How to Build Student-Athlete Buy-In

8 ways to get low engagement NIL programs "unstuck."

Photo by Teslariu Mihai on Unsplash

Many NIL Programs Have Low Engagement

Getting student-athletes to engage with any type of NIL support is challenging. Student-Athletes are busy, faced with information overload, and often don’t see how NIL programs directly benefit them.

Here are practical strategies for breaking through these barriers and building sustainable engagement with student-athletes.

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1. Meet Them Where They Are

Most student-athletes won’t respond to long-winded emails or complex platforms. "Fish where the fish are" and engage them in places and formats they’re already using:

• Social Media: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok work well. Share short, relatable videos or tips. For universities, consider developing and using a small group of "NIL Influencers" (team captains or well-known athletes) to promote your NIL programming on their personal accounts. A client of mine - North Carolina A&T - is excellent at providing NIL resources first to their "Aggie Influencers" and then utilizing that group to maximimze student-athlete wide buy-in.

• Text Messages: Texts get higher response rates than emails. Keep messages concise, with a clear call-to-action like “Check out our new NIL course!” or “Click here for our NIL workshop details!”

• Athlete-Only Events: Host exclusive sessions or workshops to foster face-to-face engagement. Bring in alumni or professional athletes to talk about NIL. When athletes hear success stories directly, they see the potential impact on their own lives. 

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2. Show, Don’t Tell, the Immediate Benefits

Many athletes view NIL as abstract until they experience tangible results. Bridge this gap by showing them how NIL can work for them in practical ways.

• Use Real Case Studies: Share stories from athletes who’ve successfully used NIL resources to earn income or build their brand. Highlight how specific actions, like attending a workshop or setting up their social media profile professionally, led to real results.

• Provide Clear, Simple Steps: Don’t overwhelm them with all they could do. Instead, break it down. For example:

  • Step 1: Define what you want your brand to represent.

  • Step 2: Post on social media weekly with tips about your sport or life.

  • Step 3: Approach local businesses and show them your engaged following.

• Offer Quick Wins: If there is one thing I've learned from my work over the last 4 years with student-athletes it's that they are not a patient group 🙄. They need tools they can use right away. They want immediate wins that lead to larger gains over time. That has been the entire basis of my NIL Quickstart program.

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3. Engage In-Person and Build Relationships

I have found that I can double engagement of digital, on-demand NIL courses by doing one thing: kicking things off with a live workshop. Student-Athletes are simply more likely to participate in NIL when they feel a personal connection to the people offering it.

• One-on-One Meetings: Offer quick, 15-minute check-ins to answer questions. Instead of expecting athletes to come to you, go to their practices. Show up, introduce yourself, and make it clear that you’re available to help.

• Peer Ambassadors: Again, identify NIL-engaged student-athletes to serve as ambassadors. Athletes are more likely to listen to their peers who’ve already navigated NIL than a department representative or a service provider.

• Incorporate Coaches and Team Staff: This is not a criticism, but a fact: the vast majority of coaches still don't know very much about NIL. It's not their fault, because they can't spend all day reading about NIL transactions with small businesses, Collectives, or the impact of revenue sharing. But because they already have strong relationships with athletes, we need to better educate coaches - at least with the bare minimum of info that will help them recruit and retain players.

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4. Create a “Why” That Resonates

Student-athletes are driven, but can feel disconnected from NIL. To engage them, tie NIL to their personal goals, not just financial success.

• Career and Personal Branding: Emphasize that NIL isn’t just about money. It’s also about learning to market oneself, a valuable skill in any career. Show how NIL education helps athletes to develop a strong online presence, to refine their communication skills, or even to understand contract basics —skills that are valuable for a lifetime.

• Immediate Academic and Athletic Relevance: NIL education can contribute directly to their academic growth. For instance, a business major interested in sports marketing could explore NIL as a practical, real-world application of classroom theory. Help them connect the dots between NIL knowledge and their academic pursuits. (I spoke with a business major-DI lacrosse player yesterday who just did his 3rd NIL partnership - none of them pays him cash, just product. But he is pursuing NIL as a type of real-world business internship.)

• Future Opportunities: Frame NIL as a means to gain professional exposure and connections. Building a brand now establishes a foundation for future opportunities.

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5. Offer Practical, Simplified Resources

Many student-athletes struggle to understand NIL guidelines and best practices, because the material is complex and intimidating. Simplify the message.

• Visual Guides and Checklists: Create simple, visual resources on topics like “How to Negotiate a Contract” or “Building Your Personal Brand.” Break down each concept into digestible steps.

• Templates and Sample Documents: Provide templates they can fill in, like sample media release forms, basic contracts, or even sample social media posts. When they see what a good NIL strategy looks like, they’re more likely to replicate it. (Here's a pro tip from a guy who gets paid to this stuff: don't hire me or anyone else if they don't promise to deliver templates to your student-athletes. It's the #1 "hack" in getting student-athletes started.)

• Weekly “Tip of the Week” Emails or Videos: Short, actionable NIL tips delivered consistently can help athletes get into a rhythm with their personal brand and NIL engagement.

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