Want to become a sponsored athlete? But you don't know what to offer your sponsors in exchange for the products, services or finances you're seeking from them? We've got some creative ideas to get you started (that your future sponsors will LOVE)!
These days, sponsors are looking for more than just their logo printed on a t-shirt or your sporting equipment. Sponsors are in search of athletes who can offer tangible value that helps with their business operations and development. Logo placement can be part of that but there's a LOT more value athletes can be offering that will help them stand out and make an effective pitch.
Three creative real life examples we love
Example #1
- Athlete: Long distance trailer runner
- Sponsors: Nutrition and protein products
- Creative idea: Was invited to lunch at a Masterchef owned kitchen and gave the chefs the challenge of creating a dessert platter using his (sponsored) sports nutrition products! He filmed it and the video went viral!
Example #2
- Athlete: Team of male gymnasts
- Sponsor: Watch brand
- Creative idea: Offered sponsor (watch company) to do an international challenge against other elite gymnastics teams to hold a one-handed handstand for the longest (using the watch to time it!). Really nice, natural product placement and a fun engaging activity that encourages widespread engagement!
Example #3
- Athlete: Race car driver
- Sponsor: Premium car manufacturer
- Creative idea: A DJ, a graffiti artist, and the car driver collaborated to hold a public event with live music and graffitiing the car using the sponsors colours and logo…..and the car driver raced in the graffitied car for the year!
The key is to look at what the company is already doing to achieve their objectives. I.e. look at their marketing activities and see what you can do to contribute to them! Think about how you can make it easier, more effective, faster or cheaper for them to achieve their goals!
Online Sponsorship Masterclass Series for Athletes
Join us in May for our Online Athlete Sponsorship Masterclass Series! We'll be teaching you how to get sponsored + you'll get access to an exclusive Sponsorship Toolkit, including a Proposal Template.
Learn more here.
Ten more bonus ideas your sponsors will love
- Host a motivational lunchtime talk. Think about some of the ups and downs you go through as an athlete and think of some of your most inspirational and emotionally charged stories! Share these in a way that your audience will feel motivated to maybe make some positive changes in their life, or face some fears….or even just to feel a little happier in their day!
- Create a Challenge. Think of a creative and fun challenge that will allow your sponsors to showcase their brand, products and/or services in a way that connects them with their current audience or a wider audience. E.g. If your sponsors are a nutrition powder company, create a challenge for people to come up with the best recipe idea.
- Bring your expertise to the business. Use another skill or qualification you have. Maybe you’re an artist and can offer to paint a commissioned art piece for the company’s foyer.
- Bring your expertise to the staff. E.g. Yoga instructor, nutritionist, mindset coach and use these skills to help their staff. E.g. Becoming the in-house mindset ambassador/health coach.
- Run a team building workshop. Find out what your sponsors staff are struggling with and come up with some fun activities to get the team working together to solve a problem, face a fear, or learn something new! It would be great to use your sport or elements from it in this session!
- Arrange a networking event for sponsors. Could be just for your sponsors or you could collaborate and get other athletes and their sponsors involved.
- Offer a team building workshop/motivational talk for your sponsors to give to one of their clients as a gift.
- Offer to support their charity of choice through awareness raising. I.e dedicating a race or event to that sponsor, sharing their posts on your social media.
- Offer a module of content for a company's e-learning programme. You could deliver their content or your own, and maybe it’s just like the motivation session you offer to their staff! The options are endless!
- Social media reporter. Offer your social media skills for your sponsor for one of their big events such as a product launch. You could be the ‘paparazzi for a day’ and capture all the fun and excitement including mini-interviews with guests, candid photos of all the action, and encourage guests to get active on social media too!
The final word
Remember, be creative but always tie the value you offer back to your sponsors business objectives. It's only great value if it actually helps them achieve their goals!
Ready to take on the wonderful world of sponsorship and approach your first sponsor? Would you like to increase your current sponsorship? Check out our next Online Athlete Sponsorship Masterclass Series! We'll be teaching you how sponsorship works, what to offer, who to approach, how to pitch + so much more!
Online Sponsorship Masterclass Series for Athletes
Join us in May for our LIVE Sponsorship Masterclass Series!
Designed and delivered by world-leading industry experts, this masterclass series will give you:
- A clear roadmap of the sponsorship process and the steps you need to take to get sponsored
- You'll learn what sponsors are looking for from athletes
- How to package your skills into workshops, programs and other commercially valuable offerings (that many businesses are already spending money on and could spend with you!)
- How to create a value proposition that will win over your sponsors
- How to put a dollar figure on the value you offer and seek from sponsors
- How to negotiate a great deal for you and your sponsors
- How to use your skills, values and interests to find the perfect sponsors for you
- Who to contact to ensure your sponsorship proposal lands in the right person's hands, every time
- How to create an effective sponsorship proposal that your sponsors will love
Sound good? We'd love to see you there! Learn more here.