Question for the Prostaffers

[senkoskipper]

Im not talking about prostaff on FM. Talking about people that are prostaff for st criox, shimano ect... What exactly does the prostaff do? Do you get paid? Do you get free products? Sponsorship? I ask cuz it seems like theres always someone at some sporting good store that always has to say "i know cuz im on their prostaff" this title seems to get tossed around a lot i have noticed.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Senko- Heres the deal- Many companies will offer semi/pro staff positions to employees to help push thier product. I would call this more of a field staff position. I guess it really all depends on the company and the person.

I am on a few different prostaff positions, FishingMinnesota, Shimano, Aqua-Vu, Mepps, MisterTwister. Each one I have a different contract with. But all are very similar as well... For work i do for them in promotions, IE Sport Shows, sales weekends, ect... I then am paid in product, do I recieve cash? no. Do I pay cash out of my pocket for product, NO, Do I think I am getting it free.. no way, I work for it. Many field staff(store employees) or what I consider field staff for thier help in sales promotion will then get some product at cost. Not all the product they want.. but some product. Or at a serious discount. I know many companies do this. Its a very good way to get the product in hands of the people selling it.

I hope this answers your question... If you have any more, feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer it as honestly as I can. I too think the word Prostaff gets abused... Yet there really are no standards for what the word means.

[Matt Johnson]

Prostaff can mean something different to everyone and for every different company/sponsor. Many prostaff don't get paid. But some get paid for working a booth at a sport show or giving a seminar, some get paid through sponsorship and whatnot, and others just get paid, but I'd say a good majority of them don't get $$$ as a way of getting paid. Yes, many prostaffers for different companies get product, but not all of it is free, heck, a good portion of it isn't free. You are expected to perform in return, or in advance of receiving anything for "free." I don't really look at the term "pro" staff as meaning "professional," I look at it as more meaning "promotional." Prostaff are picked to help promote for a company, its part of a marketing tool as well as part of getting the companies name out there in a wide variety of venues. People relate to other people.

Prostaff all have different qualities. And different prostaffs require, or demand, certain qualities. Good communication and sportsmanship is usually top on the list. Being a real good angler is usually just a bonus, unless you're on the big tournament circuits, then you're expected to produce, although that might always be the case. It's really a broad field, and there isn't any real "right way" or prostaff code per say. Every company has different guidelines, some might be similar, but nothing is really set in stone as law. However, whoever prostaffs for a company is suppose to know a good amount about the particular product/service they prostaff for. That’s probably one of the main reasons you encounter people saying “I know because I’m on their prostaff.” Take that for what it’s worth, because some people will throw around the title.

I would agree, the term prostaff does get thrown around a bit, but you have to just take it with a grain of salt. I personally don’t think because someone is on a company’s prostaff means that they are a professional, no matter the sport or field. But usually (and I say usually because it’s not always the case) there is some sort of quality that makes that person qualify, in the company’s eye, as earning the prostaff position. Many companies will ask themselves, “How can he/she help us?” or “Why should we pick him/her?” Then they go from there.

So I guess to answer your question, a prostaffer (when referring to a product/service) is there to help and promote for the company they prostaff for and be as honest as possible about their product/service. Being honest is the only way to improve the product/service. Nothing starts out perfect, and nothing ends up perfect, but there are always ways to improve and expand. Fishing is no different. And like I said, a good amount of prostaff don’t see a penny for their efforts as far as $$$ is concerned, they might receive some product, but they are expected to perform in return. A prostaff position isn’t just receiving something for free or a position where free stuff is just given to someone, it’s a position designed to help that particular company, and in a variety of ways. Many prostaffers don’t prostaff for a company because of the perks; they are usually fishing diehards with other jobs who have taken the sport of fishing just a little further than a hobby and want to help the sport. But some make a living in the sport of fishing, or in a like field, and being a prostaff truly means professional.

For example, FM prostaff don't receive any pay for their efforts. We are here because we all share the same passion for the sport of fishing and the outdoors. We enjoy helping others and that's what we are expected to do. Not a single FM prostaffer knows everything about hunting or fishing, but each and every FM prostaffer brings something unique to the table that helps FM and the fishing public in general, that's why they are FM staff in the first place.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Ray Esboldt]

Ask anyone that is titled Pro-Staff for a company or organization if they even come out ahead in the game when all their time and travel gets figured in at the end of the year. They're losing money or barely breaking even. It's more a labor of love. They should really be termed Product Evangelists instead of something as impersonal as Pro-Staff. It's a tough gig.

[Deitz Dittrich]

LOL @ ray.. very true my brother Unless your smart enough to get travel and hotel costs covered in thier contract.

[senkoskipper]

Thanks, those were some good answers.

[kato811]

deitz i think pro staffers should olny be knowlagble people who anwser your questions on FM LOL

[Deitz Dittrich]

LOL @ Kato! Dude you crack me up!