While the tightness of the community changes the dynamic a bit, the bottom line is that a sponsorship is supposed increase the company's sales. By seeing you shoot well, win matches, etc. people will want to use what you use to attain your level of success. This is offset a bit by how friendly the shooting community is and how helpful everyone is to each other, where a company may want to sponsor a shooter simply because they want to give them the opportunity to succeed without any expectation to recoup their costs or augment their profits. I was sponsored for surfing (longboarding, still am to an extent) and while I was friends with the team members and employees and had been using the products before I was sponsored, the main distinction was that I was selling surfboards,etc. to others who surfed my local spots mostly because of my knowledge of the product. This allowed me to get them what they needed without feeling like they were being forced into buying something. Hank Hill sales philosophy. There were a lot of good surfers around, some better than I, but I ended up being sponsored because I knew the company on a personal level, knew the product forward and back, and could represent the brand by personality, performance, and professionalism.
My best advice is to shoot a lot, study up, keep an open mind, maintain a good attitude and humility, and know your local community. Shooters on a national stage get national-level sponsors, local shooters get local sponsors, start small and work your way up. Realistically, keep in mind that most of the sponsored shooters put in 1000's and 1000's of rounds a year, which is how the get to where they are; it is a timely and costly venture. There is no substitute for experience and practice. I spent 4 hours a day in the water on average during high school, and would log 6-8 hours on weekends and holidays. My point is only to avoid expecting yourself to improve rapidly. It may happen, but you shouldn't be upset if it doesn't, and that is normal.
Bottom-line though, have fun. I assume you're only shooting for fun instead of for work, in which case you want to keep it so. I almost ruined surfing for myself by forcing myself to do contests and surf a way I didn't want to. Don't ruin what you love by making it predicated and boring. I love shooting because I suck at it and there is always something new. I still love surfing and get very excited with cravings for certain types of waves, but when it doesn't happen I get anxious/angry/glum. You have to find a way to keep it fresh so that your interest is sustainable, and having realistic goals will help with that.
you know, when I was a kid, I always wanted to be one of those bass pros, with the gamagatsu, B.A.S.S., bill dance shirts... Couldn't afford the boat hahaa
