By Jason Reid
(June, 15 2016) The town of Kalispell, Montana is the perfect haven for hundreds of media members in the hunting and shooting sports industry to visit for the annual Professional Outdoor Media Association conference.
POMA is the home of outdoor media professionals who make a living as writers, producers, hosts and photographers.
Backed by a strong group of corporate partners, POMA provides a safe haven for companies to find the validated media members in the hunting and shooting sports industry to help them achieve what they need through quality communication. POMA members are the people many of us look up to and have come to love through their writing and TV work.
Why POMA?: If you have dreamed of finding a path in the outdoor industry, this is one of the best places to start. You have the chance to meet with influencers and decision makers from around the industry who can help you get plugged into the right Sure, getting into POMA takes time and effort. The requirements to get into POMA can take many years of work in order to join the association. While this is a driving force and goal for some, here is a secret. If you have even half an interest in outdoor media, the trick is to apply while in college. Becoming a POMA member outside of college is certainly an option and the requirements can be viewed here. www.professionaloutdoormedia.org
Testimonial: This is what happened to me after a board member rescued me from the abyss of the internet. I’d been giving away a few blogs to websites in an effort to get my name out there. A common mistake among young bloggers in an effort to grasp onto something, anything to grow a following. Being 19 and in college, I had no sense of worth as a writer. Through POMA and the people who took the time to provide authentic guidance and experience, I was able to begin building a legitimate media product and was filling my gas tank with blogging money after a few short months. Because of POMA I write these words for this website today and have had the privilege of covering several industry shows for Ammoland since joining POMA. For young aspiring outdoor media personnel, POMA provides a safe learning and networking atmosphere. And if you make the effort to attend and contribute, it will not go unnoticed.
Business: POMA could not be made possible without the contributions and the structure of the corporate partners. Like in any industry. Businesses must be cautious when choosing people to work with and spend their ever changing advertising budget. POMA’s cooperate partners who value the ability to find trustworthy media personnel. Companies like Mossy Oak, Hunters Specialties, Primos, Ram Trucks Camp Chef, Real Avid, Winchester and many more attend to find people to use, review and promote their gear and brands. Insert quote of success story here. Being a member of POMA gives both media and business partners access to a database with contact information to utilize throughout the year.
Conference: Day one of the annual 2016 conference in Kalispell, Montana was filled with excitement. People had the chance to meet with old friends, review projects and meet new people. Events formally started late in the afternoon with a meet & greet dinner which was hosted by Kimber and Boone & Crocket on the shores of the famous Flathead lake at the base of the Swan Mountains with their snow capped peaks, dinner and drinks where concluded by two incredible speeches by Jack Hannah and Shane Mahoney. Yes, that is right, Jack Hannah, the spokesman for wildlife and zoos, felt a bit relived to step away from doing TV interviews to come speak to POMA members. It was incredible to see a person in his position have an incredible thankfulness for hunting. While he acknowledged he could never shoot an animal, he doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the role of hunting and rather encourages and stands behind the hunting community.
Shane Mahoney may be the real life “Most Interesting Man In The World” pulling on a depth of knowledge from decades of experience with wildlife. He challenged the community of media members listening intently to tell the story of conservation. He challenged writers and Videographers alike to make the conservation story of today digestible for the people of today, not dwell on how things used to be. Mahoney’s power as a speaker left many thinking of ways to step up their game and help ensure the future of conservation. Read more on Shane here www.gothunts.com/shane-mahoney and be sure to watch the video!
The first afternoon of POMA 2016 was epic. Stay tuned for daily updates.
About: Jason blends outdoor media with his passion for business and tough bowhunting adventures. Follow him on social media at www.pushingthewildlimits.com