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Athlete Endorsement Agreement

When trying to be signed by a Company, here is some information to understand what they may be looking for. Educate yourself about the company, brand, products and more information to have a better understanding in what the goals of the company are. Having this knowledge is key in setting up a win win during the negocation.

TERM:

  • One (1) Year

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ATHLETES:

  • Willing to work and have a presence at Fitness Expos, Demo Events, Promo Events and other Appearances (Travel expenses taken care of by Company, plus per diem)
  • Attend and represent the Company at all negotiated events/shows as agreed upon by both parties. Shows and events to be mutually agreed upon at least thirty (30) days prior to event date.
  • Attend and represent Company for up to fifteen (15) days for promotions, including and without limitation to visits to the Company’s website, video and photo shoots, commercials and interviews — radio, television or other public settings. These appearances will be prearranged and mutually agreed upon by both parties, affording the athlete with a reasonable amount of prior notice before the events take place.
  • Agrees to work with the Company’s Digital Publishing Team on creating at least 4 articles or video presentations to be determined and agreed upon by both parties.
  • Wear Company’s branded clothing, which may be either (1) clothing provided by Company; or (2) clothing selected by Athlete and paid for by the Company. This clothing is to be branded with the Company’s name and logo provided that it is preapproved in writing by the Company. Clothing that displays the company logo, slogan or branding is to be worn when attending events arranged by the Company and any other event or promotion in which allowed, including but not limited to interviews, shows, PR Events, photo shoots and Video Segments.
  • Promotion of the Company and the Company’s products on all: Personal Web Pages, Forums, Message Boards, brochures and other marketing material handouts used at all Events
  • All promotional pictures of the Athlete Endorser shall include the Company’s logo
  • Will participate in 2 – 4, local or surrounding market, television or radio segments, depending on media interest
  • Will participate in 3 – 10 media interviews by phone and/or in person, depending on media interest
  • Actively promote the Company or the Company’s Product on all social media outlets, including and without limitation: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Social media promotions will include links to the Athlete or other articles, recipes, or workout programs associated with the athlete and/or Company. Social media activity can include:
    • 48 – 60 product specific Twitter Tweets, 4 – 5 per month
    • 48 – 60 product specific Facebook Status Updates, 4 – 5 per month
    • 48 – 60 product specific Instagram Photos, 4 – 5 per month
    • 36 – 48 product specific YouTube Videos, 3 – 4 per month
  • Write 24 – 36 Blog posts at a rate of 2 – 3 per month
  • Write 24 – 36 Articles at a rate of 2 – 3 per month

COMPENSATION:

  • To include services rendered, travel expenses and the cost of marketing materials used or distributed during appearances
  • Endorser shall receive $1,500 per month
  • $500 per month of company products used during promotions for personal use and the development of a personal testimony
  • Payment for participation in two (2) Competitions, including:
    • Airfare
    • Hotel
    • Transportation – Rental Car/Taxi/Shuttle
  • Two (2) Photo Shoots Expenses paid for

RIGHT OF PUBLICITY:

During the term of this Agreement, the Endorser grants and consents to the Company’s unlimited commercial use of the Endorser’s name and likeness. The rights to publicize the Endorser’s name and photograph is up to the Company’s sole discretion and can be used to advertise, promote, endorse and publicize products, as well as the Company’s business. Publicity and promotional materials and appearances can be used worldwide, in any media selected by the Company. This is including but not limited to print, radio, television, electronic, telephone, wireless or internet.

PLEASE NOTE:

This is just an example and each agreement varies. Please understand the company and their needs to make it a win-win.

WHO TO CONTACT AND WHERE TO FIND A COMPANY:

Normally it is the marketing department who is in charge of booking Talent, Athletes, Demo Reps and so forth. Sometimes they have Team Managers, Sponsorship Department or it will vary. Each Company is different because all companies have different budgets for this section within each company. Basically, Google the company below, find and email or phone number to that specific company and just simply ask, “Who is in charge of booking your athletes?” It is as simple as that. Then when you know who it is, win them over and show them why they need to sign you as their athlete. Prove to them you are worthy and you will be signed.

