Thanks for the input JW. I want to get endorsements from companies that I already own product from, so a discount endorsement would be perfectly acceptible. The main things that I'm looking for with the endorsement are the perceived credibility of future clientele and the marketability of being "sponsored" by a brand. I want to be able to advertise myself as being an official artist of XYZ Equipment, and have my potential clientele confirm this on XYZ's website. For people who research like you do, this gives me instant perceived credibility as a player, even though they may have never heard anything that I've played. I don't want an endorsement for free gear; that's not realistic considering that I'm not on a major tour with a mainstream act.
For me, not being in a band makes advertising more difficult because people who go to record their projects aren't thinking far enough ahead to think about players (at least, not in my area). This is a business move that will happen to have some personal validation as well.
