You need to "brand" yourself so your company can see the value in being associated with You (the brand, not the man). They need to see it as more of an investment than a charitable donation. I mean, really, how many employees does Wells Fargo have across the country? They can't be giving out hundreds of dollars to every 5th employee that has a "great knack" for __________ (billiards, bowling, embroidery, gardening, chili-making). There is a contest and competition for everything so you have to convince them that you are a professional and are worth investing in.
Secondary ideas:
1. Create a website for yourself, tinman.com or whatever. Obviously you would have a link to your sponsors, including Wells Fargo.
2. Find a few pictures of professional players wearing their sponsors logos. Not advertisment pictures, but actual playing pictures from TV matches, magazine articles etc. Give a brief description of who the player is and what their status is in the professional world. And who some of their sponsors are or other things they have done, like movie cameos or personal appearances or charity events. Now play around with photo shop. Put your picture and/or their logo into some pictures to give them a visual picture of how it might look. Burn the image in their brain. LOL
3. Assuming you go to a lot of tournamentse, do you ever submit your stories or experiences or standings to your local newspaper or TV station? Have they ever covered any of the events you've attended? Your sponsor will be interested in what type of exposure you and these events get. Might be a little much, but maybe even inform them of the advertising cost for TAR or the magazines, that way they can cross-market. I'm sure an ad in the magazines isn't near as expensive as People or Time or anything.
4. Have you ever done anything charitable? Do you help with a youth league? Do you volunteer at the senior center or Boys & Girls club? They might be more apt to support you if they know you support others.
Good luck.
