The End of the Hard Sell

Back in the day, when I was more attuned to the college scene, occasionally you’d see a shirt that said something like: “Michigan: The Harvard of the Midwest” or “Vanderbilt: The Harvard of the South.”

No matter how many hours you spent wandering Cambridge, however, you’re never going to see a shirt that boldly states, “Harvard: The _ of the Northeast.”

For a variety of reasons not worth delving into, I’m not much of a Harvard fan, but over the course of 400 years or so they’ve laid down a pretty impressive track record. My point, therefore, is that if your prestige precedes you, then you don’t need to compare yourself to anybody or make any bold claims whatsoever. I realize that “It’s not bragging if you can back it up,” but the best form of bragging altogether is staying silent and letting the facts speak for themselves.

You can quibble about the value of social media to the world at large, and to fishing in particular, but the clearly changing tide is that the era of the hard sell is over. Yes, unsubstantiated claims that “this lure may be banned in 49 states” might still appeal to novice anglers, but for the hard-core guys we want information about why it’s the best possible tool or we’re not biting. In the era of BASS Live and eight billion YouTube channels, information is currency, and sales pitches get disregarded.

Look at Mike Iaconelli, certainly among the top five most influential bass anglers today (after taking a year away from tour-level competition), as he has been for the better part of two decades. Yes, he’s a fantastic promoter, but it’s not because he’s throwing around hyperbole. Rather it’s because he’s constantly teaching. I recall his unfortunately-gone TV show “City Limits” as being the most revolutionary (hyperbole alert!) program in fishing history because it featured next to zero product mentions. His enthusiasm, skill and drive were evident, and he used the full 22 minutes of air time on fishing, instead of pimping coolers mops and other ephemera that had nothing to do with the topic. Even my dad, who loves TV but has no use for fishing, called me after watching it to ask if I’d heard of “this Iaconelli guy.”

Along those same lines, consider the Senko. Once again risking hyperbole, I think it’s fairly safe to say that it’s the lure that has produced more bass than any single other over the past decade or so. While I’ve seen the occasional TV or magazine ad for them, the ad blitz has been less than overwhelming. That’s because it didn’t need to be heavy-handed. You learned from your best friend or your most trusted source that it produced more fish than the competition and you bought them. I’ve been in plenty of boats with anglers sponsored by competing companies who pay their own hard-earned American dollars to buy the real thing.

Personally, I came to this realization as I continued my efforts to learn more about global angling, guides and outfitters. I’ve realized that the best experiences are not necessarily the ones that constantly tell you they’re the best. Look at their social media and if they’re constantly offering up odes to themselves, raise your hackles a bit. The ones that teach, and show the experience, and inform you of what you can expect are far more likely to do a better job once you’re onsite. They’re also not so busy advertising (unless they’re big enough to have a dedicated marketing person or staff) because their prime dates and spaces are generally full. That’s not to say that upstarts won’t come along, but good news gets around fast.

Remember this, whether you’re an aspiring pro, a new company, or an established pillar of the industry: The days of hitting us over the heads with advertising are over. Your consumer is more informed and more skeptical than ever before. We want community more than Mad Men-style slogans.