Racing Sponsorship 101...
An Evolving Guide of Sponsorship Tips for Racers
Tip #1: Don't Forget to 'Give Back' to Your Sponsors
One of the best ways to make sure your sponsor isn't just happy with your sponsorship, but also just generally feeling good about you, is to make sure you are keeping a 'positive profile' in his/her eyes.
One way to ensure a great impression, even if you haven't had the most successful 'winning' season, is to make sure you end the season with a bang!
We know it's not possible for EVERYONE to win on the final weekend of racing, but while you may not win ON THE TRACK during that final weekend, you can win with your sponsors by not forgetting to plan a 'Thank You Party' as the season winds down.
You may think that as the season ends and the budget is tapped that it's just an impossibility, but try to think of it as less of an expense and more of an investment in making sure that you have your 'Next Season Partners' lined up and ready to go as you make improvements in the offseason.
Make the party FUN... and NOT just about Racing!
Yeah, make sure the car's there.. polished with the sponsor logos bright and visible, but at a party like this THE CAR should NOT be the centerpiece. The goal of the party is FUN for everyone... CELEBRATE what it is that people enjoy about racing... the camaradarie, the crowd, the love for racing, and above all, FAMILY FUN!
It's not just a 'Sponsor Party', it's a TEAM PARTY... whatever your place in the standings, the end of the season is a great time to give back for whatever small accomplishments occurred.
Give Out Awards to your crew members... and ask your sponsor to be the one to present them... it forces them to talk positively about your efforts!
Cater to the kids... invite a baloon artist to make baloon sculptures for the kids of your sponsors!
Find out your sponsors favorite foods... and make sure you have them at the party!
Get a dunk tank and let your sponsors DUNK YOU!
Summing It Up...
Throwing a party for your sponsors may seem like a fruitless exercise in sucking up to them, but if you think of it as that, then you'll probably never be one to actually think about how it can actually help you earn more sponsorship money or even keep what you got this year.
The fact is that almost every team we know of has a party at the end of the year. Our suggestion is that you make sure that you don't just throw the party, but you make sure you realize how that party can be a valuable tool to cementing a positive relationship with your sponsors, ESPECIALLY as they're about to evaluate whether they'll be coming back next year or if they will be looking for new places to spend their money.
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