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Your Story:

The way in which you present yourself is critical to obtaining sponsorship and getting endorsement deals. Every athlete wants to be signed on for endorsements and receive the money and other benefits that go along with such a deal. But your athletic ability alone is not enough to get companies to want you to endorse their products. To seal the deal, you must have a business mindset and understand why a company would be willing to pay someone for endorsements, as well as what those companies are looking for.

Companies seeking athletes for endorsements are looking for people who stand out, as well as people who can be a valuable asset that helps the company meet their goals. Additionally, they’re seeking athletes that have something to bring to the table to ensure the business relationship between them is mutually beneficial. Businesses aren’t simply seeking warm bodies that want to collect a paycheck. These types of people are easy to find and just as easily let go. You want to be the one that the company values and holds on to. Put yourself in the shoes of the companies you pursue for endorsement. Ask yourself what makes you different or more special than the next person in line. If you were running a company, would you sign yourself up for endorsements? Any hesitation or question on your part regarding why you should be signed up means that a company will also have the same doubts and questions. But there are effective ways to remove those doubts and answer those questions before they’re even asked.

It’s important to understand your niche because the companies in that niche will be most attracted to you. Additionally, you must have a strong sense of who you are, what you’re about and what you stand for. If you don’t know these things, the companies you hope to sign with won’t either. Companies love people and athletes who want to make a difference in the lives of others and have a mission to positively impact the world around them. These are the types of people that companies want to support and be associated with because the focus is on benefiting others and not just benefiting themselves.

As you write your story, think of it as your mission. Connect your story with the lives of other people and how you can make a difference and a lasting impact. Think about what you can offer the world and give back to people; this is what you want your story to be about. This is the image you want to present, rather than having people think that you’re all about wealth and money.

BIOGRAPHY:

Your biography is your story. When you write your biography, think about how you want the world to perceive you and let them know some of the things that you’ve accomplished, are involved in or plan on doing. A professional biography is written in the third person, which means you should not use “me”, “I” or “my”. Instead, the biography is written as if someone else is talking about you (using “he”, “she” “they”). Your biography should be written in paragraph form, similar to a story. Here are some of the elements you can include in your biography:

  • Full name, complete address and email address
  • Your sports or athletic background
  • How you got started
  • Why you’re passionate about athletic involvement
  • How you want to impact those around you
  • Your community involvement
  • Ways in which you’ve already used your talents or time to help others
  • Goals, both those that have been achieved and those that you’re working toward

Having a well written biography is important. You can use it to pitch to media and add it to other online and print documents so people can read about you and acquire basic knowledge about who you are. A short biography only serves to lead companies or media to believe that there’s nothing about you that stands out. You want to be the person that sticks out in their mind, and a well-written biography will help you be that person.

RESUME & CV (Curriculum Vitae):

Similar to your biography, your resume should provide a comprehensive overview of who you are. The difference here is that your resume will be written in list form.

  • Full name, complete address and email address
  • Birth date, height and weight
  • Sports involvement history, started as early as Little League baseball or other youth sports to share the foundation on which your career was built
  • High school and/or college athletic involvement
  • Awards or honors achieved during high school or college
  • Semi-professional and professional athletic involvement
  • Awards and other recognition earned as a professional athlete
  • Goals, both those that have been achieved and those that you’re working toward
  • Prior or current media exposure, such as television or radio interviews and other news stories

Use your resume as a continuation of your biography to show companies and the media why they should become involved with you versus other people who are vying for their attention. A well-written resume is easy to read and leads the person to want to learn more about you.

MEDIA:

Gaining exposure for a company or for the athletes themselves is one of the most valuable benefits athletes can achieve in a collaboration with various media venues. The exposure gained through television, news stations, radio, newspapers and other media outlets plays and integral role in your perceived value. In other words, media involvement and exposure affects how valuable you are and impacts your “worth”, as well as the salary you’re paid as an athlete.

Companies pay a lot of money for advertisements in magazines and other media outlets with the intention of getting an effective return on their advertising investment. Full page 8 x 10 advertisements can cost more than $10,000 a month depending on the magazine, the number of paid subscribers the magazine has and the venues to which the magazine is distributed. Your business relationship with a company can become the replacement for investing in magazine ads or other advertisements. Rather than spend money on glossy advertisements, companies pay athletes a monthly salary or a fixed rate for services resulting in “exposure” for the company. This exposure can be gained through your media outlets or social networks from your fan base, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. The bottom line is: the more exposure you can provide a company, the more “valuable” you become to them and other companies who are looking for athletes to promote their services or products.

