Do I need a large Instagram following to sign with sponsors?

"How do you get sponsors as an athlete when you don't have a big Instagram following?"

This is one of my favorite topics, so allow me to explain:) This question often comes up from athletes as well as sponsors looking for athletes to sign. While Instagram is certainly a nice tool - it's just a tool. Sponsors will pay small fees for social media posts here and there. They will be much larger fees when they can find an athlete who's brand story aligns perfectly with their own.

There are many athletes with followings in the millions who sponsors have passed on because their brands didn't match. It goes both ways.

Here are two quick tips.

1. Share your story and make your followers part of your journey: The more clear you can be as an athlete on your story and messaging - the better your marketing is going to be. Every athlete has the ability to align with the right companies for high earning deals. This 100% will not happen unless you make a conscious effort to start narrowing your focus and getting your story out there.

2. The power of merch: Having your own merch can be one of your most valuable marketing tools to a sponsor. The true power of merch lies in the data it provides. An athlete who comes to the table already having existing paid customers who are plugged into their brand, is incredibly interesting to any director of marketing for a sponsor company. It demonstrates that they understand the game, can be creative and are already a known quantity.