Sponsorship questions

[austinjjesus]

Hello everybody, I have a few questions regarding sponsorships. Firstly what exactly are companies looking for when they sponsor somebody and their vehicle? Secondly does somebody have an example of a sponsorship proposal that I could look at? I've seen some companies ask for one but not really sure what should be included or where to start at all. Feel free to throw any info my way!

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

I don't have any sponsors so I can't answer 100%, but from what I've seen from my view in the community... you need to just get out there, and run your car and be seen. Winning helps too. I've never known anyone to just get sponsorship by asking, or anything less than for getting notoriety in the car world.

[CSG]

They are looking for exposure. You have to tell them how doing something for you will make them more money. I am a sponsored racer. I am a "Tier 2" where I get my stuff for free. Most guys just get discounts. Even so for me it is barely even worth it. After I get done with my "reviews" and race reports I probably was better off just buying my stuff.

[Rod]

So You Want To Get Sponsored? Can You Afford It?..........


Who doesn’t?

Seriously, who doesn’t want to be treated special and given a bunch of free stuff?



I often hear people on the forums saying that they’re building a car and looking for sponsors. Well, I want to set the record straight, from what I have seen so far: unless you’re one of a handful of people who are well known with a winning race history, you are probably not going to get a sponsor until your car is built and winning…maybe. Why would a company (aside from your Uncle’s auto body shop) want to sponsor an unknown? Of course you want a sponsor! You’re 30k (aka: neck-deep) into this hot rod project and there’s no end in sight! But, sponsors want two things: R&D and publicity; both are hard to provide with a car on jack-stands.

Research and development happens when you are running a car and a manufacturer wants to work with you to test and tune a new product for market. Test and Tune not only requires a running car (a car that is running a LOT) but a driver who knows his car like the back of his hand — a feat that again takes a LOT of driving. A test-driver must be capable of running the test equipment and providing detailed feedback (social media, stories about the races in blogs post such as bangshift, jolopnik and others) about what the equipment did to alter the car and whether or not the desired outcome was achieved. Additionally, the driver should be able to provide a certain amount of ‘wish list’ feedback. Wish list feedback is the information that helps manufacturing engineers get a better feel for what you (and presumably other drivers) want to get out of your/their car. For example: maybe you want different castor for better turning, different gear ratios for higher torque or better fuel pick-up in high speed turns. Not only do you need to be able to articulate your wishes but how you think these factors could be achieved. None of these things can be done by a car sitting on blocks or a driver who’s never driven the car. ‘Know what I mean?



Now let’s address publicity. Seems simple, right? Put a big window sticker on your car, sport a t-shirt and cap, and hit the races, walk around the pits and say high to everyone.

Not so fast Grasshopper. What races? Many companies will want you to agree to attend a certain number of events and even specific types of events. You’ll need to ask yourself: Where are these events? When are these events? Can I afford to attend these events?

Sponsorship usually involves free equipment and stickers but that’s about it, I have a few that provide funds but that is slowing down these days......You’ll need to get yourself to the right events with the right media coverage AND most importantly, you’ll need to win or do very well. Frankly, you’ll probably need to have done this already for at least a year (and probably more) before the sponsors will even notice you. I’ll give you an example of how a recent event worked out for me. A couple months back my girlfriend and I attended an autocross event in Southern California — a one-day event that would get some media coverage and give me a chance to test out the new coilovers and four-link that I put on the car (practically the night before). Because the set-up was so new, I opted to tow the car the 500 miles. I should mention that gas in California averages about $4.50 a gallon. Here’s how the (approx) money worked out:

Tow vehicle: 5 tanks of gas = $375.00

Car: 1 tank of gas = $50

Entry fees: 2 drivers @ $75.00 ea = $150

Hotel room: $100.00

Total: $675.00

Now, this is my lesson learned both about the event management and the overall value, but the net-result was:

I got 7 runs.

Girlfriend got 4 runs. (One not timed)

My car wasn’t featured in the event coverage.

The event results were arranged in shoot-out style so even though I was in the top five, my name did not go on the winner’s board.

For nearly $700 (and I didn’t include a couple of stops at McDonald’s) the car went around the track 11 times and my sponsors have no idea how I performed. What if you had to attend more than one event per month?

