How do you become an endorsee?

[Melvin7822]

Now I see a lot of people on here with endorsements listed. Some play out quite regularly and others do not. Do you just approach the company with a demo?

I'm not looking for free gear. I just want to show my love and support too.

[smperry]

I don't want to come across as rude, but this topic gets discussed often and you might benefit from doing some searching. Here are a few relevant threads:
getting endorsed?
to those who are endorsed
How does one get endorsed and by who?

Good luck.

Marshall

[Dave Muscato]

Melvin,

If you want to be an endorsee, make some GREAT products and get some famous people to like them

I think you mean, endorser. The endorsee is the one getting the endorsement (making the product); the endorser is the one giving the endorsement (using the product).

IME/IMHO, companies get annoyed when people email them to ask how they can "get" an endorsement. You don't get one; you give one. If your name carries any weight, your endorsement of their product will mean something, and they might encourage you to continue using their products in public by offering a discount, free gear, etc, as a win-win thing.

If you see somebody say "get an endorsement," they probably meant to say "an endorsement deal," because that's what they're getting. It's kind of backwards, I know.

Anyway, as far as endorsing a product, companies are usually happy to let you go ahead and say all the nice things you want about them. Go for it! They're not going to stop you. However, if you want something in return, you're going to have to show them that whatever they're giving you is worth at least the same (if not less) than what you're giving them in return. Usually, they will want to see a lot more than a demo. They will want to see a press kit, complete with a list of people you've toured with, clinics you've done, video and radio play, internet site traffic, etc - and some evidence that you are known and admired as an virtuoso, and someone with identifiable and enviable tone. If you're not signed to a least a mid-level label, there's very little chance of getting an endorsement deal that's worth anything, especially for a bass player (it's a lot easier to get a deal for guitar picks, strings, etc, and it's doubly easier if you're a guitar player and not a bassist or drummer... The public tends not to care what strings the bass player in a group uses, but everybody recognizes "Gibson" or "Fender" on the guitar player's headstock).

You can endorse all sorts of things. Just poke around. Offer a testimonial to a company that makes stickers, for example, in exchange for extra stickers. It's easy for them to give you free stickers in exchange for a quote from a satisfied band on their website - doesn't quite work that way with thtings like instruments.

Hope this helps,

- Dave

[The Golden Boy]

One of my old bands had an endorsement deal with a shoe company. Free shoes every quarter. We just asked.

[bluestarbass]

Ive found its not about nessecarily being good or bad, its exposure. If you play a ton, but only play in smaller clubs then forget about it. They want you to have national exposure. We had a band play here locally that was touring. They probably had 20 sponserships, but were the worst band ive ever heard. They were playing many cities and had the chance to show alot of people their gear.

Ive heard you start with strings and move up from there. Get a great press package, show that your playing lots of different places, and youll usually get some free strings. Ive found that newer companies are sometimes looking for endorsers. A reputable company will have people playing their stuff no matter what, like ampeg, im sure its extremely hard to get an endorement through them.

[John123z]

Also, remember to always cover all gear manufacturer logo's with black electrical tape. Why would they pay you to advertise if you do it for free. Watch Leno and Letterman, I frequently see bands with gear logo's blacked out.

John

[Eric Moesle]

The "endorsements" you usually see and/or read about are usually set up by management. A bass player contacting a company is usually going to get brushed off.

I once got a string deal with a major manufacturer that was arranged by a big name manager during a short-lived project I worked on. I had no contact with them myself, but got a significant discount on the strings. Look ma, an endorsement. Big whoop.

IMO, the big value endorsement deals are where you are touring and the company agrees to provide you with their gear - through their dealer network - to use for a specific show when you fly out to an opposite coast or a remote location. Example: You live in LA and have a one-off show in New York. You have a deal with Aguilar, call them and tell them you have a single show or two and request them to arrange for their gear at those shows for you to use. That way, you don't have to deal with the expense and mess of shipping heavy amps and cabs across the country for limited appearances. In return, the manufacturer gets significant exposure.

You can't get such deals on your own. You need to have a name and professional-leve exposure, and if you have those then you have management qualified to contact the manufacturers about deals on your behalf.