How to Find Sponsors and Get Sponsored

If you want to find sponsors and get sponsored, you are probably really good at some kind of activity or sport. If not, you will have a difficult time proving yourself to a company or potential sponsor and the best advice is to just keep practicing. No matter what sport or activity you are highly skilled in, check out the tips below to find good sponsors and getting sponsored right away.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. If you'd like to get sponsored, you'll have to be really good at something, better than about 90% of the other people who participate in the same activity. If your friends and colleagues look up to you or ask you for advice with the activity you're into, then you're probably a great candidate for sponsorship.

   If you're not superb at something, or have yet to reach that level, just keep practicing. If you want it really bad, you'll get there eventually and with hard work and determination, you will get noticed and find sponsors.

2. The main goal of any company in sponsoring somebody is just to get their brand noticed. That's it! So, you have to ask yourself, how exactly will you get a brand name noticed. It won't be by doing tricks or playing around on your own. You're going to have to get noticed.

   The best way to get noticed is to participate in competitions, and win (or get very close). Try to create some buzz for yourself so other companies will have no choice by to look at you and want to sponsor you. Plus, the more you win, the more you have on your "resume" to offer a company who may be thinking about sponsoring you.

3. If you're doing well in your activity, and winning a lot of competitions, many times the sponsors will come to you. If not, there are a few things you can do. You can either formally contact a company by sending a package that has some professional photography and a video clip of exactly what you do. It would also be nice to speak to the camera so the companies can get a feel for exactly who you are based on not only your skill level, but your personality too. Don't forget to include any wins or achievements you've earned in your sport or activity.

4. Another thing you can do to find potential sponsors and get sponsored is to just go up to the sponsors for the competitions you participate in and introduce yourself. Be nice, and DON'T ask for a sponsorship right then and there. Just say hello, that you like their brand, and you'll be competing and tell them to watch out for you. If you do well, they'll definitely remember you and keep you in their mind for sponsoring.

5. Lastly, make friends with people who are sponsored and do the activity with them if possible. Compete together, practice together, and even just hang around as much as possible. (But don't be an annoyance). This way, sponsors can see that you two work well together, and you might get a sponsorship along with it.

Tips & Warnings

• When reaching out to potential sponsors, try and realize which companies are "rivals" of each other, and try not to put yourself in a situation where you'll be sponsored by both. Check out what they each have to offer, and possibly get a little bit more because they know their competitors are after you too.

• Not all sponsors are good sponsored. Please read any documentation they have you sign VERY carefully, because you wouldn't want to be contracted to do something you don't feel comfortable doing.

• Note that if you are getting into the level of sponsorship, you're going to want to take what you do very seriously. You are representing these companies, and any foul play or crimes or anything bad you do will get your sponsorship stripped really fast.

Resources

• How to Get Sponsors
• How to Get Sponsored as a Pro Skateboarder