For sports fans, Twitter has grown into an online community where we can interact with fellow fans; a news source capable of keeping up with the 24 hour news cycle; and a medium we can use to engage our favorite teams, reporters, and athletes.

We live in a time where reaching out to professional athletes is as simple as sending a text message. Ever since Lou Gehrig appeared on a Wheaties Box in 1934, athlete endorsement has been an effective way to increase the popularity of a product or service. Given that today connecting with athletes is easier than ever, it seems absurd to not even attempt to leverage that opportunity to expand your online brand.

Last Friday, in an attempt to grow the Twitter following for my sports blog Can of Corn, I decided to reach out to dozens of current/former professional athletes to raise awareness of my own brand.

Since Friday morning, I have received tweets from six current/former professional athletes, 3 former college athletes, 1 NFL team, and 2 well-known sports reporters. These responses have resulted in a 27.2% increase in the number of followers I have over the last four days.

I was successful in my endeavors and by following my 8 simple rules you can increase your response rate from professional athletes and effectively grow your brand....