Diggin’ the Mail Bag
No shows on tap for this weekend so I hit the mailbag again and came up with this from Dennis M. out of Los Angeles,California.
“Fmxannouncerman,
I am a 15 year old motocrosser racing in the Novice class. I like to jump and may go to freestyle, but it’s too much money for my parents. How do I get sponsored to help us out?” Dennis, I wrote and article about this a year or two ago and never did anything with it, so I will roll it out for this week’s Coast to Coast. Read it below.
How Do I Get Sponsored?
It is every young motocrosser’s dream to have a nice sponsorship package and ever more tantalizing for the parent who is footing the bill so the kids can race. Getting free service, gear, parts or even cash for expenses helps every program become a little easier to manage. I have folks ask me how to get sponsors and I tell them it takes lots of hard work to EARN a sponsor, and once signed on it is not a matter of kicking back after your moto- it takes work to service that sponsor. Yes, sometimes it takes more work to earn and keep sponsors than just doing it yourself-you gotta earn the money.
I know you are itching for the secret to getting others to pay for your fun time, but first you will have to go through what you must be done once you have a sponsor. Just like dissecting a rhythm section or flat and fast sweeper- we are going to work the issue from the end to beginning.
Okay, so you have landed a local shop, maybe a friend’s small business or national level gear or parts support. You are ready to moto then cruise around the pits talking to the pit bunnies (or bears for you lady racers) and maybe chill out to the iPod for a bit- WRONG! Once you step off the bike, the work has just begun. Even if you have finished first, thanked your sponsors on the post race interview and hung your goggles around you neck for podium photos, you need to go further. Once you strip out of your gear, you need to put on clean and presentable clothing, wash your face and clean up your mess. When people walk by your pit and see your gear in a heap on the ground, your boots casually tossed to the side and energy drink cans set on top of everything, they associate the sponsor decals with that mess subconsciously ( or consciously in my case). After clean up time, it is time to open yourself up to the strangers that are walking by. Your friends already know that you think XYZ boots are the bomb, but your sponsor wants everyone to know that. Now you are saying to me, “Bubba doesn’t come up to me and tell me how great Monster is.” Bubba is famous enough that Monster hires someone to do that for him- you aren’t there yet bucko! When done for the day you want to fire off an official email to your sponsors detailing how you finished, who you talked to and how you dropped their name to me when I interviewed you. Sounds corny, but your sponsors eat that up and it gives you a leg to stand on come next seasons negotiations.
Since we were talking about cleanliness, how does your bike look like when it is unloaded at the track? Between motos? End of day? A little dirt after a race is fine, but make sure the sponsor tags are at least visible. Before you get to the track your bike should be detailed and shiny. I am not saying pop on new skins and grips (unless your main contributor is a grip company) but at least make sure the sponsored products are in serviceable condition and not beat. If you snap a worn out chain during practice, what does that say about your chain sponsor? A little extra thing you can do to impress and sell your employer is public appearances. Take your shiny bike and yourself to charity events, car/boat/motorcycle shows, and anywhere they will let you unload it. Do this with some brains- showing up a hair salon grand opening will not do much for Pro Circuit unless there are lots of waiting husbands there fighting over the one copy of Mini Rider in the lobby. These are just a few of the things a sponsor looks for and expects. I still get sponsorship help even after I stopped racing bicycles full time because of how well I took care of them then (and still today- thanks Swiss American Bikes!)
Okay, if you have lasted this far, you have shown that you are ready to earn and keep a sponsor. When looking for sponsors quick and easy ways to eliminate those who will not sponsor you is to just cold call and ask for free stuff. The best thing about this practice is it will eliminate nearly every potential benefactor so you don’t even need to bother calling and wasting your precious video game sessions. Goodbye. Those of you still with me, getting sponsors is the easy part. You do not need to win even one race or be the fastest flashiest rider out there to succeed from here on out- just friendly, open and persistent. First, keep your pit and bike clean, ride hard, show good sportsmanship and start networking. When you are in the pits, spend some time getting to know the local vendors and even chat up other riders visiting sponsors. Don’t mention support right away and don’t worry, they figure you want it and are waiting for you to ask. Get to know them and more importantly let them get to know you. This will pay huge dividends in the near future. Once a friend asked a certain company for tire help and was stoked when he got cost + 10% “Just for asking!” I had talked to that vendor twice before and within one week had the same tire deal only for FREE. Our finishes were always close and we were both running solid programs but the vendor got to know me and knowing what I could provide for him ( in future sales) skipped the standard “get to know you” deal. Talk to your friends, make new friends and let everyone know what you love to do (ride) and how you like to do it (well prepared and ready to sell some stuff). Avoid playing one sponsor off of another. Shop around for sure, but unless you are Chad Reed you should not pit two rival businesses against each other. That is one sure fire way to get two “NO” answers for the price of one. What if you are offered a deal which is really of no or little help? Once you have that relationship established it is much easier to affirm what you need from them and what you will provide to them. Don’t worry if you are not always on the podium. Ever look at some of the privateers at a national level race? They know that at the current level of support and experience they have they most likely will not even get a top five this season- and so do their sponsors! But what they both know, and what is important to the sponsor is that they will get in the show and get exposure.
So how do you get up to bat for a sponsor? Check just about every manufacturer’s website and you will most likely find a section for sponsorship requests. There are usually open periods when they will accept and you need to get yours in on time. Create a well thought out resume. Recent results, a pic of you whipped out and a phone number may not get you anywhere. You need all of that plus references (which are less important the more the prospective sponsor knows you), your plan for next year to include; races planned, expected number of eyes to see you and the product you use, how you are achieving those goals etc. Keep hucking them out, and maybe if possible call ONCE or send an email confirming receipt of the resume, offer to answer any questions they may have, and thank them for their time. IF you get rejected, you may want to send a note inquiring how your resume could be better or how they would like to see you improve for next year. Even if they do not answer, they will see that you are serious and this will stick out in their mind- try again next year.
This is just scratching the surface for getting someone to pay for your addiction. You will find in some cases it is real difficult. However-you don’t have to be a pro to do it- just do it right!
Pretty simple right? Get your questions in- as the IFMA season winds down, I still plan to pop an article in throughout the off period, so keep the questions coming to fmxannouncerman@live.com .
Dennis- you score a copy of ThrillBillies featuring the Nitro Circus crew. The rest of you- if you want one, I only have three copies left. You could earn one here or pick one up at a show!
