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View Full Version : What are the chances that this will work?



Keith Z
07-02-2008, 21:01
I'm going to send an email to pretty much every company that I'm going to be buying stuff from asking for a promotional offer of something if i tell people about the item (I'm 16, and there's not a lot of places that i can work at yet) Has anyone tried this before?

JAK
07-02-2008, 21:14
It might work better if you focus on one company, and failing that try another. That would be my suggestion. Also it might work better to do it locally, where people know you. Of course with the internet these days local can mean different things, depending on where you live and who you hang out with in cyberspace.

Having said that, I'll resort to my conservative old man ego. Did I say conservative. No, make that archaic. Get off the internet kid. Walk, don't ride, to where you want to buy stuff from. Bicker with them. Tell them you want to save up all the money before you buy anything. Offer to work for them the next time they do inventory, and that you'll spend all the wages on merchandice. Maybe at the employee rate also.

p.s. Don't trust anyone over 30.

kayak karl
07-02-2008, 21:22
I'm going to send an email to pretty much every company that I'm going to be buying stuff from asking for a promotional offer of something if i tell people about the item (I'm 16, and there's not a lot of places that i can work at yet) Has anyone tried this before?
P. T. Barnum (of Barnum & Bailey Circus) once said i don't want 1 person to give me a quarter of a million $, i want 1 million people to give me a quarter. and i want it before they SEE what they're getting:D

AND HE DID IT:)

just a thought:-?

Appalachian Tater
07-02-2008, 21:35
If you're sixteen and you can't get a regular job with a timecard, you can get odd jobs mowing lawns, cleaning pools, taking care of pets for people on vacation, babysitting, raking pine straw, washing cars, getting mildew off of houses, etc.

To answer your question, yes, it has been done. It works better if you are a known long-distance hiker or if you are doing it for charity. I did know one thru-hiker who got "sponsored" by Moosejaw in the form of a 20% discount on anything he bought from them, but they would probably give that to anyone who asked nicely.

shelterbuilder
07-02-2008, 21:44
"Askin' ain't gettin' ", but you won't get if you don't ask! The worst they can say is "no", and you'll be no worse off than you are now. Go for it.

Having said that, make sure that you go into this with a reasonable PLAN for this endorsement campaign of yours. Most businesses are in business to make money, not to give away freebies. If you have a reasonable way to contact a large number of potential customers, a business might be more willing to to say "yes".

Gray Blazer
07-02-2008, 21:44
I'm going to send an email to pretty much every company that I'm going to be buying stuff from asking for a promotional offer of something if i tell people about the item (I'm 16, and there's not a lot of places that i can work at yet) Has anyone tried this before?

Are you talking about hiking? My sister and her family did that in the 70's when they walked from FL to Portland, OR. Jansport provided them with packs and Nike provided their shoes for the whole trip. Won't hurt to try. Show them proof (make it up if you have to) that there will be much publicity surrounding your hike/book/movie, whatever.

Appalachian Tater
07-02-2008, 21:47
(make it up if you have to) Yeah, that's great advice, good practice for yellow-blazing the entire state of Virginia and still applying for your 2K miler patch. :rolleyes:

fiddlehead
07-02-2008, 22:47
I have a company that sells warm clothing and gear.
We get asked from time to time to give hiker discounts.
We usually give 10-20% after i ask them a few questions.
Good luck.

Keith Z
07-03-2008, 08:40
I did know one thru-hiker who got "sponsored" by Moosejaw in the form of a 20% discount on anything he bought from them, but they would probably give that to anyone who asked nicely.
Thanks for that one, the back pack that I'm going to buy from them is pretty expensive. 20% off would be really nice, and we could buy more stuff there too.

seanb724
07-03-2008, 09:33
I have some experience in this from my days as an Adventure Racer. I can tell you that it has to be a two-way street -- the companies are going to need to know that they are going to be getting something back. Just telling them you plan to "evangelize" their products to anyone you see on the trail likely won't be enough.

For adventure racing, we promised to wear their clothing as much as possible to catch advertising opportunities. Like when we won or placed in an event, we made sure their logos were visible. We also gave clinics to talk about the sport, and the products we used and why we used them. We put on some races and gave product away at those events for our sponsors, to get the word out. We put their logos on our web page, usually with a blurb about why the products are so great, etc.

Granted, if you are "just hiking," it is unlikely you can do many of those things. But if you can put a story around the hike, you have a better shot. For example, get a bunch of folks to promise to give $1 or $0.10 for each mile you hike, that you will give to a certain charity. Make the distance challenging -- or make something about the hike challenging. (For example, make it a thru hike! :-) )

Then contact the local papers, and make them aware. If they can put a story together for you, then you can have a blurb about "thanks to my sponsors XXX for allowing me to do this." Make a web page.

In short, get a plan together before you go to the sponsors. Tell them what they will get out of it. Make it clear you have a way to publicize them -- web page, press, etc.

