Are you sponsored?

[stablesgirl]

I am thinking about trying to get my gym to sponsor me to help cover some of the cost of my next contest. It's a small gym, and I don't know of anyone else there who has competed or is even thinking about it. I'm also thinking about asking a couple of restaurants in the same area because I eat my (healthy!) foods there a lot.

But I really know nothing about sponsorship or what (if anything) I need to do to protect myself. I know a little about marketing, enough to put together a presentation of "what's in it for them" but I don't know how much money to ask for or how to look out for my side of the deal.

Anyone have experience with this?

[MuscleMama87]

I would LOOOOOVE to be sponsored!!!! So I will be checkin back into this to see what the other girls have to say

[sneezingstardust]

I have 2 sponsorship offers within the last week

Let's just hope they follow through!

[Nic902]

Congrats Christine!
I only dream of a sponsor........

[stablesgirl]

I haven't made my pitch yet, but here's what I plan to do. I'm going to mock up a presentation with pictures of my before and after from my last comp. Then I'm going to put my gym's logo on it, and use their slogan. The gym's slogan is, "everyone can afford to get fit at fitness 19" so I'm changing it to say "Bikini girls can afford to get fit at Fitness 19". And then I'm gonna ask for their support.

I'm creating another page that lists my costs: travel, registration, suit and shoes, hair and makeup and so on. Companies can sponsor me for some or all of these items.

I'm brainstorming now for a list of things they'll get if they sponsor me. I can create flyers with my before and after pics and hand them out at their desired location -- outside a busy mall or plaza. If they give me a t-shirt with their logo I'll wear it at some point during my comp weekend to advertise for them. I'll offer to do a testimonial for their website... stuff like that.

Here's what I know about marketing -- You'll get better results if you offer them something in return. So whatever you can give them -- let's say your comp allows you to give a short bio, you can promise to include the company name in there "Robyn thanks Dunkin Donuts for all the egg white flatbreads that got her here" something like that. Think of ways to give the company "free" publicity. That's what I'm trying to do... I am going to try my gym, restaurants, and maybe a tanning place too. I'll let you know how it goes!

[MuscleMama87]

Originally Posted by sneezingstardust

I have 2 sponsorship offers within the last week

Let's just hope they follow through!

Are you serious!!!!! CONGRATS GIRL!!!!

How did you go about getting noticed???? I want to be sponsored so bad!! lol

[sneezingstardust]

Originally Posted by Nic902

Congrats Christine!
I only dream of a sponsor........

Originally Posted by MuscleMama87

Are you serious!!!!! CONGRATS GIRL!!!!

How did you go about getting noticed???? I want to be sponsored so bad!! lol

Thanks girls!!

I do my posting around on other sites as well In my case, I didn't really do too much to get noticed other than I get a lot of views from professionals on bodybuilding.com and some PLing forums.

What I would suggest to you, honestly, is to contact a rep for the company. It's not THAT hard to get sponsored, especially if you:

(1) Already won a previous show, or placed well

(2) Look good

(3) Are SURE you want to make this a hobby/lifestyle

(4) Can give them something in return (recommendations, referrals, advertising, etc.)


If you go to BB.com, go to the supplement forums and there's TONS of company reps hanging around there. They'll have it written under their signatures, something like "Controlled Labs Representative" Find one from your favorite company (say, Optimum Nutrition), and send them a message explaining why you think you should be sponsored, what you can do for them in return, a history of your competing, your future fitness plans, and what you can do for them in return. And even if one doesn't work out, there are TONS to choose from.

Most companies are glad to sponsor athletes who are dedicated, are shown to consistently put in hard work, and who will make their company grow and look better

Hope that helps!

[Nic902]

I got free sups for AAB and ON through BB.com but honestly, I would like more than free sups...How about a suit sponsorship