5 Tips for athletes to help pitch for brand sponsorship
Letโs not sugar coat it, the absolute guaranteed best thing to do is to become the world #1 in your sport - that is definitely without a shadow of a doubt the easiest route to success!
But after that, here are the next best tips to consider when it's time to make your pitchโฆ.
What should you include in this important ask? ๐ค
> ๐ง๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ
> ๐ง๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐
> ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ?
> ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ.
> ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐โฆ
Letโs break these down a little more belowโฆ
WHY THEM?
When reaching out, start with an honest and thoughtful reason on why you are choosing this brand. Maybe its their product fit, the athlete care they are known for, or do you believe strongly in their corporate or brand mission?
WHY YOU?
What is it that you can bring to the help them achieve their objectives? Eg, do you bring a specific audience that they would otherwise not be able to engage or have to pay to do so? Do you bring a particular creative flair and appeal? Or perhaps your standing and performance experience helps you standout as a recognised expert, as a voice of authority able to validate and authenticate the brands product or positioning?
AUDIENCE BENEFIT
How might your partnership help bring value to their audience, and vice versa? for example can you share a unique insight that provides added value to an existing conversation? Maybe your POV or approval could unlock sales for the brand, or the brand can unlock early/easy access to products you know your audience is hungry for?
HOW TO ACTIVATE?
Make it really easy for them to see you might work together immediately. We often tell people BYOBP (bring your own brand plan) - Coming with an activation idea that doesnโt require a huge lift by the brand manager or a large spend makes everyoneโs jobs easier and also will build confidence early on.
BE BRAVE
Be confident and forthcoming in the value you bring to any potential brand contract or athlete sponsor deal. No ask is too big, definitely share a long term vision of change, just be prepared to the work needed - you can certainly ask for a lot from the brand but you need to be willing to give up the access, time, effort and trust that they require to do it.
Lastly, make sure you follow up - give it 2 weeks and don't be afraid to check in and ask if they had any thoughts... ๐
If you need help finding the right people to speak to or need coaching through this, we're here to help ๐