How can athletes find out what a potential sponsor's marketing plan and goals are before pitching them?

Research their history and what they've done in previous years - the overall fundamentals usually stay consistent. Look at how they've used athletes before: Do they focus on race results and championships, or on content and product endorsement? Study their social media and booth presence at trade shows to see what products they're pushing and what marketing messages they emphasize. Most importantly, build a relationship first and ask them directly. Vaughn Gittin Jr. sends an executive summary asking what brands need, and often discovers he can't provide what they want, so he doesn't pursue it. If you can't determine their plan, focus on sales - all companies want to sell more product, so helping drive sales is universally valuable.