Blog - The life of an avatar
Here’s what Google or whatever other data miner might tell you:
Name: Jeff Lund
Age: 40
Sex: M
Income: $50-$90k
Education: Master’s degree – journalism education
Career: High School teacher
Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, camping, freelance writing, podcasting, reading
Last 5 Books:
Linchpin by Seth Godin
Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall
North by Scott and Jenny Jurek
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Force by Saul David
Top 5 Podcasts:
The Art of Manliness
Alaska Wild Project
Tundra Talk
The Joe Rogan Experience
Elk Talk
Marital status: Married
Spouse’s Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, camping, reading
Here’s what it won’t:
I have almost no experience being an entrepreneur. Two buddies and I attempted to make a run at a lifestyle brand. We made comfortable t-shirts with a cool logo that incorporated our last names as well as a strong lifestyle motto. It lasted about as long as the average entrepreneurial endeavor does for all of the reasons you read about in books. Thus ended my brief stint in the t-shirt business.
I grew up on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska (does anyone not know where it is after Meateater started filming there?) and returned after college and a 10-year stretch as a high school teacher in California. I was the guy who went into a Bass Pro Shops after church on Sunday and counted that as my trip outdoors because it was too far to drive into the foothills where a trout might take a Copper John or elk hair caddis. Being around the products made me feel better. The store provided me with an experience in the fake, yet still calming way they do. I swore I wouldn’t stay in California, but the years…just…kept…passing…and I didn’t do anything about it except go home every summer the day after school was out, and return the day before teachers had to. I finally moved back, picked up a teaching job and outdoor column and I’ve been living the dream in Ketchikan ever since, watching the outdoor space saturate.
So nothing qualifies me to act as a consultant since I have no marketing degree and limited business experience. What my insight will provide is probably how to ruin a business because I am one customer and you can’t please us all. This will probably read like the Jerry Maguire manifesto that gets him fired. It sounds nice, but it won’t work.
I know what I am, and I know what I’m not. I read as much Bill Heavey, Patrick F. McManus and John Gierach as I could. Humor. Reality. Experience. Depth. I didn’t grow up watching the Outdoor Channel or private ranch hunts over feeders and more importantly, I stopped being a sucker. I stopped being the avatar who falls for snake oil and there’s more and more of it in the outdoor world.
1. Why I don’t trust reviews and testimonials
If I see something with 5 stars, it must mean it’s good, right? Nope.
“Just got them out of the box, can’t wait to put them on.”
This guy is so excited to have his review shared on Instagram that he gave 5 stars to what might break, tear or fail on the first trip. It’s Tommy Boy’s “guaranteed piece of sh@^” assessment. I will not review the product I ordered two days after it was delivered. Don’t ask. If you really want (or care) about real feedback, set the follow-up timer for at least three months later.
In addition to star-inflation the term “bombproof” now has absolutely no meaning. It is the most convenient way to over-advertise something that either can’t stand on its brand’s reputation or is attempting to justify a big price. “I bet if we use the b-word we can get 50 more bucks.” This goes double for “game changer.” But purchase justification (different than a true testimonial) drives traffic and sells products so my options are to trust people who give 2 stars because they couldn’t figure out how to assemble the thing without the directions, or trust the person who was given free stuff and used it on a show. No thanks to both.
2. What I like about Meateater the show, but not the brand
I love that movie and it might illustrate the problem that I don’t know how to fix and doesn’t really need fixing except in my subjective, inconsequential, avatar head. Meateater the show is great because Steve Rinella was a hunter and writer first, not a personality or influencer. (His book American Buffalo is a great read.) Rinella is capable of going beyond the chuckle and high fives of a stoked hunter and bridge the gap between hunter and thinker without getting so in his own head it becomes weird or performative.
So how do you grow in a way that satisfies everyone? It’s impossible. Ironically, this is what I wanted to happen for them. I wanted Steve, Janis and Cal to be the big names in the industry. Now they are, and I’ve just sorta moved on. I’m not sure they became that band that went from fresh, edgy, honest music to poppy insta-hit, but the whole thing has just become something it wasn’t.
I remember watching the first episodes over and over again and was so stoked when the website launched. I thought it would be a digital Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, The Drake, Gray’s Sporting Journal, etc. and become the new standard in great writing about the outdoors with guys like Rinella and Miles Nolte producing the best writing with the broadest reach. I looked forward to sending submissions and being rejected as all freelancers are at some point when reaching up. As time wore on, though, I grew less interested and rarely even visit the website. I’ll just occasionally head over if a guy like Stephen Klobucar posts on Instagram he has something new and interesting. But I rarely stay. It’s too random. It’s too all over the place.
