One of the most important things coaches emphasize is timeliness. Be on time to your practice. Be on time to lift. Be on time for the bus to travel to your game. Be on time in every play so you can in the right place at the right time. The same goes for NIL.

Brands expect athletes to be on time with their campaigns, because it is constantly ingrained in them throughout their sport. So make sure you treat each NIL deal with the same urgency that you would in a game. If you don’t, that same brand will not want to work with you in the future.

If you know your post for a brand will be late, please let that brand know as soon as possible, so that they do not think you ghosted them for free product. Asking for an extension is always ok, as long as you communicate it ahead of time. For example, a 4Q athlete recently asked for an extension in his SubSix Nutrition post because his product did not arrive yet. He exemplified professionalism by communicating the conflict ahead of time and asking for an extension, instead of just nonchalantly missing the deadline.

Also, when you are communicating with marketing managers, founders, etc, make sure your messages have proper punctuation and capitalization. AVOID SLANG. When you send an email, make sure there is a subject, and you conclude with a “thank you” and your name. Do not send these people messages like they’re your best friend, who you text casually. They will not appreciate it.

This don’t is pretty loaded, but please lock in, as this is arguably the most important one.

Even though the potential of earning from NIL is very exciting, you all cannot forget that you are student-athletes first! 

You cannot put NIL over your studies and sport. Even if you are receiving NIL money from your school (a pay-for-play contract), that does not mean you no longer need to perform in the classroom or on the field. Because if your grades and/or playing performance slip, you could risk your roster spot. And I know none of you would like to deal with that. So keep your foot on the gas, no matter how much NIL money you make.

Remember, 98% student-athletes end up going professional in something other than their sport. NIL earnings do not last forever, but you can leverage your experience with NIL to give you a head start on your post playing career. Especially through the connections you’ll make with people in companies you promote. 

And since your NIL earnings don’t last forever, please be smart with your money! Make sure you report your earnings to the IRS so you do not get into legal trouble, and be sure to budget appropriately. Thankfully, if you have a financial question, you can ask one of our 4Q mentors for help. They can give way better guidance than I can in this newsletter.