Do you want to become a GoPro ambassador as a skydiver? If YES, here is a 10-step guide on how to get sponsored by GoPro for Skydiving. Generally, GoPro is to action cameras what McDonald’s is to fast food. That is, the GoPro brand has become so synonymous with compact action cams that even off – brand cameras are referred to, often incorrectly, as GoPros.
However, there is only one GoPro, and even though the California – based company wasn’t the first to produce a compact camera capable of capturing photos and videos in extreme conditions, it still remains the first to make it mainstream, and to this day its cameras remain some of the best.
According to reports, GoPro camera was originally designed by current CEO Nick Woodman as a compact means to capture photos and videos of him surfing.
Even though the devices are often still used for this purpose, the company has come a long way in the 15 years since its initial inception, and GoPro cameras are now used by all manner of extreme athletes and adventurers, in addition to more casual users.
At its very basics, a GoPro is a small camera that takes the best qualities of point – and – shoots and camcorders and packs them into a rugged frame that’s smaller, waterproof, and virtually indestructible.
Note that inside the cuboids design is an image sensor, processor, ultra wide – angle lens, and up to three microphones for recording audio in different conditions. In the world of skydiving, it is the badge of honour to be sponsored by a company such as GoPro.
To have the logo of this camera manufacturer professionally embroidered on your jumpsuit alerts others that you have status. The company’s logos serves as a symbol of past accomplishments, expectations of future success or that you’re a highly skilled and dynamic ambassador.
10 Tips to Get Sponsored by GoPro for Skydiving
So you have seen athletes, photographers and content creators become ambassadors for your favourite brands or become members of the GoPro family, and now you want to get in on that sweet action. Here are few steps to take to actualize this goal.
Table of Content
1. Create Amazing Content
If you want to get recognized by GoPro for your photo and video, then the first step is to make sure your content is really top notch. You will have to create imagery that stirs people to their core. Here are a few pointers to help you tighten up your content:
- Find Your Niche
Whatever you do, be you. Be authentic. No one in the world sees things quite like you do. No one else in the world can create what you are capable of creating.
- Tune Up Your Photography Skills
Take a class or at least familiarize yourself with the basic elements of composition. Educate yourself on colour theory, lighting techniques and advanced camera settings like shutter speed, ISO and white balance, which can all vastly expand your range as a photographer.
- The More You Get, The More You Get
When you’re bringing together the raw materials for your epic reels and Instagram page, the more you have to work with when you get to the edit stage, the greater the odds you’ll have a few bangers that really impress your audience.
- Edit for Success
Editing is a crucial step to creating incredible content, whether you’re distilling down hours of GoPro footage or brushing up the colour in your photos. Get your hands on whatever editing software you can find to put the final touches on your photo or footage. Editing is an art in itself, and the more you master it, the more you will be able to produce stunning content.
2. Live the Brand and Know Your Gear
If you’re looking to become a brand ambassador for GoPro, it would be better if you are a devoted advocate for the brand. Buy GoPro gears, refer and educate your social media followers on the brand and use your content to show that you’re living the brand’s mission.
Also note that if you want to create killer content, it is absolutely imperative to know your gear inside and out; that includes your drone, Smartphone, GoPro HERO camera or any number of accessories you use to enhance your content capture. For the experts, gear knowledge begins before a purchase with hours of research to find the right camera gear or accessory.
3. Start Small
Note that becoming an ambassador for GoPro (or any major brand) probably won’t be as easy for you. Although it is certainly still possible, GoPro is still actively seeking out content creators, adding a majority of their 475 Ambassadors in 2015 alone.
But with millions of GoPro users in the world, it’ll serve you best to have a strategy with greater odds of success. Always have it in mind that there are many accessible ambassador opportunities for photographers and skydivers, you just have to cast a wider net in order to find them.
4. Be a Content Marketer
Note that a challenge for any marketing department in any company (in or out of skydiving) is generating good content. Make the life of the marketing department easier, and you will quickly gain favour. Generate content like:
- Submit your best photos every month
- Build a strong social presence for your team and update your page regularly tagging sponsors so they can share your stuff
- Use correct sponsor #tags on social
- Create videos highlighting your team and sponsors
- Use Facebook LIVE to give team updates and be sure to thank your sponsors
- Maintain a team blog regularly allowing the sponsors to have content to share for their social media.
- Generate content for magazines and be sure to thank your sponsors.
Note that the keyword here is engage. Reply to all comments, research and use effective hash tags, tag GoPro and, most importantly, be professional. Treat it like a business, because if you’re successful at it, it will be your job. Social media without doubts is the biggest tool for sure.
Sometimes it can be tricky to get a brand to notice you and what you’re doing, but providing links to your social media accounts can really help you out by letting them see what you do or if you are consistently out shooting or shredding enough that they would like you to use their product in your content.
6. Reduce Risk for the Manufacturer Wherever Possible
Do not forget that sponsoring a team (especially a 4 – way team) can be expensive. Mitigate the risk wherever possible. When applying for sponsorship, the rigs belong to the team (company) not the individuals on the team. This way, when a team member has to opt out for whatever reason, the rig doesn’t depart with the individual.
Note that few things are more frustrating for a manufacturer to see their sponsored gear being put up for sale after a team member has left with it while the team is asking for a new rig for the new teammate.
7. Have a Great Attitude
Even though your level of sponsorship is usually congruent to your résumé, there are tons of examples of people in the sport who are fully sponsored because they have amazingly positive attitudes. All brands in the world want to associate with a powerful force of energy that’s light, bright, inclusive, approachable and full of fun. Showcase that, and you’ll move up the sponsor scale faster.
8. Know How to Exceed Expectations
Always look around to see what the best divers are doing for their sponsors and then figure out how to improve what they’re doing. Don’t forget that you have to do more than the next guy if you’re going to win the favour of GoPro that sometimes receive 30 sponsor applications a week.
- Ask if there is anything you can do. Pitch ideas. Don’t wait to be asked.
- Offer to donate your time as an LO
- Offer to pack for a day during a boogie (this can reflect direct ROI as manufacturers usually hire a packer to pack their demo canopies).
- Assist with tent setup at an event. It is tedious work that’s made a lot easier with more than one person setting up.
9. Always Communicate
Ensure you build a rapport with GoPro and stay on their radar. Often, the marketing department will be asked by their bosses about details of specific teams. Make them look good by providing information with what’s happening with your team. They do want to know.
- Check in at least twice per quarter
- Create and submit team reports
- Submit photos and gear feedback until you are told to stop
10. Show your Worth
Note that it is not a bad idea to show your worth at the end of the season. Create a report highlighting all you said you would do, what you did and how you executed it. Show sales figures of purchases made by others due to your influence and share what you learned and how you’ll do things differently for the following season.
Do not forget, the marketing department is juggling a lot of teams and will be receiving a whole new set of applications for the next season; be sure they know your worth.
Conclusion
Many, if not most skydivers mistake the parachute industry for other mainstream consumer product markets. The marketing budget for sponsorships is not quite like Red Bull. However, recognize that the monetary value given is expected in return. This is called ROI – return on investment.
Sponsors are investing in you, and they expect a return. Sponsorship isn’t a free ride, but rather a business agreement. There is no faster way to burn your reputation and any hopes for future sponsorships if you don’t recognize this immediately.