If you’re an expert or advanced fingerboarder, you might be thinking that it’d be nice to get a sponsor so that you can go even further in your career. Getting a sponsor is something a lot of pros consider, but it isn’t always as easy as you think it is. Fortunately, there are certain things you can do to bring yourself one step closer to that goal.
If you know nothing about sponsorships and how they work, you’ve come to the right place because this article tells you what you need to know about them and provides tips to increase your odds of getting a sponsorship in the end.
Basically, the last thing you want to do is write to a company and ask them to sponsor you. They usually automatically reject these requests simply because they get so many of them. Instead, there are things you can do to market yourself so that they come to you, and they start with the following suggestions:
- Work Hard to Market Yourself Through Social Media
It’s no surprise to learn that marketing yourself starts with your social media accounts. If you’re not on social media, it’s wise to do so immediately. Post, list clips and videos, and make content continuously on all of your social media pages. Potential sponsors want to know that you’re committed to your hobby, and the better you are at sharing your passion, the more likely it is that they’ll eventually notice you.
Focus on your own individual brand and it’ll bring you one step closer to a sponsorship. Also, feel free to buy products from the companies that you’d like to have sponsor you and interact with them on your social media pages so they can get to know you a little better. - Make Sure That Your Skills Are Top Notch
To get a fingerboarding sponsorship, you have to be good, but companies will also want to see your actual progression. Practice your skills every day and record your practices so that you can learn how to improve yourself. When you learn new tricks, record them on video and upload those videos to your social media pages. Companies love watching videos of fingerboarding enthusiasts who get better over time.
Another tip to keep in mind is that even if your skills aren’t at the level you want them to be just yet, companies may still want to sponsor you IF they see that you’re progressing and getting better all the time. As long as you can show them you’re getting better, they may still want to sponsor you. - Make Sure That Your Online Content Is Professional-Looking
If you want a sponsorship, you have to start acting like a professional as soon as possible, and that starts with content that looks professional. If you’re recording a video and you don’t like the way it looks, re-record it and edit it so that it is impeccable. Your content has to have great quality and should be professionally edited for the best results.
One way to do that is to watch content belonging to fingerboarders who are already sponsored. That way, you’ll know what the companies are looking for and you can imitate what they are doing and what they might’ve done to get that sponsorship in the first place. - Start Tagging Companies You’d Like to Be Associated with
If you want a sponsorship, chances are good that you’ve already got your eye on at least a few companies, so why not start tagging those companies in your social media posts when you upload videos or clips of trick demonstrations, reviews, etc.? If you get to the point where you have a lot of followers and those people visit that company’s website thanks to your posts, the company will appreciate that.
Sometimes getting a sponsorship involves being in the right place at the right time, so tag these companies often and continue to build up your own following so that it can benefit both you and the companies you’re tagging. - Remember to Be Yourself
In the end, it will not only be your skill level that attracts potential sponsors, but your personality as well. Work with your social media pages constantly to network, make new friends, increase followers, and learn all about what is happening in the field of fingerboarding. Let your personality shine through, but don’t be fake or pretentious. Instead, be yourself and let your real personality win them over.
You can also align your posts and content with the interests of the companies you’re trying to attract. If you have common interests with those companies, they’ll quickly notice and will be much more likely to make you a sponsorship offer.
Conclusion
It has been said that trying to get a job is a job in itself, and the same is true for trying to get a sponsorship when you’re a fingerboarder. Consider the act of trying to get a sponsor to be a “business” itself, and work on that business every day to increase the odds of getting a sponsorship.
