How to Get Sponsored for Bodybuilding
A lot goes into bagging bodybuilding sponsorships. Besides finding the best supplements and spending hours at the gym, a lot of planning and preparations are necessary to get that sponsorship.
This is an uphill journey, but that does not mean it is not doable. Of course, with the right approach, training, posing, and dieting, you can get closer to the sponsorship of your dreams. Head over to fitnessequipment.reviews for more tips on this path, but, ultimately you want to earn consistently with the hope of making bodybuilding a full-time career.
How do you get a sponsor? It can be challenging initially, but the good news is that many companies are looking for athletes to be the face of their brands. Below, you will find a few things you can do or implement to help you on the journey to getting sponsored.
How to Start
Companies will sponsor you based on the value you bring to their brands. The first way of getting their attention is competing in shows to put your name out there. The bigger the shows you can get, the better. This is because bigger shows have more company representatives in attendance, increasing your exposure to more prospects.
But this is not enough; you need to position yourself right to get their attention and possibly land a sponsorship. Here is what you can do.
Reach Out to Brands
You need to get your name out there. The truth is they do not know you and may not know you until you reach out to them and introduce yourself. Visit companies’ websites and collect relevant contacts to use when reaching out.
Most have applications online and state when they are looking for athletes to partner with. Apply for these and keep an eye on any opening they may have in the future. At first, there will be plenty of rejections and ignored emails, but like any other job, you have to keep trying.
Create a Plan
Getting brand sponsorships requires you to treat them as professional as other jobs. Applying alone is not enough to land the deal. You need to have a clear plan of what you will deliver and the value you will bring to the brand.
The most important thing to do is research the companies, learning their values, history, and general operations. Understanding these will help you position yourself right with their brand to represent them in the best way possible.
How does your personality match their brand messaging? What makes you stand out? Why do you think you are better than the other athletes they have their eyes on? Ask yourself these questions to get clear on how you will sell yourself.
Companies want to work with bodybuilders that are organized and directional. They want someone they can trust with their brand; therefore, it is crucial to create a plan and be professional as early as in the first meeting.
Your Presence and Personality
You do not necessarily need to have won a big show to get sponsored. There are many athletes that are yet to win shows, yet they have big brands sponsorships. Companies do not pay attention to the titles you have but your personality in the bodybuilding industry.
Can you draw people’s attention? Do you have a voice of influence? What impact do you have on social media? Your presence on social media, including how you present yourself, is a great way to prove you can draw attention to an audience the companies have yet to tap into.
Your presence on socials is your proof of networking. Remember, sponsorships are meant to grow the brands you work with, and that means bringing in engagement, growth, and sales for the companies they sponsor you.
Product/ Service Knowledge
The companies you are looking to work with will want to know how much you know about their product or service. As a bodybuilder, you will most likely reach out to supplements and fitness companies; but it is not apparent you would know everything about their products or services.
But, you need to either have experience using the product or service or have an idea of how it works. Remember, companies want you to be the face of their product or service; therefore, you should have all the facts right on how they work.
The product and service need to be something you believe in. This is where your personality and values tie in the sponsorship; essential element companies look at when offering sponsorships to brands. The bottom line is, whatever that product is, you should believe in it and what it does.
Stay on Brand
Once you get sponsorship and finally get signed, you have to stay on brand and bring you’re a game. Therefore, you cannot complain, bash the product or service, or make any form of negative display on the brand.
Sponsorships work more like politics requiring you to maintain a spotless record and represent them as positively as possible. Remember, companies do not want to have someone that will bring bad attention or tarnish their name at all costs.
Manage your Money Mindset
The whole idea of being sponsored is so you can make money and create a decent income stream. Going into this journey with the idea of making as much as possible may be damaging or unfruitful.
Sponsorships are hard to come by, and at first, you may not make as much. Therefore, if you think of these as a money-milking machine, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Again, money should not be your drive when looking for partnerships.
Companies want to see the value you will bring to their brands and match that to the amount of money they will pay you. And, in most cases, you will feel underpaid for the work you will do, but sticking it out for a while will bear more fruits in the future.
Lastly, as a beginner, you want to build your portfolio to attract more valuable sponsorships. So, accepting the freebies and taking the little pay at first might be a better approach.
