| 1. Make a portfolio. Include your contact information, and background about vehicle. This is one of the key items to any sponsorship. Companies are looking for something in writing, not talk. Include pictures of your car (From all angles), any awards that you have won, current sponsors and so on. |
| 2. If you are talking with a sponsor, and they are going to call you – make sure to remove anything on your answering machine or voicemail that could be considered rude or offensive. Remember, they are calling you to do business, not to listen to your favorite song blaring through the telephone. Remember, first impressions are everything. |
| 3. Learn about the company that you want to sponsor you. Treat your potential sponsor as if you are going for a job interview. Know the background of the company, their products, and what they have to offer. The more you know about them, the more the company will want to know about you. |
4. My Sponsorship + Your Company = Increased Revenue. Let's try again…
The number 1 mistake people make is by saying, “My Sponsorship will increase your company's revenue”. Chances are, your sponsorship with a company will not increase revenue at all. They are looking for a way to get their name out there. Yes, the idea of advertisement is to increase revenue, but how many times do you see an advertisement on a racecar and go buy that product? Not that often…but you remember the company's name. Instead of the line they have heard thousands of times, try saying "I would love to assist you in promoting your products and in return, receive a product sponsorship." |
5.
You have gotten a sponsorship, now what?
For starters, you should probably send a thank you letter to the person who you spoke to or have been in contact with. Thank them for the time that they spent when working with you. Not only will this remind them that choosing you was a good decision, but it will also let them know that you are going to be there when they need you. |
| 6. If you didn't get a sponsorship, send a thank you letter anyways. This may actually turn the results around. Most companies look for follow up letters to make a decision (Yes, It's true!) and award only to the people who did follow up. If you don't receive a sponsorship from a company, brush it off, and try again (This also means not to slam them in a chat room or on a bulletin board. Companies read those too!). |
| 7.
Stay in Contact! The second biggest mistake you can make is by saying thank you, and the company never hearing from you again. Not only does this make you look bad, but also, the company who awarded you a sponsorship will note the fact that you “Took the items and ran”. Stay in contact with the person who you had been working with. Ten minutes a week on the phone with them can go a long way in the future. |
| 8. Last, but not least – Make sure that you keep your end of the deal. If the company wants you to appear at 4 shows a year, then do it. Your sponsor has trusted you to do what you said you were going to do, don't let them down or you may lose your sponsorship all together (And lose any chance of getting another sponsorship with that company ever again…). |
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CarSponsors.com Sponsorship Tips - Helping you get sponsored fast!