From 2005: With the off-season here in our midst in most cases, it’s time for race teams (and tracks and series) to begin the active and avid search for sponsorship for the 2008 season.Track and series public relations people need to do more to market and publicize their drivers, their personalities! They need to create images and identities for their drivers, and the drivers need to cooperate, need to get educated about publicity and marketing and take the next step themselves. And that doesn’t mean prettier or cooler T-shirts or a new can cooler.
Drivers need to start creating identities for themselves. They don’t have to go as far as the WWE, but they need to start grooming themselves and marketing themselves. The promoters can’t do it. The sanctions can’t do it. They sure can help quite a bit and they should be doing more to get the drivers better established with the new, or general, or casual fan.
It’s hard to believe how few teams use press releases, media kits, newsletters and any other readily available tool to get more publicity and exposure. You wouldn’t believe the amount of drivers, teams, owners that won’t even take the time to supply announcers at racetracks with information about their drivers, teams and SPONSORS!
Let alone have a webpage, or a fan club, or a mail order/merchandising list or catalog. How many drivers’ teams actually pursue media coverage? Do you, or a team rep, contact the many papers, magazines and radio programs offering information? What about the local and regional media in your area? Are they kept informed of your team’s progress and achievements? How about personal appearances?
Dirt racing, particularly dirt Late Model racing, is about ready to burst at the seams. It’s at the point where it can take off and expand and grow, and it can do it! But everyone has to look ahead, and not look back. It just can’t be the same old same old. Everyone better start working together and soon (just to be able to help pay for all the new technology). There needs to be new and creative avenues opened and explored to help the drivers and tracks increase awareness among the public as well as corporate America.
And there is much that drivers and teams can do to advance their own, personal cause.
“You need to approach this as part of your ‘business’ and not as a hobby,” stated Dave Seay when asked his opinion of what he thinks is the most important aspect drivers and teams need to keep in mind when going after sponsors. Seay is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations Director at Virginia Motor Speedway who worked for over 15 years in asphalt and NASCAR related fields. “What I mean by that is, first impressions are everything, spend a little time and money on a professional looking proposal. Be creative, the more it catches the attention and eye of a potential sponsor the better the chances of someone meeting with you on the possibilities of sponsoring your race team.”
”Never promise wins, promise performance and the ability to market their company and product on and off the track in a professional manner. If you promise wins and don’t deliver you will lose the sponsorship in the long run. Being able to represent a company and it’s products professionally will get you more results and keep sponsors coming back year after year.”
Seay has some basic advice for drivers and/or team representatives.
”When meeting with a potential sponsor, dress professionally and present a professional atmosphere,” commented Seay. “This doesn’t mean you have to dress in suit and tie, although that may be the appropriate dress when meeting with certain potential sponsors, but jeans and a t-shirt are a definite no-no.”
”Make sure you do a little research on the company you plan on approaching. There are several ways to find out what type of products and services the potential sponsor provides and it will also tell you how your race team can help market that product or service.”
”Don’t forget to market not only your car but your trailer/car hauler. It is a rolling billboard and gets as much if not more attention on the way to the track each week.”
Seay also has advice for teams seeking sponsor dollars for those teams who compete on a weekly or regional basis and who are ready to begin their sponsorship search.
”Start early in your sponsorship search and be persistent and remember to have plenty of options for a potential sponsor to choose from in your proposal,” explained Seay. “Sometimes it is easier to get ten smaller sponsors than one big sponsor. If you need $250 a week to race ten sponsors at $25 a week is easier to get than one sponsor at $250 per week.”
”A small business owner can reach in his pocket for $25 and not have to explain it to the wife. So remember sometimes smaller is better. And don’t expect someone to spend $10,000 a year with you on a lower division car. And most important visit and talk with your sponsors on a regular basis. Make them feel like part of the team!”
Seay’s statement is echoed.
“A simple phone call each week or a newsletter every month makes that sponsor feel that they are important to the race team,” stated Bret Emrick, currently Race Director for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and a long time public relations and marketing maven. “Too many race teams get a good sponsor, put the sponsors name on the car and tow rig, take the sponsors check and never talk with them again. That’s the last time they’ll have that company as a sponsor!”
”The drivers and race teams have to realize that in today’s world, you have to market, market, market and market some more. I know it’s an added cost to the team but they have to either have someone on their team that knows marketing and public relations or hire someone to do it. It is so vitally important in today’s business world.”
“Again, it comes down to sacrificing the resources and time to do the marketing and PR the right way. Get involved with every appearance the team can possibly make. Whether it is for their sponsor functions or just displaying the car in a parade, taking it to a school, scout meetings, actually anything where there is exposure.”
(c)2005-2008 Doc Lehman
Tags: Dave Seay, Motorsports Marketing
