What is Sponsorship??

Basic question.... What is the answer? Ask most young surfers and they will say it is where a company gives you free stuff.

Yeah, OK that is part of it but there is a truck load more to it than that........

A full definition goes like this -

Sponsorship is a process by which a company provides a surfer with funds, products or services for commercial advantage.

Sponsorship is a business relationship and should be mutually beneficial to the sponsored individual and the sponsoring company.

Most companies seek a return on their support or investment, ranging from goodwill within the community to more complex benefits such as media exposure, increased sales and brand awareness.

Sponsorship is about building long-term relationships. The longer the relationship lasts, the greater the value that can be derived from it. It is not an exact science, however, it does manifest itself in a host of different forms on many different levels.

So what does this mean in real terms a surfer can understand........

Commercial Advantage - They see you as a way of positively advertising their products. You become a sales person and an ad for their brand in the hope that you will help them sell products. You might do this by being a good role model in the water and in general. You might be winning comps and people want to have the same products as you, a winner. You might be in the media (mags / on TV / local paper etc) and you are showing the off their brand to heaps of people.....

Business Relationship - You are joining their business the same way an employee would. You are representing them and they are associating themselves with you.

Mutually Beneficial - This means you get something good out of the deal and so does the company (i.e. sales and positive exposure).

Return on Investment - When a company places an ad they expect that ad will create sales that are more than the ad costs. You are in a way an ad for your sponsor. You need to make sure they are getting value for their money either by drumming up business or getting them good media coverage and results.

Long Term Relationships - No sponsor will give you dollars and free boards when you are starting out. They will give you a bit of a deal to show they are interested in supporting you. It is then up to you to prove yourself as a good 'Return on Investment'. Over time, if you do the right thing your sponsor will do more and more for you. A long term sponsor can lead to money, trips and other freebees.

So in saying, if you find a sponsor that is willing to go, take the deal and do everything you can to impress them. Once you prove what you are worth then you will be rewarded accordingly......

Most of all, enjoy the ride.

shan

Introduction to SurfSpono

Hey there, I'm Shan, founder of SurfSpono. I've been surfing for over 22 years and have been in the surf industry for 18 years. In that time I have worked in retail, import / distribution, surf team management and athlete manager.

In that time I have lived and breathed surf sponsorship from being sponsored myself to sponsoring surfers to finding companies to sponsor to surfers, I've seen and done it all....

I started SurfSpono.com to help talented surfers to find sponsors and give them the heads up on what is expected of a sponsored surfer. Important stuff to know if you are wanting to do well in the sport.

If you are unsure on what SurfSpono.com does then let me explain via my SPEEL below..

SurfSpono.com is a whole new approach for surfers wanting to find a surf sponsor.

Founded by me and my surfing based agency Vantage Management, SurfSpono.com is using 20+ years of knowledge and contacts in the surf industry to help all talented surfers.

No longer does a surfer have to send out stacks of resumes and DVDs to team managers in hope of hearing back.

SurfSpono.com contacts hundreds of team managers worldwide from all types of brands, every second week! We let them know YOU exist!

Team managers are told who is new, who has updated their resume and who is ripping!
Your personal resume is fully updateable, you can contest results, add photos and even include video footage.

By utilizing SurfSpono.com you save time and stacks of money, at the same time knowing each time you update your resume you are reaching every potential sponsor in one go.

No need to post of resumes that sit on team managers desks and end up in the bin (I know, I use to be one)

No need to make any more awkward phone calls to potential sponsors.

No more waiting to be 'discovered'. Sponsors are signing up SurfSpono.com members right now!

We do the business side while you go surfing!

Checkout www.surfspono.com for more details.
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This Blog is all about answering your questions, giving keen surfers the inside knowledge on what it takes to get sponsored and how to blow your sponsors mind. All the things a surfer needs to know to make themselves a valuable asset to a surf team and build a successful surfing career.