Once you prove that you’re able to help the company and their brand gain exposure with potential customers, you’ll become a valuable asset to have on their side as they strive toward their financial goals. If you have fans numbering in the tens or hundreds of thousands, or better yet in the millions, following you, you’ll be worth a lot more than an athlete who only has a following of a hundred or so. Your value as a promoter of the company’s products and services is directly related to the amount of exposure you get and the amount you can bring to the company. Your worth lies in the fact that you can turn the people who follow you into customers for the company. As this translates into more sales and profit for the company, you will gain further benefits in salary and perks as an athlete in promotions. Herein, lies the whole point and reason of developing a mutually beneficial relationship with companies who’re seeking athletes to promote their products and services.

CONTACTING MEDIA:

A common practice amongst new stations and other media sources is that they actually pay broadcast companies for newsworthy stories. News stations love a powerful, motivational, life-changing story that can positively impact others. Many times they’ll air these types of stories for free simply because they’re great stories that can increase the station’s rating and the number of viewers. News stations want to hear from you if you’ve got an inspirational story to tell.

You may wonder what the secret is to getting news stations or other media sources to become interested in you. The secret is simple: You must contact them. It sounds easy and, in essence, it really is. All you have to do is reach out and contact them by email or phone, and they will direct you to the right person to speak with about your story. The media is always looking for human interest stories, but the more motivational, inspirational and meaningful the story is, the more airtime and exposure you stand to gain.

It’s recommended that you contact local news stations, television and radio stations, and newspapers about your story. Likewise, conduct a Google search for contact information for local media sources in your area. A website such as www.NewsLink.org can help you connect with the media.

MEDIA KIT:

Being prepared and having a media kit ready will make it easier for those in the media to do a story on you. To determine whether or not they want to do a story on you, members of the media will ask you many questions about your life. If you provide them with ready-made content in the form of a media kit, it will help you get your foot in the door with a powerful, meaningful story.

An important component of your media kit will be a collection of professional photos. The media will want photos in high resolution with 300 dpi (dots per inch), video content and other materials. It’s recommended that you make a Dropbox account(www.DropBox.com) and put everything in one folder so you can just send your media contacts the link to the folder, providing them with access. This is much more effective than sending 50+ emails that they have to organize and sift through. DropBox gives you up to 2GB of free space to store your files.

Here is a list of what you should have in your Media Kit so you are prepared when someone from the media asks for it:

  • Biography
  • Resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae)
  • High-Resolution Pictures – 240-300 dpi
  • Video – Formats of MP4, WMV, AVI or other digital formats
  • Personal Website
  • Blog
  • Other Media Links from
    • News Papers
    • News Stations
  • Social Media
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

LEVERAGING THE MEDIA:

After your story is shared on television or radio, be sure to get a copy of the clip by asking the media venue how to obtain one. Ask beforehand to make sure it will be recorded. Tell your contact at the station that you want to get a copy for your personal use. Even though you plan to use the footage to promote your story and coverage on your personal website and through social media, it’s best to not let them know this as they may not give you a copy.

Once you acquire the digital format of your story, upload it to your YouTube and Facebook account so you will be able to use it for leverage when dealing with companies. The footage will serve as proof that you can get on TV and get more exposure for the company. As for newspapers, get copies of them when they run stories about you. Contact the editor directly and ask if you can get the PDF copy of the news article. Having a PDF file allows you to incorporate it into your Media Kit and those interested can have it printed in perfect condition later. In regards to radio stories or interviews, get a copy of the interview or live broadcast in MP3. Get a copy of any other media clip, article or press so you can add them to your Media Kit as proof of your value to companies.

MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS:

It’s a good idea, for the present as well as for your future career, to build a business relationship with the person that did a story on you. Afterwards mail them a thank you card and check in with them every few months if something new is going on. Keep them up to date with the new events you’ve participated in, as well as with what is going on and coming up in the near future. The media loves to share follow-up stories to keep their viewers current on the most cutting edge news. Since you have already built that relationship, the turnaround time to get air time will be much easier as the years pass. Each time you repeat the process, ensure that you’re getting copies of everything so you can continue to build your media kit.