I am required/ scheduled to run 15 events this year........

Additionally, sponsors usually just send you the equipment and it is your responsibility to get the stuff on the car. I say usually because there are instances (if you’ve got a big time racer name) where they will pull your car into their facility and do the installation. So, now you have to have either the money or talent to get the new equipment installed. Think about it: what if Centerforce decided to sponsor you, do you have the cash to get a new clutch installed? NOW? And, what about all of the work that has to be done to accommodate new equipment? I am lucky enough to be working with ridetech a few years back and in doing so, I had to be able to install a whole ****-pot of new suspension equipment (because as I may have mentioned, I’m still not getting rich off of this industry) I was fortunate enough to have enough skill and wherewithal to do the installation myself. But, in addition to some small stuff, had to take the car to the exhaust shop a few times to have my exhaust system (front to back) adjusted to fit the new equipment; these changes didn’t cost a fortune but it wasn’t cheap. If you take on a ‘free’ part, what’s it going to cost you in the long run? My car is still my daily driver as well so it meant I had to suck up to my girlfriend a bit to borrow her car to get to work — are you ready for that conversation? “Sorry Honey my 30k money pit is on jack stands again and I have to borrow your non-30k car to get to work, or better yet can you get up early drive me to work and also pick me up later after work

Now, there are some unique racing opportunities sometimes offered to sponsored drivers like ‘track days’. Again, while free, they’re not necessarily no-cost. You might be lucky enough to be invited to a sponsored track day with little or no entry fee but there are still considerations to make when you decide to attend. Firstly, they don’t build racetracks in your neighborhood – if they did, you wouldn’t live there. (Okay, well maybe you would…) Usually racetracks are a few hours’ drive away and they don’t rent cheap on the weekends. So the Low- or no-cost track days always happen on a weekday mostly Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Even if you don’t have to drive several hours to get to the track, you’ll need to take at least one day off work so, factor in a lost day’s pay. Also, track days are higher speeds and longer times on the pavement which equals a LOT more tire wear and fuel. In my case there’s usually two of us driving which doubles almost everything. Now, if you’re set up for track days, you won’t often get an opportunity to get in as many runs as you will with a sponsored event. My experience is that there are less than 25 cars running all day so the value is much greater in many instances. And, let’s not forget, you’re running in front of, with and around your sponsor so face-time is at an all-time high. My last ‘free’ track day cost me about $350 and burned about a half life out of my tires, but the car went around Willow Springs (South Central California) no less than fifty or sixty times.



None of these dollars take into account the wear and tear on tires, engine oil, power steering, transmission, brakes and differential– these are just raw numbers. OK, it’s not all doom and gloom. Having a sponsor and driving the hell out of your car to promote and support that sponsor, your car and yourself is awesome.

Being part of a team of people that are sponsored and share in your passion, is also awesome! To have the factory backing and tech help, along with having other team members and their support is (did I say it before?) awesome. You do have to carry yourself with a certain amount of decorum at events –you are representing your sponsor and promoting their product– so no matter how bad you are doing on that day, you keep your cool and blame the driver. Remember if you find a flaw in the product, pass that on to the vendor, they have trusted you with their company’s future and reputation (that’s a lot of power) and you must respect it at all times. I will say that you do get a certain amount of respect at events and from other vendors which can be a bit of an ego boost, even if you’re not driving so fast.

So I ask you this: can you afford to be sponsored?



read more of my stories about our industry on Bangshift

[austinjjesus]

Thats a lot of greatly appreciated perspective and information Rod. I completely understand that sponsorship is an investment and I THINK keyword is think that I am ready to do that. I've wanted to do it for the last couple of years but really just have no idea where to start. I have a running and driving vehicle but it's not going to win anything in it's current state which is why the sponsorships. optima posted an article on sponsorships and I took a peek at their application which was asking for how many spectators and questions along those lines. How do you even get that information? Rod or CSG do you have a proposal I could look at? I really appreciate it

[BMR Sales]

Great Post Rod! We get Sponsorship request daily. 99% are, Can you Sponsor me? It doesn't work that way. You have to bring something more valuable to the table than what the company can give you in sponsorship. Otherwise they can do it on their own.

Proposals;
they have to be detailed - how prepared & successful is your car, where are you running and how many events, how successful are you inside & outside the car? Pictures. What are you prepared to do for the Sponsor.

