How would you survive if you were a pro???

I don't know about financuially, but financially I would try to find some bitchin sponsors big and small to support me, let my results speak along with me.

fi·nan·cial

Pronunciation: \fə-ˈnan(t)-shəl, fī-\

Function: adjective

Date: 1769

: relating to finance or financiers

— fi·nan·cial·ly \-ˈnan(t)-sh(ə-)lē\ adverb

I would try and get sponserhip or win the lottery but i would probley end getting a part time job to get a bit more money as you cant make much money unless you race most weekends and win

You could also spend money ona top coach as that might mean that you can race faster there for make more money.

Andy

I would use local companies that i know, i would sell advertising space on my website, and clothing, run coaching days and training camps, but if you have to get a job i would join the fire service, plenty of oppertuinty to train whilst on duty..

i think you would have to speak to local companies and clubs for backing, perhaps helping do some coaching for schools etc to build your profile. Then id smack a few races and get some hardcore sponsorship action!!

Ross

Think firstly I'd get a team together, very much like Philip Graves has done with Team ActivInstinct ((Click for the Link ...) Working in a similar style to TeamTBB you're more able to draw big name sponsors to a team if they're going to get coverage most weekends with one or more athletes using their gear.

Also teams can command more from event organisers by going on mass and bolstering a weaker field, again look at Embrunman.

Try and get yourself known, by contributing to forums, passing on information you'll build an age group following, very much like Gordo - he's never been any more than 2nd tier but makes a living off the sports and probably one of the best known athletes getting sponsorship deals way above his race performances would merit.

As others have said, start local. Contribute to local newspapers and magazines. Tri mags are short of decent content, so getting your articles printed there, mentioning the sponsors you do have, will give you more to offer companies.

Get known in the local clubs and training groups - then use this to get in with local suppliers, even Bella started off being sponsored by the local Edinburgh Triathlon store.

Penultimately treat it professionally and as a job, rather than a means to live a full-time hobby.

And lastly, listen to the IM Talk episode where Coach John "no e" Newsom gives tips on how to get sponsorship ;~)

An other idea i had is you could run training camps where people to come to where ever you live. You would make money due to them paying and also fit in your training with a new group every week

Every one win:)

Andy

I would follow the example of Jessi Stensland. She has become a master of self promotion in a very positive, motivating way. She seems to have both small and big sponsors and she represents all of them well by making herself extremely accessible. She appears at expos and events and uses social media, such as Twitter and blogs, to get her the word out. Very well done.

I'd start a podcast and use this as a means of getting gear (companies give you gear free for a mention on the podcast), and live off free fish and chips from one of your listeners. Simple. Richard 'Low Rider' Marlow

Athletes first need to understand what they offer. The best way to communicate this is in a story; where are you coming from, where are you going, what brings you to approach a sponsor now and how best can you appeal to the person/business you are meeting with. Remember: you are selling yourself to a person; corporations are just legal entities.

With a story, you can initiate and have a discussion. Networking, web-reserach, using the phone, walking the streets is vital to understand who you can approach. Start local, before going global. Everyone wants Zoot, Orca, Cervello, but the number of athletes they sponsor is limited and so be realistic.

Then you need to evaluate what you will give your sponsor in return for their support. Assessing what you give, before what you get is really important. It makes you more human, less like a leach.

So what can you give? Your time e.g. corporate speaking, appearing at the corporate gym, offering coaching seminars to encourage triathlon participation and wellness for employees.

Updated on 8/28/2009 11:32:07 PM

What do you need?

A website? Approach a local IT Consulting company. You offer the opportunity for the web developers to do something creative, challenging, that shows what the firm can produce, so they can market themselves to clients. Its costs them nothing, but can be very valuable to you.

Need apparell? Offer sponsor logo placement if they provide your race and training gear. Offer to do local races for local businesses to help promote them, in return for their support.

Need a bike? Offer to support local weekly rides, training seminars at the local bike shop that start and end at the shop. It drives business for them. If they can't extend to a bike, what about wheels? Helmet? Mechanical support?

Need cash money and have someone willing to sponsor you? Structure the contract to align athlete and business objectives. The better your results, bigger their exposure, the more they pay. Success on a bigger stage e.g. bigger regional/national/global stages, leads to more exposure for them and more moo-la/dosh/greenbacks/benjamins for you.

Being a skilled negotiator is important. It requires you prepare (do your p's) and probe in every meeting to sell yourself, understand what you can offer that is of value to the other party and understand what they can give you in return.

Be ready for the knock downs. They will say "No" twenty times before you get a "Yes", so keep trying. Once you get one sponsor on-board, adding to your portfolio becomes easier as people heard like sheep. To land the first and early on, be ready to take much less; adding the first sponsor is valuable to you the athlete and its a risk for the business, so recognize that, lower what you ask for and then build your portfolio of sponsors.

To some it all up:

Tell a story. Develop yourself into a product with a great story: be marketable and compelling. Be personal each time you meet with a sponsor.

Do your P's: network, web-research, walk the pavement, get meetings and start!

Go local, then global. The backyard is easier to get to than crossing the street, town, city, State, country.

Give and take: understand what you offer (give) and what you need/want in return (then take)

Be Rocky. Your gonna get punched and knocked down, before you succeed. Be ready to fail, but learn each time you do

Negotiate. Really understand all that you will give and all that you want; be flexible, try for everything, not just one thing.

Get a coach. Assess what you have in the way of experience in approaching sponsors and what you need to help you be successful

Lastly, volunteer and find ways to give back to your community. It shows your a giver and not just a taker (guys... keep your minds out of the gutter!).

Athletes have other revenue streams that they can develop: modeling, training camps, coaching etc. but that is for another week perhaps?

If your an athlete who is interested in exploring these thoughts with me further, please don't hesitate to contact me through athlinks.