Congratulations on being a sponsored skateboarder. It feels really good to be the rockstar that you can tell all your friends and families that someone is backing you up with free products. However, we are in a third world country and sponsors are also businesses that are trying to make ends meet – they are trying their hardest to support you and keep up with their business. Don’t get me wrong, they should also benefit from sponsoring you and it should be a two-way street but you should always remember that we are in the Philippines. This is not America where business owners don’t have all the resources to provide everything you need.
So here are the pro tips for taking good care of every sponsorship:
Always Ask If You Can Help
Skate sponsors in our country are not corporations. They are small businesses while corporate is more suitable for larger businesses or entities, they also need help. Don’t hesitate to ask if you can provide free service since they are also giving you free stuff for an exchange – if a skate shop is sponsoring you then you can kindly ask if you can be the one who can administer the shop for the day. Whatever it is just constantly contribute what you can to make it easier for both parties to be successful.
Appreciate them and Be Thankful
Business owners are spending money each day and some of the expenses are going to your gears or equipment – running a business is no joke especially in the skate industry. Since the skateboarding scene is quite small then just appreciate what you have and never complain that you only received this much. For sure they are very pleased to have you on the team that’s why they chose you in the first place. But Keep in mind that they are also trying to make a living like everybody else.
Keep Posting on Social Media
This one is super easy. Make sure to tag them and give them a shout out for all the people to know the brand. You are not bragging that you are a sponsored skateboarder but you are an ambassador and your duty is to properly introduce them and create a movement where the sales will go up as well. The return on investment is very important to all businesses and since they are investing in your skills, why not help them and encourage people to buy? I know you are not a salesperson but at least do your best for your sponsors to earn and who knows maybe someday you will receive more products or even money. Bear in mind that it’s all about brand awareness and proper branding.
Go the Extra Mile
Congrats! You are now doing a great job with all of your hard work. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop there but you also need to keep them happy so don’t lose them. Keep skating hard in the streets, don’t be a slacker, never boast and have an attitude where people will be pissed off. The community is very small and everyone will know your true colors so stop because you can be easily replaced. Have a good and long term relationship with the people sponsoring you and the people around you.
Stay Loyal to the Brand
Staying true to all sponsorships will surely increase your credibility – if you stayed long enough they will fight for you. Some other brands may go out of business but since you are devoted, that will be your resume for other companies to know that you are the right choice. So be contented of what you have, never complain and have a positive mental attitude all the time - maybe one day you will be chosen by an iconic skateboarding company in the United States of America to represent the Philippines.