“The sponsor was a life raft for us in troubled times. They did all the work and all we had to do was rock”–Warren Chaney
Wondering how to get sponsored? If you’re looking for sponsorship as a skateboarder, a DJ, or for any other industry that can benefit from corporate sponsorship, the steps below will help you on your way.
How to Get Sponsored as a Skateboarder
1. Think about what company you want to sponsor you. Maybe you like their equipment, their attitude . . . whatever it is, set your sights on one or two specific sponsors. Keep this company in mind when reading over the next steps — making your “attack” specific to one company will make your life easier.
2. Understand what sponsorship means — you may get some free gear, some at-cost gear, and your company may pay some of your expenses related to performing or competing at certain events. Unless you’re Tony Hawk, getting sponsored is not going to mean flying to Vegas in a private jet with Playboy Bunnies.
3. Consider a local skateshop for sponsorship — you don’t have to get sponsored by some faceless corporate entity. Your local skateshop may consider sponsoring you for the free advertising The benefits to you include a wide selection of different kinds of gear (rather than picking from one company’s stock) and easy access to a place to fix your decks, a riding location, and a nice “home” for you and your skating venture.
4. If you’re going with a corporate sponsor, it is time to contact someone and try to get the ball rolling on sponsorship. Get on the company’s website and call them up and ask who to talk to about sponsorship. Or go to your local skateshop and ask who they know in the industry that might talk to you about getting sponsored. Another great way to approach a company about sponsorship — go to skating events, participate in competitions, and talk to reps from the companies directly. If you put on a great show, you might get approached by these guys yourself. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to talk about sponsorship.
5. If all else fails, it is time to put together a sponsorship package. Unfortunately, this doesn’t just mean slapping together a VHS tape of you grinding at the local middle school. Your package should include still images of you skating, as well as links to video of you skating, links to all of your social networking information, and something to make you stand out, like community involvement work. You should list all the events you have attended as well as a CD of your skating videos. Slap a short bio on there and include a business card, and you’re ready to ship out your sponsorship package. Send this to as many companies as you can stand, and wait for response.
How to Get Sponsored
How to Get Sponsored as a DJ
1. Just like with sponsorship for anything, figure out who it is you want to get sponsored by. In your dreams, who would you want to sponsor you? Also think of what your “bare minimum” of sponsorship would be. What is the least exciting company you’d accept a sponsorship from? It helps to have this frame of reference when it comes time to getting your work as a DJ sponsored.
2. Contact companies directly and inquire about sponsorship. With the Internet as pervasive as it is, you can find just about any companies PR department in a few minutes. Check out their websites, ask questions, and get your name on as many receptionist’s desks as possible. Getting sponsored as a DJ is kind of like firing a shotgun — the more inquiries you make, the more chances you have of getting sponsored.
3. Consider “light sponsorship”. Some smaller companies (Crunk! energy drink, for example) offer non monetary sponsorships that are valuable in their own right. Because these sponsorships don’t cost a company cash, they’re easier to obtain. Crunk! energy drink, for instance, offers free promotional materials, a little publicity on the Internet, and (of course) free energy drinks to any artist they deem good enough to wear the Crunk! label. Hey — if you want some free flyers and some free energy drinks, sign up for their cashless sponsorship at their website http://www.crunkenergydrink.com/get-sponsored.
4. Once you’ve contacted a number of companies, don’t just sit around waiting for a call back — you probably won’t get it. Make yourself a sponsorship package, and make one that stands out. Include video and audio of your DJ work, video testimony from fans, bio material, any community work you’ve done (becoming more and more important these days), and plenty of contact info. Send this material out as a package to the companies you contacted earlier. Your name may still be familiar — though your sponsorship package will do the talking for you.
Getting sponsored, no matter what for, is not as difficult as it may seem. Companies that sponsor athletes or musicians set aside a certain amount of money for just this kind of thing — they get the name recognition and free advertisement, and you get financial or at least promotional backup. Getting sponsored could be the one step between your current level of activity and a more consistent professional atmosphere.
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