Everything in the world has a price tag.
When you walk in a Walmart, the first thing you see is a wall full of items marked a certain value that is meant to catch your attention. Red bull is on sale 2 for $5. Quilted Northern 12 pack of Double Roll toilet paper, normally priced at $8, is on sale for $5.99. The list goes on and on. If you look at the bigger picture, you could even say that people are labeled with a price tag. According to Salary.com, Accounting Managers have an average salary of $89,631. A Coach salary is on average $37,890 and a Product/Brand Manager has an average salary of $90,810. Who makes these valuations? Somewhere there is a professional appraiser determining the value of a person based off awards and certificates. Personally, I find it ridiculous. Who says a teacher can’t be paid a surgeon’s salary when they are the leaders of children? By nurturing the hopes and dreams of children, teachers help groom the mentality that they can “do anything they put their mind to”. That includes being a Surgeon. I think about the valuation of people when I look at sponsored athletes. I am not saying that they don’t deserve the clothing, money and publicity. I am only asking a question of “WHO makes these valuations?” Who is it that determines what each athlete deserves? For all my fellow athletes, this is for you. I challenge you to get to know your value.
I have been training for a few years, and the hardest thing I have ever done is ask for help financially. With a wife and kids, paying coaches and funding my own travel arrangements can be harder than practice. I have tried asking family and friends for donations. I have done fundraisers and “Go Fund Me” accounts, and I have had some short term success. Even with a full time job, funding my track career can be stressful. The time I have spent training at Altis has taught me that I am not alone. Recently, I have been doing some reading on how to market and create some opportunities for sponsorships. From researching online articles to reading Vickie Saunders’ book Sponsorship for Athletes; I have come up with a few steps that all athletes could find useful to earn some type of assistance.
1) Know your Brand
2) Grow a pair
3) Repeat
These might sound a little forward, but it’s really as simple as it sounds. First, know your brand. Find out what makes you special, or what makes you worth the investment. Your parents have known you all of your life, so they support you without hesitation. Business owners and strangers barely know the color on your skin and your sex. You can’t expect someone to want to help you if they don’t know you. Be comfortable talking about your life and your experiences. Those details are what define you and make up your brand. Use those details to find businesses, supporters and various opportunities that fall in line with your brand.
Second step is to grow a pair. Yes, I said grow a pair! Once you find opportunities to reach out and find assistance, go get it! It is incredible how many athletes believe they can win when it comes to competition, but lack that confidence in other areas. Find that moment to talk to your manager, or set up a meeting with a local newspaper journalist. Tell them who you are, what you believe in (including yourself) and sell your brand! The worse possibility is that you end up where you already are, without their help. You never know until you try. The last step is to repeat. The more you try, the better you get. The failures you have endured up to this point have made you better, no longer making them failures. Keep trying to build your team of supporters and make your dream easier to accomplish.
I have been following these steps myself, and so far it has been a humbling experience. Every time I meet with an individual to ask for help, I find myself in a situation feeling like I am being appraised. I feel like there is a big sign over my head with a price that fluctuates more than the stock market. Regardless of how it may seem, I continue to repeat these steps. Why? I know my value, and I believe everyone else should know too. I have met with Vice Presidents, Business owners and Mayors who had no idea who I was when I walked into their office. Now, they know my brand and they know my value. I may not have funding yet, but one thing is for sure…I will one day and so will you.
Know your value and let others know too. What’s the worst that can happen?
