A77A96
07-28-2006, 07:48 PM
Sponsorship, something most skaters want to achieve in their life of skateboarding, I mean c'mon who doesn't wanna get paid for something they enjoy, and getting free proddy is sweet too, with the prices of items today. Though with the scene growing, and chances of getting sponsored decreasing, how can you do it?
Here are some simple tips that might help you
1. Tricks: This is Important because without tricks, how are you going to go for a sponsorship? Build a little collection of different tricks, some flip tricks, some grinds, some unique parts and and practice till your feet bleed. Its not about the trick, its about the style, sure, anyone can kickflip, but everyone's kickflip is different due to there style. Shops and companies will look for real nice style as opposed to sloppy style. You'll want your trick to be pretty consistent, but hey, you can land it 100% of the time. Instead of using something you have just learnt, try going with something your familiar with, you have a better chance of it looking cleaner and neater, and therefore, showing your style. Instead of quickly learning a load of tricks and having them sloppy, try learning a few tricks at a time, and perfect them as much as you can at the time before moving on. Sponsors tend to look for people with clean tricks as opposed to someone who can do a bunch of half assed tricks.
2. Style: As mentioned before, Style is important to a skater, its like a type of identification. Pretty much every skater has a different style to the next guy, its what makes you different like fingerprints. the cleaner, smoother and cooler your style looks, the more people are gonna notice.
3. Be polite: Don't be an asshole to everyone because A. nobody likes a stuck up asshole and B. your potential sponsors won't want to sponsor someone that the general public hates more then Osama Bin Ladin, its not good for their look. Encourage people, help younger skaters with tricks they may have trouble with. The more people you have backing you, the more your future sponsor may think of taking you under their wing.
4. Sponsor me tape: The famous sponsor me tape, the tape that could make or break your new career as a sponsored skateboarder. First up, don't send crap to a serious sponsor or they will just scratch their heads, break the tape and never deal with you again (they might, but only after good words from others). You'll want something original, not the same old "kickflip the box" or "ollie the drain". They see enough of that as is, get creative, go out and find new spots, spots that no one skates, that may seem impossible to skate, spots that might be hard to find, and big, clean tricks. try and edit your music to fit in with the images, if its nice calm skating (say bowl riding) and you have screamo or something like that in the background, its probably just going to irritate. When going for multiple sponsors, or trying to get sponsored elsewhere, don't use the same footy, mix it up. Scope out some new spots, try some different tricks, invent a new tape.
5. Sponsorship: So you've made your movie, put lots of blood, sweat, tears and hours and hours of work into and out of all the people that have sent in videos, yours stands out of everyone else's and the company is willing to extend their arms and sponsor you. Your stoked, you wanna laugh, cry, eat something and go to the toilet at the same time. Depending on who your sponsored by (shop, major shoe, board or clothing company) you will be sent a nice little gift basket every month or so, and they expect you to use it. Don't bullocks it up by wearing your sponsor's competitors clothing, you'll be out on your ass quicker then you can drop in. Be proud to ride for the company, try and advertise, tell people that the stuff they make is great.
6. Skating: While sponsored remember these important rules
1. Always wear your gear and advertise, you should be proud to wear it, if your not then maybe you shouldn't be riding for them.
2.Always rip and have fun, if your not ripping or having fun, people are gonna start to forget, and that could jeopardize your sponsorship
3. If the pressures getting to you, quit. You don't have to be sponsored. Yeah its cool and all but if your pressured, you might begin to get sluggish and less interested in ripping and having fun or worst, lose your love of skateboarding because it has become business, not fun.
In conclusion, keep these things in mind and remember, you don't have to be sponsored to have fun while skating. you can rip, be polite and have fun all the same without sponsorship.
Keep this in the back of your mind
Checking out
A77A96
Here are some simple tips that might help you
1. Tricks: This is Important because without tricks, how are you going to go for a sponsorship? Build a little collection of different tricks, some flip tricks, some grinds, some unique parts and and practice till your feet bleed. Its not about the trick, its about the style, sure, anyone can kickflip, but everyone's kickflip is different due to there style. Shops and companies will look for real nice style as opposed to sloppy style. You'll want your trick to be pretty consistent, but hey, you can land it 100% of the time. Instead of using something you have just learnt, try going with something your familiar with, you have a better chance of it looking cleaner and neater, and therefore, showing your style. Instead of quickly learning a load of tricks and having them sloppy, try learning a few tricks at a time, and perfect them as much as you can at the time before moving on. Sponsors tend to look for people with clean tricks as opposed to someone who can do a bunch of half assed tricks.
2. Style: As mentioned before, Style is important to a skater, its like a type of identification. Pretty much every skater has a different style to the next guy, its what makes you different like fingerprints. the cleaner, smoother and cooler your style looks, the more people are gonna notice.
3. Be polite: Don't be an asshole to everyone because A. nobody likes a stuck up asshole and B. your potential sponsors won't want to sponsor someone that the general public hates more then Osama Bin Ladin, its not good for their look. Encourage people, help younger skaters with tricks they may have trouble with. The more people you have backing you, the more your future sponsor may think of taking you under their wing.
4. Sponsor me tape: The famous sponsor me tape, the tape that could make or break your new career as a sponsored skateboarder. First up, don't send crap to a serious sponsor or they will just scratch their heads, break the tape and never deal with you again (they might, but only after good words from others). You'll want something original, not the same old "kickflip the box" or "ollie the drain". They see enough of that as is, get creative, go out and find new spots, spots that no one skates, that may seem impossible to skate, spots that might be hard to find, and big, clean tricks. try and edit your music to fit in with the images, if its nice calm skating (say bowl riding) and you have screamo or something like that in the background, its probably just going to irritate. When going for multiple sponsors, or trying to get sponsored elsewhere, don't use the same footy, mix it up. Scope out some new spots, try some different tricks, invent a new tape.
5. Sponsorship: So you've made your movie, put lots of blood, sweat, tears and hours and hours of work into and out of all the people that have sent in videos, yours stands out of everyone else's and the company is willing to extend their arms and sponsor you. Your stoked, you wanna laugh, cry, eat something and go to the toilet at the same time. Depending on who your sponsored by (shop, major shoe, board or clothing company) you will be sent a nice little gift basket every month or so, and they expect you to use it. Don't bullocks it up by wearing your sponsor's competitors clothing, you'll be out on your ass quicker then you can drop in. Be proud to ride for the company, try and advertise, tell people that the stuff they make is great.
6. Skating: While sponsored remember these important rules
1. Always wear your gear and advertise, you should be proud to wear it, if your not then maybe you shouldn't be riding for them.
2.Always rip and have fun, if your not ripping or having fun, people are gonna start to forget, and that could jeopardize your sponsorship
3. If the pressures getting to you, quit. You don't have to be sponsored. Yeah its cool and all but if your pressured, you might begin to get sluggish and less interested in ripping and having fun or worst, lose your love of skateboarding because it has become business, not fun.
In conclusion, keep these things in mind and remember, you don't have to be sponsored to have fun while skating. you can rip, be polite and have fun all the same without sponsorship.
Keep this in the back of your mind
Checking out
A77A96