How can athletes effectively reach out to potential sponsors through direct messaging?

Athletes should DM brands directly from their own accounts, particularly through Instagram. Big brands have dedicated social media departments monitoring incoming DMs. The approach works better when athletes do the initial outreach rather than just the agent, because brands are more likely to respond to the athlete directly. Create scripted copy about products you actually use or brands you'd like relationships with. Once the brand responds, turn it over to your agent or follow up yourself with your story and how you can help meet their marketing objectives. This approach works best for bigger names, but even lower-level athletes should do it as part of 'building your snowball.' Start with smaller asks like six months of posts to prove value before pursuing larger partnerships.