Good luck!

seanb724
07-03-2008, 09:37
I forgot... I should have signed that post "Hammer." That has become my trail name for two reasons:

1) I like to "hammer" it on the up hills and see how fast I can go. :-)

2) Hammer Nutrition is a sponsor of our AR team, and I always use and evangelize their products on the trail. :-)

- Hammer

JAK
07-03-2008, 09:45
Better to work odd jobs and hike with cheap crap and follow this advice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmwBvMcljog

Keith Z
07-03-2008, 11:09
(For example, make it a thru hike! :-) )

This has been my plan. Granted, my friends aren't in the peak of physical fitness, but they have 2 years to get there (we're starting the hike right after graduation). I thought it would be better to bring them, because we have an agreement that there is no quitting, and I thought that them being there would help me not quit.

seanb724
07-03-2008, 11:17
I think most people will tell you that thru-hiking with others often doesn't work out for everyone involved. And the more in the party, the more likely the party doesn't last all the way through altogether.

My one suggestion is make sure you plan to be able to do it all on your own if one or two drop out. I.e. make sure your gear is suitable to a solo thru-hike.

Keith Z
07-03-2008, 11:35
I think most people will tell you that thru-hiking with others often doesn't work out for everyone involved. And the more in the party, the more likely the party doesn't last all the way through altogether.

My one suggestion is make sure you plan to be able to do it all on your own if one or two drop out. I.e. make sure your gear is suitable to a solo thru-hike.
That's a good idea, I think i will do that.

Jim Adams
07-04-2008, 08:13
Keith Z,
Yes it can work under varying circumstances but usually the guidelines are very narrow.
I recieved $13,000 worth of gear to test in 1989 on a trip that I did but it was the trip and my methods that secured that amount.

1. I chose 1 or 2 pieces of equipment from each manufacturer that I wanted to use. If you ask to be totally outfitted by 1 source it more than likely wont happen due to expenses for that company.
2. Know why you want that particular piece of equipment. Have a firm reason.
3. Have a plan for the way in which that equipment will be tested for both that company anf for promotional purposes.
4. Put all of this info together with a detailed description of your trip.
5. Call the 800 #'s of the companies involved and get the name of the person in that company in charge of R&D and also the person in charge of promotions along with addresses to send info to these people.
6. Assemble this info into a professional appearing packet and mail 1 copy each to the R&D person and the promotional person.
7. Wait 1 week and then call back on the 800# and ask to speak to each of those people. Discuss the trip with them and politely ask if they can help you. If possible it is wise to do this very late in the year or very early. If you contact them late in the year they can usually figure the cost into next years buget. If you contact them early in the year you can usually get equipment while there is still remaining funds earmarked for such things.

If you made your point and proposal well, you will usually get that piece of equipment. I had 3 companies out of 21 turn me down.

Now the BAD news.
Everyday people contact these companies wanting free gear to hike the AT, PCT, CDT, JMT, ADT, etc. If they funded everyone they would be out of business so if they kindly offer you a discount...GLADLY TAKE IT!
Usually to get the support level that I had, you must be doing something "new" or odd. My trip involved a 5 month 2,200 mile canoe trip merging into a thru hike of the AT merging into a 1,000 mile bicycle ride back to the starting point. The goal was to complete the trip in exactly 1 year, 5,091 human powered miles.
The equipment chosen would be tested under 3 different processes.
a. The piece of equipment must be compatible with all three modes of transportation.
b. It had to be affordable by a normal family of 4.
c. It had to last the entire year.
d. Weekly reports would be sent to each manufacturer notifying them as to where I was on the trip, how it was going and how their equipment was working out. A 3x5 U.S.P.S. postcard would suffice. I also called them once a month on the 800 # to talk directly with these people.
In return for all of this they all got very long term testing (1 year) which they NEVER get, new design ideas or improvement ideas to upgrade their product, and cross-over usage data for the 3 different modes of travel. You must also allow them to use your info for advertising if they so desire.

I made many friends in the industry with this approach and this trip and have recieved help and encouragement of many other trips along the way because I established my creds on that first trip. I learned alot about R&D and also design. It really made me aware of exactly what I need to take into each different type of wilderness. Needless to say that if you want the help to continue, you need to be successful on whatever trip you decide to do.
You may get free equipment, you may get discounts, you may just get best wishes. Keep your chin up, keep them informed of your progress and their equipment (even if you pay for it), it could lead to a brighter future....my travels have been blessed by so many that I will never be able to repay the kindness in full.
Above all, MAKE YOUR TRIP UNIQUE! As one manufacture stated in the beginning.... "we don't think that you can do it but if you do, we want to be part of it...WHAT DO YOU NEED?"

Good Luck.

geek

Survivor Dave
07-04-2008, 08:25
Actually, you can ask for sponsorship. A friend, Squarl, is now hiking the PCT after asking gear manufacturers to help. He still had to come up with the money for the actual trek itself.

Wouldn't hurt, try it.

SD

Storyteller56
07-04-2008, 08:35
The answer to every question in life is always no If you don't ask, & suprisingly yes quite often when you do.

pmazer
07-05-2008, 23:59
Here's a good write-up I found that related: http://www.andrewskurka.com/advice/sponsorships.php

River Runner
07-06-2008, 00:12
As you start accumulating gear, you could consider writing owner reviews for this site:

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/

While you cannot begin testing gear until you are 18, you could use your owner reviews to showcase the type of in-depth reports your sponsors could expect, and you could also begin testing gear once you are 18.

I've tested over a couple of thousand dollars worth of gear through them over the last 4 years or so.

RITBlake
07-06-2008, 02:09
The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Granite Gear and Jetboil hooked us because a. we had a decent website and b. we were very annoying and persistent callers.