Everybody wants to be paid to race, but the fact is only a few do!

[austinjjesus]

Great Post Rod! We get Sponsorship request daily. 99% are, Can you Sponsor me? It doesn't work that way. You have to bring something more valuable to the table than what the company can give you in sponsorship. Otherwise they can do it on their own.

Proposals;
they have to be detailed - how prepared & successful is your car, where are you running and how many events, how successful are you inside & outside the car? Pictures. What are you prepared to do for the Sponsor.

Everybody wants to be paid to race, but the fact is only a few do!

So what is it you're looking for? That is the question. What makes it worth your while to sponsor somebody?

[CSG]

You have to market yourself. Provide them with a very high quality resume on high quality paper. I start off with my background and previous race results. I then proceed to tell the sponsor what races/events I will be at this season. I tell how them exactly what I will do while at these events to support them. I provide race results with pictures to the sponsor. You need a respected presence on social media. Explain to them what social media you will be using and exactly what you will provide them through this media.

Now everyone can do all the above so what make's you special? Do you have a way above average car? Do you have a smoking hot wife that will be in the pics and at the shows with the car? For me I provide engineering and testing feedback. I help with cad and instruction manuals as well. I will tell them when their stuff is junk, they don't like that, but in the end it works for them. I have switched to asking for cash for race results. If I'm not on the podium I get nothing but if I have the flu I don't have to go the race either.

[BMR Sales]

So what is it you're looking for? That is the question. What makes it worth your while to sponsor somebody?

Sponsors look for exposure, success & marketing. Exposure - are the events you going to well attended, any TV or Podcasts. Success - are you and your car capable of Winning and getting results. Marketing, do you have a plan to market yourself, your car & sponsors? Do you have a Social Media plan? Do you have other Sponsors?

Sorry, to be the bearer of Bad News, but if you are just starting out and you haven't thought about the car build, nobody but your Uncle Ed is going to sponsor you.

In the case of our company, we run our own cars on Tracks to test our parts, we put cameras all over the car & outside the car. We post on Facebook our Site, Forums & YouTube. To get Sponsorship, you have to persuade us that what you are doing & going to do is more Cost Efficient to get our name out there than what we do ourselves.

We build parts for established Race Teams that pay for their parts - grain of thought

[austinjjesus]

You have to market yourself. Provide them with a very high quality resume on high quality paper. I start off with my background and previous race results. I then proceed to tell the sponsor what races/events I will be at this season. I tell how them exactly what I will do while at these events to support them. I provide race results with pictures to the sponsor. You need a respected presence on social media. Explain to them what social media you will be using and exactly what you will provide them through this media.

Now everyone can do all the above so what make's you special? Do you have a way above average car? Do you have a smoking hot wife that will be in the pics and at the shows with the car? For me I provide engineering and testing feedback. I help with cad and instruction manuals as well. I will tell them when their stuff is junk, they don't like that, but in the end it works for them. I have switched to asking for cash for race results. If I'm not on the podium I get nothing but if I have the flu I don't have to go the race either.

Makes sense, I'm just trying to figure out what matters and what doesn't to put myself in a good position.

[CSG]

Also you need to tell the sponsor what you want from them. Are you looking for 10% off parts, free parts, cash?? Be realistic. Like for me I typically get parts that are under $500 for free and 25% off on larger stuff if I did not help design them.

[Rod]

lets break this down.....

I THINK keyword is think that I am ready to do that. I've wanted to do it for the last couple of years but really just have no idea where to start.

ok you need to look at an events schedule, then pick 10 major events that you want to attend, (not bllly's car show and pot luck) your in Cali, first hit up so SCCA Cam events learn to drive, next look at the optima events around you like Vegas, Pikes peak, and so on, now hit all the goodguys around you Del Mar, Pleaston, Texas Arizona and Colorado, figure out travel times hotel and prep, pay your entry and go.....no sponsor is going to help you unless they see you....at events... multiple events, one or more a month, racing! not hanging out, my first year with my car I spent 4000 bucks in tires(4 sets) no tire sponsors and I traveled a lot, hauling that car on a trailer for 8 major events and 5 different states...that meant hotel for every event at 100 bucks a night with about 4 nights stay at each event, you could camp at some events........show up and race

