Are you a lower rank who is trying to find sponsorship? If so, you might be confused as to how to get companies to support you. These businesses get many messages a day asking for sponsorship, and most of these requests will never be given a second look.
You are probably wondering why you should even listen to me, right? Well, I myself am a lower belt who is relatively unknown, yet I have held multiple sponsorships from gi companies, Crossfit gyms, fight shops and non-profit organizations.
The following are some of the practices I have used to get companies to sponsor me.
Look Local
Large companies get so many requests for sponsorship that it is very challenging to stand out. But when you find local companies, this can be much easier, as they will not receive as many requests.
This could be a small jiu-jitsu brand based around your home city or even businesses unrelated to jiu-jitsu, such as meal prep companies, weight training programs, gyms, sports apparel, and even small mom and pop stores
Be Professional
Too many people just send small messages asking if the company is interested in sponsoring them. Do not be one of these people! You need to create a one-page document that highlights your achievements, what you expect, and what you are willing to do for them.
Help?
This is arguably the most important. You need to figure out how you are going to help the company. Simply wearing their product or patch is not enough. You need to have an actual plan of how you will help them grow. Some examples could be helping with promo booths, promoting via social media, writing for their blog, and tying them in with other connections you may have.
Create A Fan Base
You need a social media following of at least a few thousand. This is the easiest and most common way of helping out a company. You need to get a substantial number of people looking at the company’s stuff.
Go For Companies You Already Support
Many people just send a million requests to companies they never even knew about. It looks a lot better if you actually enjoy using the company’s products. Remember: unless you’ve won some impressive titles, most businesses won’t even give you a second look if you have never used their stuff.
I hope this small list helps some people find sponsorship and gain an understanding of what it means and what is necessary.
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