Nov 6 • General discussion
How to Find Local NIL Opportunities in Under 30 Minutes
Most athletes are chasing national brands like Nike and Gatorade, but the truth is, 87% of NIL deals come from local businesses.
That means you don’t need a huge following.
You just need to know how to connect with people right in your city.
Here’s a quick 30-minute system to find NIL opportunities near you 👇🏽
Step 1: Use Instagram Search (5 Minutes)
Go to Instagram’s search bar and type:
🔎 “Your City + Small Business”
🔎 “Your City + Boutique / Gym / Cafe / Studio / Salon”
Look for brands that:
✅ Are active (posting within the last month)
✅ Have under 10K followers (they’re easier to reach)
✅ Tag your city in their content
📍 Example: “Atlanta Small Business” or “Dallas Fitness Studio”
These are your first NIL prospects.
Step 2: Check Who Already Supports Local Sports (10 Minutes)
Visit your school or team’s Instagram page.
Look for:
🏀 Local business logos on uniforms
⚾ Sponsors tagged in posts
📣 Companies that donate or advertise at games
Those are your warmest leads.
They’ve already shown they believe in athletes, you just need to start a conversation.
Step 3: Start Building Relationships (10 Minutes)
Follow these local brands.
Like a few of their posts.
Comment something genuine.
Then DM them using this message 👇🏽
“Hey [Brand Name], I’m a [Sport] athlete at [School Name].
I love what you’re doing for our community!
I’d love to collaborate and help highlight your business through my platform.”
✅ Keep it short
✅ Keep it personal
✅ Keep it about how you can help them
Step 4: Create a Local Content Idea (5 Minutes)
Think about what kind of content you could make for them:
📸 Wearing their merch
🥤 Reviewing a local product
🏋🏾 Filming a short workout in their gym
🍽️ Grabbing a post-practice meal at their restaurant
Brands love when you come with ideas, not just requests.
Step 5: Follow Up Professionally
If they respond, thank them.
If they don’t, wait 3–5 days and follow up once:
“Just wanted to follow up in case my last message got buried — I’d still love to collaborate!”
Persistence shows professionalism.
Community Challenge:
This week, I want every athlete (and parent!) to find 3 local businesses that could be NIL partners.
Post them in the comments so we can help you refine your approach and brainstorm creative collaboration ideas.
3
3 comments
How to Find Local NIL Opportunities in Under 30 Minutes
skool.com/winningyourway
A space for athletes, parents, and coaches to connect, learn, and unlock NIL deals and recruiting opportunities.
Leaderboard (30-day)
1
+115
2
+60
3
+56
4
+55
5
+44
Powered by