Sponsorship, something most skaters want to acheive in their life of skateboarding, I mean c'mon who doesn't wanna get paid for something they enjoy? 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: Sure a large array of tricks is impressive, and great for bragging rights, but the tricks are no use if you can't land them 90% of the time. Its no use having the trick (and therefore using it) unless you have control of it. 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 oppossed to someone who can do a bunch of half assed tricks.
2. Style: Style is important to a skater, its like a type of identification. Pretty much every skater has a differant style to the next guy, its what makes you differant 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 probebly just going to irritate.
5. Sponsorship: So you've made your movie, put lots of blood, sweat, tears and hours of work into and out of all the people that have sent in videos, yours stands out of everyone elses and the company is willing to extend their arms and sponsor you. your stoke, 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 bollocks it up by wearing your sponsor's competors 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 mabey you should'nt 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 jeopodize 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 slugish and less interested in ripping and having fun or worst, lose your love of skateboarding because it has become buisness, not fun.
In conclusion, keep these things in mind and remeber, you don't have to be sponsored to have fun while skateing. you can rip, be polite and have fun all the same without sponsorship.
Keep this in the back of your mind
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