Secret Weapon Lures Professional Staff Program

Please Note: All Pro/Field Staff positions have been filled for the 2009 season. Prospective staff members who wish to check on the status of their applications should email the Secret Weapon Prostaff Director. Thank you.

Professional Staff members are the public face of our company. They make essential and significant contributions to our success. The Secret Weapon Professional Staff includes not only the best anglers, but a variety of people who share our mission and values, have a passion for angling, promote the sport on all levels, and are willing to represent Secret Weapon in a positive way. Professional Staff are expected to use SWL products throughout the program year and promote the products with dealers, other anglers, and at events they attend.

The Professional Staff Program is intended to:

Recruit, develop, and retain skilled staff whose work efforts and dedication contribute to the success of SWL.
Recognize and reward individual contributions to the success of the Company.
Provide professional staff with access to SWL products at significant discount.
Apply an accomplishment-based rewards system that recognizes the importance of individuals who help SWL achieve its marketing and sales goals.
Support management flexibility to meet individual SWL needs and priorities.
Cultivate relationships that encourage excellence, innovation, creativity, and teamwork.

SWL Prostaff Director

Rusty Strange, Secret Weapon Prostaff Director The SWL Prostaff Director, Rusty Strange, administers classification and rewards on an equitable basis for all professional staff members. His duties are to:

Advise the President on matters of policy relating to the Professional Staff Program.
Implement, coordinate, and modify the program.
Administer the professional staff classification and rewards plan: accept and process applications; correspond with applicants and prospects; evaluate applicant resumes and accompanying documentation; approve applicants and add members to Prostaff and Field Staff; orient new members, evaluate members performance and tracks points; communicate periodically with participants, both individually and through e-mail distributions and mailings.
Receive, approve, process, and track professional staff discount purchases.

Appointment Status

Professional staff serve solely at the will of the SWL Prostaff Director. Professional staff do not serve a probationary period and do not enjoy permanent employment status.

Professional staff appointments can be modified or terminated for any reason that does not unlawfully discriminate against the employee or violate public policy.

Professional Staff Classifications

The three main classifications in this program: are Field Staff, Prostaff, and Pro. The SWL Prostaff Director assigns each professional staff member to a classification based upon (1) the company's needs in the applicant's geographic area of influence, (2) the individual's experience, promotional potential, and capabilities, and (3) the nature of the position's duties and level of responsibility. The assignment is made when a prospective staff member is accepted. Classification may be reviewed and revised based on changes in the individual's accomplishments, responsibilities and contributions.

All members are appointed for a one-year term; participants must periodically indicate their interest to continue in the program in order to remain on the staff in successive years.

Pros are selected by SWL executive management. Pros receive tackle for their own use and for promotional uses, plus financial consideration to offset some expenses they incur in achieving the status needed to effectively endorse the company. They negotiate a compensation package the includes bonuses for top finishes in targeted tournaments.
Pros endorse SWL products and represent the Company with dealers, at tournaments, tackle shows, and other events, and in public. Evaluated annually.
Prostaff are selected by the Prostaff Director. They buy SWL products at 30% discount and earn points redeemable for additional lures, apparel, and other products.
This is an accomplishment-based incentive program; the more Prostaff members do that contributes to the company's success, the greater their rewards.
If a Prostaffer does not work or produce accomplishments of value to the Company and submit monthly reports, he will not earn points and jeopardizes his or her Prostaff status.
SWL Prostaff represent the Company at events; speak at functions; write Prostaff Tips for the SWL Web site; submit monthly activity reports; recruit and oversee Field Staff.
SWL Prostaff conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on Secret Weapon Lures. Evaluated annually.
Field Staff are recruited by Prostaff members and approved by the SWL Prostaff Director using criteria established by the company. Field Staff do not participate in a points-rewards program. However, in recognition of their contributions and performance, they may be promoted to the Prostaff level, at which point they can earn and redeem points. Field Staff endorse and promote our company with other anglers, dealers, and the public. They receive a 15% discount on products. Evaluated annually.

Building A Secret Weapon Arsenal

Professional Staff must use and be thoroughly familiar with our products, which requires that they own at least a basic Secret Weapon arsenal. For that reason, prospective Prostaff and Field Staff are required to purchase a $60 Prostaff/Field Staff Startup Kit (Item # PFS-50) in order to enter the program. This kit, $150 retail value, provides a range of lures, components, and promotional materials at a substantial discount.

The Field Staff discount on subsequent purchases is 15% off full list price in our online store. Prostaff discount on subsequent purchases is 30%.

Product discounts give Prostaff and Field Staff a good deal on tackle, build enthusiasm for our products, and encourages Staff to use and support Secret Weapon Lures at events, retailers, and in public.

The SWL Professional Staff Program is a marketing initiative that engages anglers and rewards them for activities that promote sales of Secret Weapon Lures (SWL) products. Rewards in the program are merit-based, allowing management flexibility within available resources to reward meritorious performance and create incentives for accomplishments that benefit SWL. The program is self-funding, generating sufficient revenues from customers our Prostaff and Field Staff influence to cover its administrative costs.

PFS-50 Alternative - If an applicant has already purchased SWL products, such as a ProPack or Expedition Pack, the requirement to purchase the PFS-50 kit may be waived by the SWL Prostaff Director. Also, exceptionally qualified Professional Staff applicants may render promotional services in lieu of payment for Prostaff Startup Kit. For example, television or radio hosts who promote the Company on their programs, where the fair market value of such promotion exceeds $60, may receive a PFS-50 kit in consideration of services rendered.