I have a running and driving vehicle but it's not going to win anything in it's current state which is why the sponsorships.

you wont win...but you have to try by showing up at every event ready and positive that you will do your best, that is what sponsors look for, real persistence, saying your ready and showing up ready are WAY different ....show up and race

optima posted an article on sponsorships and I took a peek at their application which was asking for how many spectators and questions along those lines.

there are no spectators at uncle billys car show but there are about 95,000 a day at a goodguys, and Optima events are on TV so now your audience is in the millions

How do you even get that information? Rod or CSG do you have a proposal I could look at? I really appreciate it

each proposal is personal and different to each company you meet, depending on how you meet them(and how many times) and how much time you have spent with them, your proposal should tell them what events you attended last season, how you did, and what media, magazine, newspaper, online mag(speedhunters, Bangshift, jolopnik, ect) TV covered it, what events you will attend next season, what do you have to offer the sponsor, how many followers do you have ,facebook,twitter, instagram, next what are your media outlets ...such as forums...how much have you publicized your racing on those forums, its work, real work, the minute I step out of my car I have to take picture and take notes to update the sponsor and followers later

hope this helps

....show up and race

[Craig@Bowler]

Lots of great perspectives already listed, especially Rods take from being on the consumer end of a sponsorship. From a business perspective side, sponsorships can be a great way to get your product out in front of folks that you as a company do not have the ability to meet face to face, but from a standpoint of a business like ours it can be a double edged sword. Since we are a transmission company we do not manufacture an actual transmission. We sell Tremecs and well built GM and Ford automatic transmissions, so if we have a car that we sponsor, we rely on the car owner to be sure to include the fact that it came from Bowler Performance. Typically what happens is even under the best intentions the magazine or blog article will come out and it will just say "car is using a Tremec 6-speed" or "GM 4L80E" which is great for the industry as a whole, but doesn't directly help us, and will not earn you anything with your contingency agreement. This is also a big reason why we require anyone on contingency to display our decals. Also note that most car features are more about the story of the car and owner and not so much about how awesome all the companies are that may have sponsored it. If you're lucky you get your company name mentioned once. As a business you rely heavily on word of mouth to gain the upper hand, so keep that in mind when approaching a business for sponsorship. If you're already out there making noise and telling everyone how great a product is that you paid full price for you will have a much greater chance of getting that sponsorship for another project or even some kind of special support on your current ride. The key is to be proactive, prove that you want it bad enough that you would pay full retail if you had to because you believe in it so much. There are guys out there every week promoting brands and winning races on parts that they paid for and are happy to pay for. And be loyal to those who help you, that one is a big one in our book. Nothing hurts worse than outfitting a car with all kinds of products for a season and then the next year or next project you jump ship and go with a direct competitor because they made you the same offer or a better one. This obviously doesn't apply to every situation, but if a company has gone out of their way to help you out when they didn't have to, and did everything you asked of them, at least give them the courtesy of first right of refusal on the next time around, or better yet offer to buy the next one because of how great the product was or how the company treated you. There are many more factors that can be considered and every company is looking for the most bang for their buck just like you are and everyone's idea of great exposure may mean something different so be prepared to not be able to accept a sponsorship offer as well because you may not be able to accommodate all their requests. This industry is just like any other, you have your superstars that everyone knows and loves and then there's everyone else. If you don't want to be everyone else then you have to step up your game and make it your job to get noticed.

[austinjjesus]

Thank you Craig, Rod, BMR, CSG for all the information you have given me and your input. I truly appreciate it.

[Trackside-Suzy]