I don’t care that Meateater films on my home island without putting much, if any, money into the local economy while making a bundle off it, that’s fine. There is no obligation to do as such and how could they with the remote location of the shack? So it’s not that I’m a jilted local. Plus, I’d be hard-pressed to find an industry trio (other than Destination Elk’s Corey Jacobsen, Donnie Drake and John Abernathy) I’d like to have a burger or share an off-camera hunt with more than Rinella, Putelis and Callaghan. However, I can’t say I have a single podcast download with the Meateater logo. (I did buy Mark Kenyon’s book That Wild Country and enjoyed it)
I think this same sort of thing happened with Sitka (I own a Sitka system) for a lot of people, though there is a difference between an exploding apparel business needing more capital (selling out?) and a content company milking the purple cow. Still, Sitka was small, gritty, quality. Then huge. Then it ceased to be what it was and a lot of people defected to Kuiu, even though the quality didn’t necessarily change. (I did not own Sitka gear on both sides of the sale to Gore). For some it was personal, for others, it just happened. With its sale to Vista Outdoors, Stone Glacier is currently facing the same potential predicament because the assumption is when a growth threshold is passed (usually indicated by being acquired, or doing the acquiring) the brand will suffer. When this sort of thing happens, people think the edge is off. It’s coffee with too much water, ketchup on a steak. The only solution is to not grow. Stay small and be who you are. But that’s stupid.
3. Why I buy Stone Glacier
Cell phone carriers get in past the barb and stay. They disincentivize switching without improving the product or coverage. There are no deals in the cell phone game and once you make your call, you’re stuck, and customer service becomes intolerable. You’re not a loyal customer, you’re a user. You’re hooked. Thrash all you want. It doesn’t matter.
My buddy Jesse sold me a Stone Glacier pack. It was new and I was able to try it on which may be the only reason I own a Stone Glacier over a Kifaru, Mystery Ranch or Exo. I didn’t even consider Kuiu because two of my buddies came up for a spring black bear hunt and their reviews were marginal. Everything looks nice and neat but one had a buckle break and the other wasn’t convinced it was worth the money. That sort of thing happens with pretty much any pack, but the timing and frequency is what’s important.
What kept me at Stone Glacier was the customer service. I dropped my pack on the edge of a muskeg to sit. Anyone who has been near a muskeg in Southeast Alaska knows how horribly soggy they are even on the edges. Since the pack was nearly empty, on a soft surface, and all my weight was in the middle, I caused the bag to bend then break. Not the fault of the pack, my misuse of the pack was the culprit. I figured it would be out of commission for the rest of rut but it still packed pretty well even with the broken support. I sent a message on Instagram (why, I have no idea) rather than customer service, and the next day a new support was on my way. Easy fix. No fuss with shipping to Alaska, no wait to process, no need for a receipt or questionnaire, it was just on the way as if they knew the rut clock was ticking.
When I bought my girlfriend a pack for the alpine deer hunt on which I was going to propose, it was a Stone Glacier pack. She said yes, then split half a deer with me for the hike down. I use a Stone Glacier pack because of a buddy of mine. I now buy Stone Glacier products because I was picked up as a customer even though I hadn’t made the original purpose. I was free to leave, no hassle, no penalty, no breaking a contract. I chose to stay.
Brad Brooks at Argali exemplifies this too. I called asking for advice when I was in the market to buy a pack (before I had the SG) and read a review of a few on the Argali website. Brad called back while he was packing for a hunt. Who does that? Brad had absolutely no reason to call back a non-customer in Alaska. There was no economic incentive for him to follow through especially given he was clearly busy. But that’s exactly how you make customers. I bought the first run of game bags then later the Kodiak belt.
Similarly, I had a meeting set up with a guy named Jaden Bales from Backcountry Fuel Box to talk about elk. I had never met the guy, just reached out on social media since my wife was a PhD student at UW and had a tag. We were supposed to meet at a coffee place in Laramie at 9 a.m. At 9:06 I get a call. He is using his last bit of cell phone juice to apologize for not being able to make it because he arrowed an elk the night before, didn’t have reception, and was going in to recover it. What is wrong with this guy? He could have texted days later to explain and I would have completely understood. Jaden and I are now close friends and anything in which he is involved, I will support. Currently it’s the Wyoming Wildlife Federation and they have cool shirts.
4. Why brands should sign the ball
In addition to customer service, how social media is handled can tell a lot about a company. It’s maybe like the modern version of the athlete autograph. Some athletes stick around and sign, sign, sign. Some give foul balls, bats or basketball shoes to kids. Some sign for as long as they can and break the heart of the next kid in line, but at least the athlete showed up. Others can’t spare a second. The same goes for a brand’s social media and attitude toward the customer. Some are helpful, thankful or at least present when someone takes the time to drop a message. If you’re going to use us suckers to become influencers or make money, at least take some time to interact.
