Rules of the Game: Product Endorsements
Posted: April 10, 2014
In this tell it like it is world, those who test product and share opinions with consumers, walk a very tight rope. Here's how Josh Wolfe, an editor and POMA Media Member feels communicators can best interact manufacturers.
By Josh Wolfe
If you’re a communicator, in our case, an outdoor communicator, then you’ve probably been approached to test and evaluate equipment of various kinds and qualities. As a writer, photographer, TV personality, what have you, we are the link between the company and the consumer. And more often than not, it’s the written word of someone who’s “been there, done that” (tested and evaluated) that ultimately sells the product. Consumers rarely afford the opportunity to test equipment before purchasing. So how do we give the best recommendations while also staying in the good graces of companies who, from time to time, don’t produce the best product?
Very simple: just be honest. If you’re not honest with yourself then you certainly won’t be so with the general public. Truthfulness lies deep within the parameters of non-fiction writing. Dishonesty, no matter your allegiance to the product or company, is merely a smoke screen that won’t guard you for very long. I have tested equipment that was very dissatisfactory, some of which failed me on a hunt where I was writing a story for an outdoor publication. This IS going to happen, but how you handle the situation makes all the difference.
Never openly or publicly thrash a company because their equipment doesn’t meet your standards. A phone call or an email to your contact within the company will save a lot of heartache for everyone because a burned bridge is rarely rebuilt. And you never know, perhaps another writer, someone more experienced and better known than yourself, finds it adequate.
In other words, don’t be too quick to fly off the proverbial handle – after you test a product, let the evaluation build in your mind for a few days before putting your thoughts on paper. At the end of the day, the company relies on you just as much as the consumer. Who knows, you might just end up with a lot of cool stuff if you start and stay honest.
Bio: Josh Wolfe is a freelance writer and photographer, the editor of Sporting Classics Daily and the editor/publisher of a golfing lifestyle magazine called The Golf Sport. He currently resides just outside of Lynchburg, TN, where he's chasing turkeys for the spring. www.joshwolfeoutdoors.com.