WNiF Magazine - Summer 2014 Edition | Page 32

An Insider’s Guide To Securing Sponsorship For Athletes By Vicki Saunders $ S ponsorship is abundant, and it’s available to athletes of all levels from elites to beginners as well as clubs, sporting organisations, businesses and individual professionals. Now more than ever before, sponsorship is about the benefits you can give to your sponsors off the sporting field. Media, social media, social networking and brand ambassador activities are what companies are looking for in return for financial, product and service sponsorship! I work with athletes from around the world, teaching them the skills they need to identify their sponsorship needs, identify potential sponsors, create engagement strategies and powerful sponsorship proposals, and how to manage and retain the sponsorship once they’ve got it! your sport, breaking through pain barriers or even just getting out of bed for a 6am training session, are the kind of skills they want to impart on their staff; commitment, focus, drive, determination, persistence and an ability to work towards goals big and small. The benefits of sponsorship include: CLEARING UP SOME MYTHS The biggest myth, and the one that I love to smash as often as possible is that there isn’t much sponsorship around because of the ‘current economic climate’. There is an ABUNDANCE of sponsorship available here in Australia and globally, it’s all about connecting with the right companies in the right way, and being able to offer valuable return on their investment. Athletes (of all levels!) generally have some pretty outstanding abilities! In the business world, the very skills that you use in 32 • Being able to use the equipment and services you want i.e. massage, physio etc • Option to reduce your work hours – and train (and recover!) more • Financial freedom • Ability to participate in all the events you want to • Create strong networks and opportunities! WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SUMMER 2014