This is due to sponsor me video overload! Many of the videos sent before then no longer exist or will play. If you still want to be considered, fill out the form and resubmit your video. Thank you.
Okay skaters, let's talk about sponsorship. That's right I said "sponsorship" not "sponsership" or "sponcership". ;-) Step one is knowing how to spell it. Of course you are being considered for your skateboarding not your spelling, but this will still help to give a good first impression.
Keep in mind that while a sponsorship would be awesome, if you don't have it life as we know it will not cease to exist. So if you are turned down, don't worry, the universe will not collapse in on itself. Life goes on. And guess what? I know that skaters progress over time, that means if we've said no last year, this year could still be a yes!
As the Team Manager at Blankdecks.com I would like to offer a few tips first on how to get sponsored, and how to NOT get sponsored. As well as how to lose a sponsorship once you've got it. Ready?
How to Get Sponsored:
- Follow instructions! Learn what is expected of you from the beginning. There is nothing that will turn a Team Manager off to you more than not following basic instructions.
Here are the Blankdecks.com Instructions:
Blankdecks.com Sponsorship
You get extra bonus points if you can recite the instructions from memory. Keep in mind also that all the extra bonus points in the world won't get you sponsored if you can't skate. - Kiss up a little! Remember flattery will get you nowhere (except maybe a sponsorship). While flattery can be helpful, generally it's good to just be polite. Don't over flatter, once you reach a certain point in flattery it starts to sound like sarcasm. It's been said that flattery is nothing more than telling a person what they think of themselves. So don't tell them you think they can fly and shoot fire from their eyes, because we all know it's not true. And it makes you look like a phony. For example, who do you think is going to consider your video? Arm yourself with knowledge. Just don't over do it. Respect is the key.
- Your skateboarding skills will get you probably 75 percent of the way to sponsorship. Expand your tricks. Be creative. I can't tell you how many kickflips or shove its I've seen off a curb or up a curb. If you can't get some quality footage of decent tricks, don't bother. Please! It's painful to watch 1000 kickflips and shove its. As a matter of fact, I consider it cruel and unusual punishment. Here's a list of tricks to avoid putting in your video (you should be able to do them):
- kickflip
- heelflip
- shove it
- fs shove it
- bs 180
- fs 180
- 50-50 grind
- Grinding under 2 feet long
- Ollie under 1 foot high
If you have a kickflip bs lipslide to fakie in your video, I'll assume you also know how to do a kickflip bs 180 and a bs lipslide. Understood? If you have a fs heelflip fs lipslide to fakie, I'll assume you also know how to do a heelflip fs 180 and a fs lipslide. So it's really not necessary to film them all individually. As a matter of fact: PLEASE DON'T. Redundancy will kill the Team Manager. You don't want that. If what was said in this paragraph is confusing to you, please don't send me a sponsorship video. - Send your BEST. Consider these four kinds of skaters:
- Really great skater sends his best footage, but calls it throwaway crap footage.
- Cruddy skater sends his crap footage and calls it his best.
- Really great skater sends his best footage, and calls it his best footage.
- Cruddy skater sends his crap footage and calls it crap.
My question: Where is your good footage and why can't I see it? What's to hide? Are you holding back?
My thoughts: You're not going to give us your best, because you're 'saving it'.
My question: Why did you send this to me? What made you think you were ready for sponsorship?
My thoughts: Spare me.
My question: N/A
My thoughts: Offer this guy a spot on the team!
My question: How is this going to help your ego?
My thoughts: I feel bad for you.
I hope that makes as much sense to you as it does to me. - Become a regular customer and a fan of Blankdecks.com, get to know the company and the skaters who are involved already. It's not going to help you much to talk down about the skaters we have already. Your video will say enough. Here is a hint for you:
Read up.
Become a Fan.
Peep this.
Follow us.
Believe it or not, keeping in touch with us will help your sponsorship chances. It's much easier for a Team Manager to accept a new skater to the team when that skater is already a regular customer, and cares about the company. Skaters who support the company before sending a video are more likely to be seriously considered.
How to NOT Get Sponsored:
- Send in only a link to your video, without filling out the form. It says 'Hey! I'm bigger than the company, I'm so big, I don't even need to acknowledge your presence, or the fact that you have a structure for this sort of thing.' Not to mention it tells me from the start that you're not going to do what I ask when you're sponsored. Don't care how good you are at that point. I think wow, that guy's good! Too bad he's not suitable for a sponsorship.
- It's not all about one trick. Contrary to popular belief, there is not a secret trick that will get you to the next level! There is not a certain height you must ollie! Or a time required to manual! I know, shocking isn't it? But it's true, life is not a video game. Neither is sponsorship. Don't be afraid to expand your mind, be creative and shock me with something I've never seen before! If you come into it with the idea that because you landed a single trick once in your lifetime, that you are worthy of sponsorship, you will probably NOT get sponsored.
- Film the entire video inside of your garage! The scenery is thrilling and it will be carefully considered. Your lawn mower and refrigerator sometimes can make the difference. The darker the footage, the more likely I won't be able to see you skating. This will prevent sponsorship for sure.
- In order to guarantee your NOT getting sponsored, when you're politely turned down, burn all bridges by letting us know that you were never ready in the first place. You can do this in a number of ways (in no particular order):
- Use offensive language and degrade the company or it's skaters/affiliates.
- Argue about the decision made, and point out other skaters who are supposedly 'sponsored' by Blankdecks.com
- Resort to self abusive behavior, like threatening to punch yourself in the face if we don't sponsor you.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. - To prevent yourself from getting sponsored, you might try sending a video with yourself and 7 other skaters. Or you could send a link to your channel of videos rather than just submitting one simple condensed video. Believe it or not, it's not enjoyable to search through the videos trying to decide who sent it and who I am considering for sponsorship. As a matter of fact, I probably won't, and you will just be turned down.
How to Lose a Sponsorship:
There are some excellent ways to lose a sponsorship that you've earned. Let's review a few of them...
- As soon as you are accepted, start demanding free stuff immediately. Drive the Team Manager up the wall with your begging.
- Assume that you are now the company's #1 priority, and start trying to get everything you possibly can out of your sponsorship (even if you haven't earned it).
- Show severe lack of patience and an intense level of irritability. That's a great way to drive a Team Manager insane. You can bet you'll be removed from the team as a nu-sense to the company and the Team Manager's time.
- Be a jerk to other skaters rather than helpful and rub it in their faces that you are sponsored. We listen to our customers and complaints. You can quickly lose a sponsorship based on a single complaint from a skater you disrespected.
- Don't do anything unless you are specifically asked to do it. Your sponsorship won't last long as long as you just wait for the Team Manager to push you along. Self motivated individuals who love skateboarding and promote, skate, and excite other skaters, tend to keep their sponsorship much longer. So if you want to lose your sponsorship faster, just avoid being self motivated.
I hope you found this helpful! I look forward to watching your next video! (I think...I hope...Do I?)
Jared Rich
Team Manager
Blankdecks.com
