What are the biggest mistakes athletes make when approaching sponsors?

The top mistakes include: 1) Leading with what you need rather than what you can offer, 2) Asking for product or money without understanding the sponsor's goals, 3) Sending generic proposals to everyone instead of customizing for each company, 4) Putting multiple sponsor logos/hashtags in single social media posts (which decreases value for all), 5) Not asking sponsors about their strategic objectives before pitching, and 6) Approaching sponsors like 'a guy on the street asking for five bucks' instead of building relationships first.