Comments on: How to generate “buzz”? https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz Practical advice and musings on the outdoors, hiking, backpacking, ski touring, and camping. Mon, 19 Jun 2017 01:36:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: Paul Mags https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572828 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 19:32:23 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572828 In reply to Steve.

Don’t know if it is a generational thing as my 20 something cousins have simliar values. And i have seen people in their 40s pull GFM type stuff for their vacations. Just much easier to hit up people in this connected age vs even five years ago.

]]> By: Steve https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572824 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 17:29:28 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572824 If you can’t personally afford it you should save up for it. My dad told me a long time ago, If it’s worth having it’s worth saving for. I only get to get out 2-3 times a year because I have a full time and part time job. It has taken me years to collect what I have and will still wait on gift cards and sales before I purchase something new. Learned valuable savings lessons from my parents and grandparents. Maybe this “new generation” should learn the same lessons before asking for a handout!

]]> By: Paul Mags https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572730 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 18:45:09 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572730 In reply to Cheri.

John has a really nice write up about sponsorship that he linked to:
http://hikelighter.com/sponsored-hiking/

Andrew wrote a good article about it as well:
http://andrewskurka.com/2011/how-to-get-sponsored/

]]> By: Cheri https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572725 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 17:24:27 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572725 I have decided on a thru hike in 2017. Once I made it public, I had many people who said I should get sponsors. I have two sponsors, myself and my husband. We will be sacrificing much to make this happen. I think that makes it all the more special. In addition, there are responsibilities that come with sponsorships that people may not realize. Nothing is truly free. I want to be able to “hike my hike” without worrying about being accountable to some person or corporation. For the record, I am not yet at retirement age (close though) but am at a time in our lives where, through my husbands support, we can make this happen. It would be interesting to hear from people who did have sponsorships and how those turned out for them.

]]> By: Paul Mags https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572450 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 05:51:11 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572450 In reply to Jen @ Sprinkles Hikes.

Thanks for the kind words!

]]> By: Jen @ Sprinkles Hikes https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572429 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 03:35:03 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572429 This post is SO RELEVANT and important! I share many of the same views you’re writing about here. As a backpacking guide with a blog and lots of long-distance miles under my feet people ask me about this all the time! “I’m writing a book!/making a documentary!” Yeah buddy, you and everyone else. Stop asking people for money.

I started blogging more than 6 years ago as a way to document my miles and it’s eventually grown to a website that occasionally sees its fair share of traffic. I don’t get paid to write it – I write because I want to share what I know with others! I feel like people forget that if your heart isn’t in it, other people will quickly notice and their interest will fade. Excellent post!

]]> By: Paul Mags https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572428 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 03:04:04 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572428 In reply to John Abela.

I have similar thoughts about GFM for vacations. (Medical issues or other tragedies? I see that as the equivalent of passing around the hat for people down on their luck. I am happy to give a hand. We’ve all needed a hand at some point).

Good write up on sponsorship. I may refer to that in the future! As a side note…Wow..did not realize Erin’s gear was stolen. Glad you could help her! (An example of someone who has a unique viewpoint to share. Connectivity is a frequent question, and I refer people to her blog!)

]]> By: John Abela https://pmags.com/how-to-generate-buzz#comment-572426 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 02:56:07 +0000 https://pmags.com/?p=10323#comment-572426 Totally off-topic, but regarding gofundme…

I cannot begin to count the amount of emails I get over at hikelighter from people wanting me to promote their gofundme efforts to hike the pct/at

I eventually set up a gmail filter that just deletes any email with gofundme in it.

The other thing I get a lot is “how do you get sponsored?”. It got so bad I wrote up something about my thoughts on it, a couple years ago. In many ways, it falls in line with exactly what you have shared in this article.

The folks that I highly admire are the men and women that have dreamed of hiking the long distance trails for most of their lives, have worked and retired; and only after they have retired are they going out to hike the trails. Never once seen a retired person put together a gofundme to help get money to pay for a thru-hike.

I gave away over $3000 worth of gear over the holiday season via my facebook page and hikelighter.com to be able to bless other hikers during the holiday season. I think about 90% of it went to folks over 40 years of age. The other 10 percent went to younger but well experienced long distance hikers, such as Erin ‘Wired’ Saver, who had some of their gear stolen.

It just seems as if so many hikers do not understand the concept of “experience == rewards” and that hard work means accomplishments. Hand-outs are too rampant enough in America.

Granted, 99% of ‘hikers’ have never hiked big miles, so suppose that is one of those things we just have to always keep in mind. /shrugs/

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