2018 NPAA Magazine 2018 NPAA Magazine - This is Our Sport

Now let’s get to the do’s and don’ts of social media: Do’s • Use social media to your advantage to build and promote your brand. • Lift others up on social media and take the time to comment on others posts. You never know who may see those posts. • Show your personality. Be goofy, be silly, be yourself. • Use hashtags that are relevant to your posts (ie. #fitness #motivation #transformation #flexfriday) so people with the same interests can easily find your posts. • Tag the companies and organizations that you are posting about, so they are able to see your posts. If you are looking for sponsorship with a particular company, DO NOT tag multiple companies in a post. Far too often I see people tag 15 different supplement companies in one post. Pick a company that is most in line with your values, whose products you love, and focus on them. • Respond to comments that people leave you with thoughtful responses. Ensure you are engaging with your followers. • Post tips that are useful to others. Whether they are workout tips, workout videos, nutrition tips etc. • Keep it positive! No one likes to read posts where you’re complaining every day. I strongly believe in sharing your struggles as well, but mainly as lessons. • Post frequently to keep people engaged with your page, but not so often that it feels like spam. I try to keep it to 1-2 posts maximum per day. Dont’s • Don’t use social media to bash others. Ever. • Don’t complain about your placing in a competition or put down the other competitors. No one likes a poor loser. There is room for us all to succeed and shine. • If you’re promoting a fit and healthy lifestyle, I don’t recommend constantly posting partying/drinking pictures and videos. You can always have a second and private personal account if you choose. • Don’t come across as cocky. Be humble. No one is greater than anyone else. We are all working hard to try and reach our goals. • Don’t post something that you may regret and later want to remove. If you are unsure of whether to post something, sleep on it and see if you still want to post it in the morning. • Don’t use social media to post about the drama in your life. • Don’t post inappropriate content (ex. vulgar language, derogatory memes, hurtful rants). From my experience, following the tips above is what a sponsor looks for in an athlete. One thing that stands out for me is why Markus Kaulius, president of Magnum Nutraceuticals, decided to sponsor me following my first fitness competition. Upon connecting with Markus via social media, I applied for sponsorship with the team and then had a phone call with Markus. During the call, Markus said that he liked my positivity, how I was smiling and laughing in my photos (not serious all the time), and dressing up as a princess for my niece’s birthday therefore showing my fun, silly side. With how saturated the fitness industry is today, you need to have something that sets you apart. You have to create your own brand and show your marketability, so that sponsors can clearly see what you would bring to their team. A key part of social media is of course the photos that you post. You should invest in a variety of photo shoots, so you can use the photos for social media. Do your research and shoot with reputable photographers. This is an investment you’re making in yourself, so make sure you are shooting with well-known photographers whose photos you can use for magazine and sponsorship submissions (with their permission). The market is saturated with photographers and you want to make sure that you end up with photos that are usable and not in poor taste. Ensure you hire a professional makeup and hair artist for your shoot, as professional artists know what looks best under photo shoot lights. Always tag the photographer and hair and makeup artist in the final photos so that they get recognition for their work as well. I would recommend doing an array of photo shoots to show your versatility. Some of the shoots that I’ve done include fitness/gym shoots, lifestyle shoots (outdoors, in home) and boudoir. For a boudoir shoot, I would suggest researching photographers beforehand and making sure you are comfortable with their style of photos. Also, if you do a fitness competition ensure that you order your stage shots. It’s so important to have these shots in which you are captured in peak condition. I have used my stage photos from Tim Dardis so many times for social media posts, sponsorship applications and magazine submissions, that I suggest everyone order theirs. Social media is an integral part in growing your presence in the ever expanding fitness industry. If you are looking to gain sponsorships, influence others and/or grow your brand, you need to maintain an active presence on your social media platforms. Remember that you never know who may be watching your social media pages, so do your best to maintain a positive image and be as real as possible in an industry that can often be misleading. In today’s world, social media platforms are an essential component in gaining recognition and flourishing as a fitness personality and competitor. 54.

2018 NPAA Magazine 2018 NPAA Magazine - This is Our Sport | Page 57