by Kristin Swartzlander | Dec 11, 2014 | Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses
From sponsorship packages to specialty services and ticket costs, pricing is a topic that you could talk about all day long. It’s one of the most common questions I get. The thing is, you’d almost never be right or wrong. That’s what makes it hard. If you’re wondering how to price things when you’re just starting out, you have two choices: high prices or low prices. If that seems too straightforward to you, you’re a smart cookie and that’s why I like you. But you’ll still have to pick a strategy and build off that. Here’s a quick overview of the pros and cons of each one: Low Pricing Means: You’ll have to get to your ‘number’ by volume, but your tickets, or sponsorship packages, might be easier and faster to sell. However, you’ll have to work with more customers to get your number, and that requires juggling – not a bad thing, but also not everyone’s strong suit. Lower investments require less commitment and perceived risk from your customer. But with less commitment comes, well, less commitment. You’ll likely have higher turnover. You’re associated with lesser value, and you’ll be able to provide less value. That’s not to say that you’re less valuable, but you may not be able to afford to provide a completely satisfying service for your customer. High Pricing Means: It generally takes longer to nurture a higher-paying customer or sponsor than it does a lower-paying one. They need more information, more trust and more value. On the other hand, higher-paying customers tend to be more loyal and committed – they generally stay with you...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Dec 4, 2014 | Mindset, Thoughts and Rants
For most dirt track and asphalt racers, the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show next week will be one of the biggest business events of the off-season. And if you’re a racing promoter, you might already be in Reno for the RPM Promoter’s Workshops – another great industry event. I’ll be attending PRI next week in a few capacities – as a buyer and as a rep for a few of my industry clients. My newest client will also be there, debuting a major initiative that’ll benefit the entire industry. I’m excited to be able to share that news soon! I’ll also be meeting with a few new potential clients to see if we’re a good fit and what that relationship might look like going forward. This year’s show will be different from those in the past, when I’ve had a looser strategy. And that’s what I want to touch on today – setting a game plan and making it happen. Whether you’re headed to a trade show, networking event or team holiday party, it’s important to make the most of your opportunities. I wrote an article last year on five ways to get the most out of your trip or event, and it’s definitely worth reading again. It touches on: Saving your sanity by avoiding shiny object syndrome. Taking notes using my (simple) system – so you’ll be able to actually use them later. Skipping (most) presentations. You can’t replicate the opportunity to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships in person. Making a plan and sticking to it, while still allowing for spur-of-the-moment opportunities. Preparing information about...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Nov 27, 2014 | Thoughts and Rants
Just a quick note today to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends! I hope you enjoy a day of love, happiness and gratitude. As racers, we’re always striving to improve. To get better. To find the next best way to get ahead. And I’ve found that every once in a while, I’m straddling that line between wanting to be better and wanting more…and forgetting that what I have, and who I am right now, is enough. So I just wanted to say that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for so many things, including you. Whether you’re here for the first time today or tune in every week, I appreciate you spending time with me and my lofty ideas for what our racing could be. And I’m grateful for what our racing is. It’s my family, my community, my work and my play. And for that, I’m grateful. xo....
by Kristin Swartzlander | Nov 20, 2014 | Media and Public Relations, Mindset, Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses, Racing Social Media, Racing Sponsorship
“Bad marketing done consistently will beat good marketing done inconsistently.” – I’m not sure who said it, or even where I first read it, but I like it. A lot. It’s a good reminder to me that just showing up consistently is more than most people will do. On every level of racing, there are champions. Championships are designed to name and reward the best performer over the course of a season. How many times, though, have you seen or heard someone gripe about a champion who didn’t win that many races? That’s why championships can be so controversial, and why NASCAR in particular has struggled with how to determine a champion over the last decade. We all know that consistency is the key to winning championships, even if that means you rarely, if ever, see the top of the podium. In racing, I get that. But for me, this ‘consistent bad marketing’ principle can be frustrating. And eye-opening. Because while I’m toiling away, whittling every sentence to perfection, other people are showing up more often. See, I’m a perfectionist. A lot of times, this is a great thing. My clients especially love it. But some times it slows me down, waiting to release things or submit a piece of work until every little detail is perfect. (By the way, I’m not trying to say that others are doing bad marketing and I’m doing good – often, we’re just different. In fact, that’s DirtyMouth in a nutshell. The reason that I created my business and started publishing (free!) content here is that in many ways, I don’t think we do...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Nov 13, 2014 | Mindset, Thoughts and Rants
About a month ago, my husband Carl and I were able to take our first ever week-long vacation. It was well-timed… I had just finished up work on the super-successful Dirt Classic Presented by Kasey Kahne and he was capping off a successful racing season, too. We finally had time to sit back, relax and talk about the future for the first time since the previous winter. See, last year we did something a little bit different – instead of making New Year’s resolutions, we sat down and set our goals and intentions for 2014. We picked a few areas of our life that we wanted to improve on – everything from t-shirt sales and wins to blog subscribers and income levels – and wrote out really specific goals. Thirteen of them, to be exact. I know, I know. I’ve done this a million times before, too. And what did I do? Stuck that little piece of paper God-knows-where and rarely, if ever, thought about it again. This time was different, though. Our goals were specific and measurable, with numbers and a timeframe. The other thing that changed? I hung this sheet up on the wall in my office so I could see it regularly. (Which also means that every time I got a harebrained idea, Carl could point to that wall and ask if it would get us closer to one of those goals. Eek.) One thing that Carl had personally been disappointed about was that he hadn’t hit his goal for number of wins this season. He wanted to double the previous year’s win count of four to eight...
Connect!