What you are -- on the web.

[Michael Snow]

The past few months, I've done some "soul searching" or maybe just starting to "see the light" or something like that.



There are a few popular websites that I read and rarely post on (if ever) and it's becoming clearer and clearer to me that you really have to be careful whose opinions you "trust".



This isn't an "anti pro-staff" post at all, but it may begin to look that way. As some of you know I am pro-staff for a few companies -- ALL companies I believe in.



However, there are a few examples (names excluded) that have made me re-think things.



1. A guy ASKS about a brand of rod, standard stuff -- are they any good, etc. Less than two weeks later, he's "pro-staff". How can you go from knowing NOTHING about a product to pro-staff in two weeks? As soon as he announced he was "pro-staff", some poor guys were asking his opinion on a rod for a particular application. The pro-staffer had yet to even OWN one of that company's rods yet and is giving "advice" on which one to purchase.



2. A local catfisherman sets up a website for catfishing. Within a couple of years, whenever anyone asks about a particular brand of bait (any brand), he turns around and tells them to try brand x -- at every possible oppportunity. But the questions are about where to buy a different brand! That same self-proclaimed expert is telling how to set a baitclicker on a baitcaster and says to flip the switch, disengage the spool AND loosen the drag all the way. I explained that the drag has nothing to do with freespool, but he insisted it did. Now he makes his own brand of bait and is a GUIDE.



3. Whenever a certain brand of boat is mentioned, the pro-staffers come out of the woodwork, telling about how great the boat is, to the point of bordering on lying. Folks, EVERY brand of boat has a negative to it. Being happy with a boat, telling others about the boat, etc is great. But when someone mentions any possible flaw in the boat, the pro-staffers swarm around to tell the owner that he's wrong. It's not that the boat isn't fast enough... you have it set up wrong. It's not that the boat isn't wide enough, you're not using the storage correctly -- that kind of crap.



4. A certain brand of charger (not Guest) has a few very vocal puppets as well. You should buy brand x, it's the best ... and NOTHING to back it up. Best what? At giving you a free one? What makes it better? Give something technical, not "it's the best".



The list goes on and on. NONE of the folks on here do this kind of crap. The closest that I've ever seen is in regard to Guest chargers, where if someone asks about which brand, they are always told what great service and quality Guest gives, and how Sue is always here to help. That's honest and fair. I'm talking about the blind-loyalty / pro-staffers from hell stuff.



Am I wrong here or has it just gotten WAY out of hand in some places? I only read posts by certain people anymore just to get a good snicker. Opinions?

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Well, if you believe in the products that you pro-staff for then there is no problem. Push them in an inappropriate way.... then you go the way of Orville & Don who have become the poster children for all that is wrong with internet marketing. There will always be shams and scams. Make sure you trust the person giving you the opinion. But I must say if you do your homework on any product it's true story will be told. Sometimes you just have to dig a little. You have to be a smart consumer.



TOXIC

 

[Michael Snow]

Again Scott, it's not anti pro-staff at all. It's the BS factor that drives me nuts. It's the people that tell you today that Nitro is the absolute best bass boat made and tomorrow has a Ranger and is telling you how great Ranger is. The next year, they're in a Triton and telling you it's the absolute best.



Or it's the people who are sponsored by Terminator spinnerbaits and they get 10 free ones, but once they lose their 10 free ones, they're fishing with the $1.50 discount bin spinnerbaits because they won't pay $6 or whatever for a Terminator. Well, if you won't spend YOUR money on them, why tell me to...



That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about.... not out and out lies, but mis-leading people by painting a picture that's far more rosey than it is.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Mike welcome to the internet, What's new. This is starting to sound like another thread i once read about a guy who owned a Nitro and then bought a BassCat then rolled it thru a fence and then... I dunno.

 

[Larry Harp]

I think everybody tends to love what they own and want everybody else to love it too. Human nature. People get an opinion set in their mind and need others to agree with them to validate their self worth.



With pros it's just the Rolandmartinitius that flares up every now and then.



Harpo

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

That takes me bact to the same conclusion. The pro that endorses the best deal instead of the product is not an opinion that I want to hear. That being said, you can always change your mind. Always consider the source. Martin hypes any thing for a buck from Frogg Toggs to Senko's, now I happen to own both and neither were because of his hype. With people like that, I usually take them out of the decision making process and let the product stand on it's own. remember, there is no incentive to endorse a product that does you no good.



TOXIC

 

[Michael Snow]

Bryan, just a blamed second. First off, I owned a Nitro, sold it, bought a Basscat. I am NOT sponsored and while I try to be "nice", I don't say there are no flaws. Case in point, someone asked about the rod locker organizers on BFHP. Pro-staffer #1 came in and said he could fit 16 or more rods in his (8 under the organizer itself) and that it was so great. I said that in my PClassic, I can hold about 8 rods total comfortably and cannot put another 8 under the organizer and that one of my spinning rods won't go into the sleeve because the sleeve isn't large enough. Pro-staffer #2 drives by to say that he agrees with pro-staffer #1. THAT is the kind of crap that drives me nuts. Someone posts real-world experiences and a pro-staffer drives by to say that that ain't how it is.



I've also said that Nitro makes a good boat, and have noted that their customer service ain't so hot, but that the boat is NOT the POS a lot of bashers say it is.

 

[Lamar Gilbert]

What it all boils down to.....they are selling their soul to the highest bidder.....there is a name for females that do that.



And I sincerely hope I don't offend anyone by making this comment.



Lamar

 

[Pat Goff]

All comments are pretty well thought out, and having been on all sides of the discussion, here's what I've found to be another truth in fishing.



If I shove something in your face, then your normal reaction is to back away, like it's a dead carp.



If I let you peek and wait until you're curious enough to ask, we'll both learn more.



If I have success with something, I'll tell you, but never call someones baby ugly. If I have a boat that runs good, we'll go to the lake and see, never expect you to believe me just because I open a pie hole and you should take it as gospel. Under promise and over deliver, long time secret to success.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Hey its a job being "Sponsored" one that i do not want right now. Shows, demonstrations your a salesman. Just like the dreaded Car salesman, they'll tell you what you want to hear. If i go look at a ford f-250 the salesman will tell me this is the best truck there ever was... and try to get the sale. Even when we all know that the Chevy 2500HD Crew cab with the Duramax is the best truck made.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Patt, i got half the mind to drive my Chevy down to Austin round January. I'll show it to you when i do. Of course it don't have 300k mile on it yet but i'll be 8k closer by then.

 

[Michael Snow]

Bryan, being sponsored does NOT make you a car salesman. Come up to Dallas during the Mesquite Tackle Show and head over to the St. Croix booth.



You do NOT have to sell your soul to be sponsored. You choose whether or not you sell your soul to the highest bidder.



Promoting a product you believe in vs promoting a product just because they pay you is where the line is drawn.