Relational > Transcactional for NIL

The fastest 3 minutes in name, image and likeness

Author

Tariq Ahmad
April 09, 2025

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Relational > Transcational

Why it’s important to build meaningful relationships with people

Two people shaking hands. (Photo Credit: pinterest.com)

When it comes to NIL (or pretty much anything in life), it’s important to build relationships with people first and foremost.

Building relationships takes time, so it’s better to connect with a company first (without asking for anything) and get to know each other, then ask for an NIL partnership opportunity when the time is right.

When I first began working in the NIL space, I was guilty (by my standards) of being transactional.

I reached out to a brand for a partnership for one of my athletes, I only wanted to speak with them for the purpose of collaboration, I landed the deal for the athlete, then moved on to the next brand.

I’ve now shifted my focus to building relationships (not asking or selling anything to anyone) to learn more about the person I’m speaking with, as well as learn about their organization and line of work.

Is this process time consuming? Yes.

Is it worth it? Also yes.

Why?

  • Results in stronger relationships for NIL (and beyond)

    • When you focus on building relationships, not only are you connecting with a person at a brand on a human level, you are also understanding what they value - and what value you can bring them.

    • Tactic: When I reach out to brands, I compliment them on a recent campaign they and their team have recently executed, then ask for an informational call 1-2 weeks later to learn more.

    • From there, build the relationship and stay in contact every few months. This way, when it comes times to ask about an NIL partnership, they will likely be more receptive to your idea.

  • Eases the mind of who you are connecting with

    • With the above method, the person you are speaking with feels more at ease knowing they aren’t being pitched a product or service they are not interested in. In turn, they are more likely to share more info with you than having their guard up listening to yet another sales call.

    • Tactic: I preface in my note by stating “I promise this is not a sales call". Then when I speak with them, I reiterate that I’m not trying to sell them anything. (Even if you really want to score a partnership in that meeting, you need to patient.)

  • You don’t want to be ‘that guy/girl’

    • We all have that friend who you only hear from when they need your help.

    • Therefore, by building authentic relationships, this will help you from not becoming that person.

Check out Jordon Rooney’s ‘Endorsements’ newsletter!

One of my favorite newsletters, Jordon brings weekly tips, strategies, and big ideas to help build athlete brands, bring them deals, and have more impactful athlete campaigns.

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