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## pottergreg (Mar 20, 2015)

Win some big events, success will follow. They want winners.


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## tere colera (Mar 16, 2014)

Yes, they want winners. But they want people competing around the world attending as many tournaments as they can. And obviously you have to be a good image of their brand. Be active in social media it's relly good as well!


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## Sleddood800 (Nov 15, 2019)

Don't take it personally, I bet they get a lot of apps and most of those I bet are from new archers who have a desire to shoot, but then after getting some equipment or time from a businuess they drop off the face of the archery earth. Even if they had a form letter that they plugged your name into, if they did that for everyone it would take a lot of time, and time is $ to them. They might cyber stalk you to see if you do indeed shoot and how you conduct yourself before they make contact with you to make sure you are good for their brand and not a loose cannon. Again lots of reasons why not, but keep shooting and keep asking bout their gear or new gear comming out to compare what they have now, shows you are loyal and legit and they might start off small but who knows where it can go.


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