Okay, I will weigh in on this one (and also post this to the PT.com Facebook page later today): I am Rod's co-driver; this means that I have been driving a sponsored car for about four years. Now, I am not sponsored, Rod is sponsored BUT I must behave like a sponsored driver. This benefits the sponsors because the car is seen twice as much at events and often I am running more events than Rod (because he has a day job and I work in motorsports). Which leads me to what I have to contribute to this conversation: I have a VERY BIG MOUTH with a broad sphere of influence. I do public relations and social media for several organizations in motorsports and automotive aftermarket. I write for anyone who asks and I tag my social media posts with everyone under the sun. This is a full time job. Rod got most of his sponsorship for the Camaro after he demonstrated his build on a few forums; he proved that he was willing to show people the ins-and-outs of building a Camaro - the successes and the failures. Do you know how much time it takes to change out suspension components when you have to video and photograph EVERY step of the process? (In your garage, on the floor and without a lift.) So, I guess what I'm saying is that you never see a guy just show up on the scene with a bunch of sponsors, even though it may look that way. Take what everyone here is saying to heart and figure out how you're going to give back. Start giving back now and doing the absolute best that you can with what you've got and sponsors might just seek you out instead of the other way around. (PS-Rodney won at Scottsdale Goodguys with a salvaged 383, mixed A-Arms, leaf springs and used QA1 single adjust shocks. He worked on the nut behind the wheel because he couldn't afford to change what he had.) I can say with all honesty that I think those days are what made him a great driver. When the owner of a major suspension company says "I cannot understand how he goes around the autocross like that, with what he's running underneath..." you know you're doing something right.

[austinjjesus]

Okay, I will weigh in on this one (and also post this to the PT.com Facebook page later today): I am Rod's co-driver; this means that I have been driving a sponsored car for about four years. Now, I am not sponsored, Rod is sponsored BUT I must behave like a sponsored driver. This benefits the sponsors because the car is seen twice as much at events and often I am running more events than Rod (because he has a day job and I work in motorsports). Which leads me to what I have to contribute to this conversation: I have a VERY BIG MOUTH with a broad sphere of influence. I do public relations and social media for several organizations in motorsports and automotive aftermarket. I write for anyone who asks and I tag my social media posts with everyone under the sun. This is a full time job. Rod got most of his sponsorship for the Camaro after he demonstrated his build on a few forums; he proved that he was willing to show people the ins-and-outs of building a Camaro - the successes and the failures. Do you know how much time it takes to change out suspension components when you have to video and photograph EVERY step of the process? (In your garage, on the floor and without a lift.) So, I guess what I'm saying is that you never see a guy just show up on the scene with a bunch of sponsors, even though it may look that way. Take what everyone here is saying to heart and figure out how you're going to give back. Start giving back now and doing the absolute best that you can with what you've got and sponsors might just seek you out instead of the other way around. (PS-Rodney won at Scottsdale Goodguys with a salvaged 383, mixed A-Arms, leaf springs and used QA1 single adjust shocks. He worked on the nut behind the wheel because he couldn't afford to change what he had.) I can say with all honesty that I think those days are what made him a great driver. When the owner of a major suspension company says "I cannot understand how he goes around the autocross like that, with what he's running underneath..." you know you're doing something right.

Good infor Suzy, I look forward to reading some other feedback on the PT Facebook page and you should throw it on to the California Autocross page too for good measure. I have taken all advice and information to heart. I'm a college kid so my pockets aren't deep so I'm just looking for info. I'm a marketing major so I'm looking for a way to mix my education and passion. Hoping that a sponsorship might lead to a job and to a career.

[Trackside-Suzy]

Start giving back now. Stop asking what others can do for you and start demonstrating that you can market yourself and the products that you use on your car and eventually employers and sponsors take notice. I have given away thousands of hours of work to transition my career from high tech PR to motor sports and automotive PR and social communications. Be one with the community Grasshopper and the community will embrace you. (You're probably too young to know what I'm talking about but maybe it will make someone else giggle.)

[chevelletiger]

Buy or build your own parts...theres no such thing as a free lunch ;)

[Project92rs]

Just like everyone else has said, you have to get noticed and make a name for yourself to even be considered. That could take years of events. Once vendors have started noticing you at all the events, you will have a chance to ask them about a price break on parts for your car. But expect to pay full price out of your own pocket for version 1 of your car and possibly version 2 and 3. Until you have a reputation, you aren't in a position to help a vendor market their reputation. So build it as well as you can. Enjoy it as much as you can. Show up and have a good time. Meet everyone and make friends. Eventually things might come your way.

[hifi875]

most if not all people who are lucky enough to be so called sponsored started with nothing, built their car with their own money, went out and showed it or raced it, won. Then win again and again with their own money, then maybe get noticed by a company, then offered some assistance. No one starts out sponsored unless they own a company that maybe makes a part that's going on the car. you have to be proven.