From that inaugural moment when you stepped on those seven plies and landed your first personal NBD, you’ve thought it: How can I use this thing to become rich and famous? Today with so many companies digging their heels into skateboarding and with the economy on the brink of being back to just beneath less than ok, your chance to shine has never been more within reach. Here are four easy steps to make sure your sponsor-me video stands out from the gobs of Youtube links team managers receive every single day.
1. Include Tons of Skatepark Footage
Nowadays, companies aren’t just looking for someone who can put out a banger video part in their emailer every month, they’re also in the market for someone who can score massive points in contests. The training ground, and often the playing field for contests is some variation of a skatepark. So along with the footage of you “murking handrails” in the streets, go ahead and send along 15 minutes of you at the skatepark. Include some single clips of your most difficult maneuvers, but also splice together some runs that are a little more basic. This will show your consistency and how well you can link together 1.5 minute runs and 7+ point Street League tricks.
2. Do Not Wear or Ride Product of the Company You Want to Ride For
If a company sees you for 3 minutes, busting your ass representing them as if you already ride for them, they are going to be absolutely terrified of losing a loyal customer. They aren’t going to want to give you something for free if you’re already paying for it. It’s the old, “why buy the cow when the sex is free idiom.” If companies see you ripping and already using their product, they’ve already won. The solution, of course, is to not ride any of their stuff and almost seem indifferent or ambivalent to them. Treat them like the hot girl you want to have sex with. Give them attention, but don’t buy them dinner until you’re getting something out of the deal for yourself.
3. Do NOT Seem Overeager
In the event that you do get a response from a team manager, you don’t want to come off overzealous or like an impassioned kook. Avoid this by taking advice from many classic male archetypes of popular american sitcoms and adhere to some sort of variation of the 7 day rule where you don’t return a phone call or email for at least a week, maybe even two. This will make the team manager think, “This kid is so busy killing it on the streets or thinking up our next hit T-shirt tagline that he doesn’t even have time to call me back to get a box!” Or, better yet, he might think that you’re in such high demand from other potential suitors that you’re just being smart and weighing your options. That will make the moment when you finally do reach out and call or email him back all the more rewarding.
4. Include a Post-Video Interview
Skateboarding is increasingly headed towards a more professional mindset. Watch any interview and note the diplomatic nature to which even the youngest amateur now adheres. They’re overtly polite, well-spoken, and the interviews almost seem rehearsed. You need to showcase that you not only rip at skating, but you can mouthbang the post and pre-game show with your dynamite on-camera persona. Give the team manager a taste of what kind of charisma you’re capable of by ending your sponsor-me tape with you interviewing yourself. Tell the camera a little bit about who you are, why you want to ride for the company, deeply personal facts about yourself, and definitely explain in painstaking detail how you started riding a skateboard and fell in love with it. That is always interesting.
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May 3, 2013 5:28 pm
Yep, this checks out.
August 29, 2013 3:33 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UKj9Fqp0YI
From: “kai cayenne”
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 7:59:27 PM
Subject: sponsorship or flow!
Hello skate companies,
My name is Kai ad I am 13 years old. I have been skateboarding for a few years now and I feel that I improved so much that I’m ready for a sponsor! I kind of made this video a “day in the life” theme so i hope you enjoy my attempt at creativity! Please consider me for a sponsorship or a spot on your flow team! I will represent you like no other person has! If you don’t think I am good enough, please leave comment to help me in the future!
Thanks,
Kai Cayenne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkK0REs-AnM
August 1, 2014 2:42 pm
Did he get back to you? I would be interested in seeing his response. Good luck man!
September 2, 2016 7:08 pm
KING HO,
when are you coming back to get me? Just because she doesnt want to go dont forget about us we arent living the american dream, Bo is mad we cant find our master lists and Jeremy hid everything cause I said no. Felix III fucked off this family snf Zach and i were so happy wtf happened after I finished my project I explained everything to him. When are you gonna realize I found your aunt or your mom check San HO San Jose CA one master parcel on GIS
April 25, 2014 12:14 pm
This is kind of off. Most sponsors want to see more street stuff and less of the park. Also an interview would just be cheesy. Let your skating speak for itself
May 9, 2014 6:52 pm
http://i.imgur.com/H4hnCWV.jpg
May 9, 2014 4:39 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WXC1FYpSMg
that’s my sponsor tape. SEND FREE SHIT