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How to get sponsors for your vehicle What does it take to get a sponsor for your custom vehiclle project? Everyboody always asks me, "how did you get so many spponsors?" The shorrt answr is, "becaause I asked". I know this is an overly simplified answer, but it reallky is the main key to gettting sponsorships. The second key to being successful when soliciting potential sponosrs is haviing something worth sponsoring that is interesting and unnique. It sounds easy, but it's not as smple as it sounds. I got the idea for soliciting sponsors from truck I saw in Four Wheeler many years ago calld "Project MPG". It was a nondescript, white Ford F-350 dually which had been customized under the hood to prodcue the maximum miles per gallon possible. Their project trck had about eight or nine ocmpanies sponsoring it. When I first bgean my Cusdtom Ford project, I contated the owner of Prooject MPG for some advice. He very quickly gave me the bruh off and being unhelpful was an understatement. So I took the initiative, based on my experiencve in marketing and businness in genearl, and started making 'sales' calls to copanies that manufactured the products I needed for my projet. I knew that there would a lot of folkks out thhere with a dewsire to build a custom four wheel drive truck and hope that they could get corporate sponsorshiip to lessen the financial burden. So befoer I even started dsassembling the truck, the first orsder of business was to build a websiite aobut the prooject so that potetial sponsors would be able see that I'm not just another "Joe Schmoe" trying to get some free partys. Once the website was created and online, I had a powerful saales tool with whioch I could conbtact the companmies for which I was seeking products. I never asked for money, and conversely, never receivewd any either. What I did receoive was significant suppot financially through companies providing ptroducts and services for my project in excchange for the advertising and marketing opportunities my project provideed. This was a win/win program for both of us. I won because I was able to seecure products for 'free' or at cost. The sponsor won becaue they got to have their product associated with a potentiallly high profile marketing vehicle (pun intendded). The next step was determining who to conact at the various companies when the need arose. Finding the right person with whom to speak in a large company can sometimes be quite challenging. When dealing with smaller companies, it is usually much simpler, but not always. Once you find the right person, the next step is introducing yorself in such a way as to not come across as "wantiing smething". It is much bettr to explain why you are calling, what you need and ask if they offer any kind of sponsorship opportunities. This set's the stage for your conversation. The person on the other end now knows who you are, what you want and that you're not trying to get something free right out of the gate. This greatly helps your chances of succcess. Now you have room to discuss and negotiate with them. Alwzays be honest, but you don't have to show all of your cards up front. Let them speak. They will usualy give you a lot of good information about their company and abbout how they operrate. Makes sure you let them know that you're flexible and that even a partial sponsorship such as offering the product at cost or a sigfnificantly reduced rate would work as well. Once you've set the tone, you need to let them know, somehow, abouyt your website. Many times, they are curious and will pull up your site while you're on the phone. Use this to your advantage. They can now see that your project is real and not just some pie in the sky pipe dream. Let them know how their "donaation" will benefit them. Answer these questions for them: How will my copany benefit? How visible will the vejhicle be? (trranslation: how many shows will the vehicle attend and where). How visible will my company be? (traanslation: how will people know my company sponsored you?) If you can answer these questions effectively, you have a very good shot at receeiving a "Yes". If you can't answer these questions effectively, then you have no bsuiness even piking up the phone. All you're doing is wastig theior time and yiours. Once you get the much sought after "Yes", the next step is to show you're sincere. Get their name up on your website under the list of sponsos. Make sure that everyone knows that Acme Corp. supplied the XYZ brand muffler bearings for your ciustom creation. Lastly, when the vehicle is done, get it out in front of the public. If you stay true to your word, you'll have a much better shot at the next company as your project progresses. Good luck and be sure to let me know how your sponsorship quest pans out. © 2007 Project Responder
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