5. Beware the DudeBro
I learned to hunt with buddies. I didn’t have the father, uncle or grandfather who mentored me so I get excited, I miss shots and I look back at moments in my hunting past and shake my head. I saw myself in others and that made me want to improve the decisions I made. I ignored my 300-yard cap to take a 315-yard shot to kill my first mule deer so I am not one to talk, but I dread being the type of hunter with a 300-yard cap who lobs four, 500 yard shots in the name of a #FullSend kill shot for a video. “Dude, Bro, what a shot, Bro. Dude, you smacked that thing, Bro.”
The DudeBro seems to be the target avatar of many creators, who might just be DudeBros themselves. To clarify, since I also say “Dude” and “Bro”, I am talking about the fratboyish (I was in a fraternity in college) “anything to get the shot” mentality. There also seems to be a contingent that practice false reverence and poaching of traditions in the name of social media spirituality. Do what you want, but true reverence is taught by an elder or mentor, not inspired by clicks. Fake nobility doesn’t help a brand. The point is not to pretend I am without fault or am better than others, it’s a matter of reflecting on what I want to say with my marketing versus what I am saying with my marketing.
I think the problem stems from the opportunity for brands to exploit the excitement of customers to have their photo or video shared and get free marketing. Talented people give away their skills at no cost to a company, and opportunists with unusual, epic, or provocative content do the same. The content now transitions from a private individual doing what he or she wants (no problem with that at all) to content endorsed or validated by a brand. This is the type of stuff that is the target of copper_plated_sixes and his relentless (and filter-free) pursuit of eliminating moronic content and shameless product placement on social media. His Instagram story points out a ton of ammunition that can be used against hunters and anglers in addition to fundamental greasiness involving influencers. However, I will say Peak Refuel makes phenomenal meals, even if some people forget to crop out the parking lot in their “camping” shots.
6. When Podcasts become C-SPAN
I cannot stomach two-hour, booze-induced ego strokes and am incredulous that people would pay a monthly Patreon fee to listen to it. Joe Rogan’s podcast has revealed a surprisingly enormous desire for people to listen to full-length conversations that are serious or seriously fun. The key word is conversations, not a back and forth between two hunters attempting to one-up each other. Dare me to listen to two hours of you talking about yourself, or a marathon measuring contest with your DudeBro buddy, and I won’t I won’t be back. I might pay attention to politics and have a few politicians I respect, but I’m never going to listen to their entire speech on C-SPAN. I’d much rather listen to interesting people rather than well-known hunters filibustering. It’s not boring like C-SPAN, but it might be worse since I had hopes.
7. Selling value vs. selling crap
Luxury car commercials don’t work on me. I know that a Mercedes won’t make me a better person, improve my status or make my life better. But plenty of people are selling the Mercedes-Benz of hunting – a 180 mule deer et al. You want me to think that a head on a wall, thanks to your help, is totally different than a white-collar car in the garage. It’s not. I might have an entire room filled with trophies yet still feel vacant and empty because I thought a thing would fill the void in my life or remove the dark cloud. But that’s not your problem, because you’re using my money to buy your next round of preference points.
So what can I find in your class that isn’t on the internet, or what about time with you will be worth the cost? What can I buy that provides value and empowers me to meet a challenge, rather than sucker me into paying for your new truck without improving anything about my life or hunting ability?
Will Hunting said it best, “You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library.” I’m not going to spend a dime on the opportunity for you to tell me how great you are. Some life coaches are expensive, but they might be worth it. There is a potentially transformative experience, not just a monetary transaction. In the outdoor industry, it seems there are plenty of people out there wanting me to pay for what I already know or what I could find for free. This happens because the marketing is about reaching into my soul and watering my feelings of insecurity or inadequacy while preying on my laziness. That might not be what you meant with your message but that’s how it’s being received. If I get the feeling that you’re starting with a price and trying to figure out how you can get that much from me rather than assess the value and make the price worth it, I’m not going for it.
8. Why I don’t spend money on shows/rendezvous
When I lived in California, I would go to the Sportsman’s Expos and stroll around for hours looking at stuff, taking brochures and tempting myself between trips to the steak sandwich booth. There were people I could chat with but I discovered the point of the expo is not to make a customer out of me, it is to find the customer and not waste time with me. But I’m a crockpot customer. I rarely buy on the spot. When I did, I learned my lesson. I bought a Simms flannel jacket for half off that lost all of its buttons within a year. I returned to Simms after a good half decade for a pair of lightweight pants to keep the ticks off in Wyoming. They are great, but I will be forever wary because of that flannel jacket and a pair of leaky waders.
At the time, I owned a Temple Fork Outfitters 5-weight, one of those value rods – great performance for a great price. The guy at the Sage stand was friendly and talked to me like an angler, not a salesman, and explained why Sage was a good rod. I didn’t buy a discounted or new rod from him, but when I did end up going with a premium brand that summer, I went with Sage. That guy sold six Sage rods, without me leaving with anything that day.
