If you're involved in Motorsport (or any sport really) chances are you will at some point be looking for financial assistance in the form of a sponsor. But just how do you go about getting a sponsor and more importantly, how do you keep them happy once you have them?
Well, that and a great many other questions will be answered at a new initiative run by
Leo Nulty Promotions on Tuesday March 1st at the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel in Dublin - The
Motorsport Sponsorship Bootcamp! The Bootcamp is an intensive evening event split into 4 modules, taught by two experts in sales, marketing and sponsorship.
From what we've seen and heard so far it looks like a fascinating event and we'll certainly be heading along for a look. As sponsors ourselves we can certainly vouch for what the guys are saying.
To give you a quick insight into what you can expect, the key speakers Leo Nulty and Colin Lewis (more info on them at the bottom of the page) have put together 7 quick tips to help you get a sponsor:
Today it takes very little effort to send a message, a text or an email — consequently, sponsorship decision makers are inundated with an avalanche of requests, many of which are poorly pitched and targeted. The business owner or the marketer who have their hands on the purse strings of a marketing budget are responsible to wisely invest every euro which they have or which has been entrusted to them. Can you imagine the number of times in a day they have to evaluate the authenticity of an opportunity? A lot is the correct answer. Everything from the local charity, to athletes, cycling, motor-racing - you name it, anybody with a high profile brand has already been approached numerous times. What is the natural human tendency to manage this? Walls go up, filters are put in place and people go into hiding.
7 Tips to Help you Get a Sponsor
- Spend less time online and more time meeting face-to-face. If you shake hands and look each other in the eye, your sponsorship prospect will instinctively feel they have a better handle on you and what you have to offer. An honest chat will encourage further conversation, allowing you to send a detailed offer or proposal, and ensuring it will be read.
- By the time you have honed the offer that you are pitching to suit the company/brand, you should have so much confidence in it, that should they not go for it, you should think that is a bad business decision for them. You should be offering them something clearly different (easy) and better (not so easy) than their alternative options.
- Provide insights into your industry, and delineate a practical path for a sponsor to participate. Present the legitimate nature of your business, your current status, and the opportunity which exists for your sponsor. Be factual. Use authentic numbers to support your position. If you leave it to the potential sponsor to figure out how to make it work, it won't work. They certainly don't have time for that, nor edo they have the critical industry knowledge needed to make it work. That's why they are listening to you.
- Do exactly what you say you are going to do. Be realistic. Over-hyping an opportunity because of your excitement will instantly compromise your credibility. Effective marketers understand the real work, and hard effort it takes to produce results. They are highly keen to avoid hype. Let them make decisions on what is known, not what you think might happen "if" and "when".
- Know the cost for you to provide the benefits you are offering. This is the single most common mistake. You have a budget to meet, and if you underprice, marketers wonder how in the world you can provide all of those benefits for so little money.
- Avoid over used, irrelevant terms and phrases. "Extreme", "fastest growing sport" "revolutionise" - ugh, we've heard it all before. Find a more accurate description. Remember, you only get one chance, and any hint of deception is going to cause your contact to pull back.
- Review your online profile. Is it reflective of your skill set, opportunities, and legitimate connections? Have you fostered real dialogue with some of your virtual contacts? If not, make it happen. You might find people who can expand your opportunity, then again, you might become aware of those you are best to avoid. Clean things up.Everyone loves to work with enthusiastic people who are credible, hard working and enthusiastic. Be just that. Do your research, know the facts, build authentic relationships, and be considerate of other people's time and money. That'll separate you from the spoofers and chancers. Be professional - and you will be given the opportunity to be heard.
In addition, here's just a small glimpse of what you’ll learn at the Motorsport Sponsorship Bootcamp …
- Why sponsorship is no longer about ‘give me money, and I’ll put some stickers on my car’
- How to identify what assets you have and how to package sponsorship ‘assets’ in an appealing way
- Sponsors: how to identify them, where to meet them and what to say when you do meet them
- The most powerful ways you getting your name in front of potential sponsors
- What to offer sponsors that will make them want to do business with you
- The #1 thing you MUST focus on if you want to create compelling sponsorship proposals that get a response
- The most important thing you can do if you want get sponsors (Most people get this wrong)
- Formulas for creating irresistible communications your target sponsor can’t ignore:
- How to craft your message by creating a ‘Unique Selling Proposition’
- Case studies from the front line, including Manchester United, Aston Villa, Marussia F1 Team, Alex Rossi, Caterham, Aston Martin Racing – and many more…
- The best tips for getting sponsors to promote you
- The essence of successful sponsorship meeting and how to close the deal
Who’s involved at Motorsport Sponsorship Bootcamp?
Leo Nulty
Leo Nulty is known in Motor Sport circles as a Journalist, Competitor, Commentator and Manager. Leo has hands-on experience in selling and closing sponsorship deal for drivers, for classes as well for corporates. He has extensive motor industry background with Fiat and Avon Tyres. His clients include Suzuki Ireland, Mondello Park, Dynamic Events, Rally School Ireland, Jeep Ireland, E Fox Engineers, Frame It Productions and many more. As commentator and compere, Leo has hosted Ireland's Top Gear live and Cannonball.ie TV coverage. Leo also owns and operates Motorsport.ie - Ireland's Number 1 Motorsport News site.
Colin Lewis
As well being a rookie in the 2015 Blackchurch Fiesta Series and a motor-racing fanatic, Colin is the Marketing Director of bmi – British Midland Airlines, responsible for brand, PR, digital and communications across Europe. Colin was just selected as one of the top 100 Marketers in the UK on the back of winning ‘Marketing Leader of the Year in Ireland in 2008. Colin is the Founder and Programmer of the largest Digital Marketing Conference in Ireland, DMX Dublin, as well as being a lecturer and speaker on digital marketing internationally. Colin has managed sponsorship programmes for Leinster Rugby, Connacht Rugby, Galway GAA and London Irish Rugby and sold sponsorship programmes in excess of €250,000 to the likes of Samsung, Nokia and Singapore Telecom.
There are currently a limited number of seats still available for this event- don't hesitate- book now.
‘Motorsport Sponsorship Bootcamp’ Details
Date: March 1, 2016
Location: Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Naas Road.
Time: Start 18:45, finish 21:00
Price: €70, 2* €120
How To Book: Go to https://ti.to/motorsport-sponsorship-bootcamp/sponsorship and book now.
