What Sponsors Are Looking for in 2022
One of my goals for 2022 is to pull back the curtain for athletes on what sponsors are looking for, making it easier to strategize. Something that has made CG Sports successful over the past six years is that we don’t just “sell” to sponsors; but we also listen to what they are looking for.
We are 12 days into 2022 and I have been asked the same question by three (so far) top marketing executives from different industries (Apparel, Fast Food, Retail).
The fact that right out of the gate these marketing executives are all asking the same question gives you a hint as to what their priorities are for 2022 (and where they are looking to spend their money🤫)
Do you want to know what athlete sponsorship executives are all asking about in January of 2022?
The question executives are asking is👇🏼
“What is the athlete’s social media plan for 2022? Can you share it with me?”
Here’s what this tells us:
Sponsors are looking at athletes who are pro-actively planning their social media - and starting to ask for proof.
When a sponsor invests in an athlete, they will build a year long (or multi-year long) marketing plan around that athlete. Sponsors are now asking for a similar plan in return, of how the athlete intends to promote their brand (and to provide a few examples).
If you are an athlete, this is a GREAT giveaway on how you can increase your value in the market and attract more opportunities.
Blocking out 45-60 mins to plan out multiple social media posts in advance, will give you a huge advantage over other athlete’s in today’s market. Schedule this “planning” time 1-2 times per month and you are almost guaranteed to see results.
Sponsors are putting more weight and priority on social media strategy in 2022.
When a company goes to do their research on an athlete - the first place they go is Instagram or Twitter.
In fact, did you know that Twitter is where all major corporate marketing executives spend most of their time?
It is unlikely that the SVP of Athlete Partnerships for Chipotle is searching the internet for how an athlete placed at their most recent competitions - nor do they care. Where they are going to spend their time and attention is on your public profile and internet presence. For most athletes this is Instagram or Twitter. If you have a website, it’s an extra advantage in controlling what you want to portray to a potential sponsor.
2022 is the year to think strategically about social media and how you want to use it to execute your brand and business goals.
Keep following CG Sports as we share more info on what sponsors are looking for and how to get their attention.
