When I was 13 years old, I sat down and scribed a letter to an electric upright bass company. The letter outlined the many reasons that I thought the company should send me a bass for free. Of course, I had started playing bass all of three months before, and the only reason I wanted one was because Sting played one. I waited for weeks for my bass, or a letter or something from the company. My mother said they probably haven't stopped laughing long enough to respond. A harsh lesson in how the world works, indeed, but it was the first step to learning the hows and whys of endorsements. Endorsements are an arrangement between a company and a musician to play and use the company's gear. Now with that, there are many different ways to set this up, almost as many ways to screw it up once you have the endorsement. We'll talk about the agreements first. Generally, there are several levels of endorsement. From the top down- there are players who have signature model guitars or amps (which usually means a percentage of sales), and get pretty much what they need for the asking. There are professional players who are sent backline gear for festivals or television appearances, and can get gear for free or at artist pricing. These players get priority for servicing and replacements, because their livelihood depends on it. Several companies have recently implemented a 'local hero' endorsement, which is aimed at a prominent players in town who maybe haven't made it out of the market yet. This helps the players promote themselves and the product at the same time. When becoming an endorser, the benefit is two-fold: you are establishing a (hopefully) great relationship with your company, and they benefit from your enthusiasm and exposure. This, in turn, helps expose you, your band, and your songs. Not too shabby, but it's not for everybody. There are lots of people who take the approach I did when I was 13 and say basically 'Gimme free stuff.' Absolutely the #1 way to not get an endorsement. The most important thing in an endorsement is to believe in what you are using. Are you going after the endorsement because it's free or because you really use the gear? Don't go after a deal for the sake of saying you have an endorsement. So many players just can't wait to tell you they have an endorsement, but then say 'Well, I really don't like the gear, but it's free.' Talk about sellout… So how do you get an endorsement? It's not easy, but it's not as hard as you think if you are prepared. Like I said before, already using the gear helps. If you are a firm believer in what you are using, the companies like that very much. Of course, you have to show something going on in your musical career, too. Gigging once a month at the VFW is cool, but maybe not the exposure the company is going for. If you have a good 'story' - not fiction, mind you, but a good list of gigs, size of shows, TV, radio, festival appearances, and CD's of the band, then it gets a little easier than 'I am 13, give me a bass.' Be the Boy Scout. Be Prepared. Be prepared to answer questions about the band, your intentions, and what gear you would like to buy. I said "buy", because you should be prepared for them to say you have to buy it. Inversely, be prepared to hear no. That's OK, too. Keep using the gear and as your story builds, you can try again. Now you have the endorsement. How do you screw it up? Well, there are lots of ways. One way is to work out a deal with a company, then you don't use the gear. Maybe you play a TV show or make a magazine cover and the endorsement gear is nowhere to be seen. Not good. Another way to lose a deal is to become too demanding or a little big for your boots. There are signed acts who demand the world, and there is a breaking point where it is just not worth the hassle. Don't be that guy. You should be happy to have the deal. You deserve the respect, and the endorsement, but it can go away just as quickly. Just be cool, and be nice. Of course, that's with anything. As cliché as it sounds, keep doing what you do, and keep believing in what you do and what you play. That will shine through, and hopefully you'll make that magazine cover, with a nice company backing you up. Rock on. |