sponsorship 101
TRANSCRIPT
Why get sponsored?
Get free stuff Offset costs of sport participation Industry networking Media promotion through brand affiliation Bragging rights Get paid…if ever Key: know what you want and why you
should get it
What do companies want?
To sell their product! You are an advertising investment Competition results, important but… Other activities – media exposure, videos,
articles, volunteerism Business leverage – how do you hook them
up? Image – are you what they want to be?
Ways to get sponsored
Letters of inquiry (cold calls) and résumés Word of mouth and reputation Friends and contacts Company “partners” Events/Races Retailers (shops)
Levels of sponsorship
Local retailers – the “pro” deal – go talk to them
Company-direct “pro” deals Factory support – free stuff, travel Team support – free stuff, travel Paid athlete – salary, employee
The Cold Call – getting your foot in the door
Send a letter/email of inquiry – brief, concise!
Follow up with a personal note/cover letter and résumé
Résumé: clean, tight, one doc
Résumé: insert pics
The Cover LetterKey considerations:
• Demonstrate knowledge of their product and market
• Don’t repeat what’s in your résumé – refer to it but use the cover letter for more; keep it one page
• If event/race results are your selling point, use the letter to highlight what you offer off the track/course etc.
• This is your first impression so make it a good one – proof read (ensure all grammar and spelling is correct!), be concise and have someone else look at it before you fire it off.
Foot in the door – now what?
Know what you’re asking for, because that’s the first thing they’ll ask you
Be realistic – if you’re not top 5 in the biggest events or a video hero, don’t expect to get paid or even receive free gear
If you’re asking for product remember this is product placement (marketing) for them…it’s an investment, not free swag
Listen to their queues – what are they looking for and how could you provide it?
So you’re hooked up, now what? Sponsorship is often a long-term affair, so deliver! Provide regular updates to sponsors on activities and
events – show what you’re doing Consider a monthly newsletter to update all sponsors
at once Leverage exposure – use one company’s event to
highlight other sponsors Be professional – sometimes it’s not how big you go
or how many spins you can do, but how cool you are off the track/course etc.
Modern media – make it your friend – through self-edit vids, pics, social networking, etc.
Other options: Sponsorship websites such as
Sponsorhouse, Hookit.com, etc. Outside the industry sponsors – hard to come
by but who knows Distributors – sometimes you can get product
without a factory-direct deal Word of mouth – enough can’t be said about
who you know. As knowledge of you grows in the industry, this is the ticket.
Last thoughts:
Always be professional and courteous If denied, be polite – they’ll remember it when
you apply next year These are tough economic times and many
companies are “hanging on” to see what happens; don’t be discouraged if nothing comes of the process
With or without sponsor support, you’ll learn a lot and make contacts, which bodes well for future opportunities