by Kristin Swartzlander | Nov 6, 2014 | Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses, Racing Sponsorship
I’m often asked: how do I get (more) sponsors? The answer is pretty simple: get on your local message board and bash all the other drivers using an anonymous screen name. Their sponsors will come running. Duh. Kidding. But seriously, this is obviously one of the most common questions I get. And the answer is really simple on paper: connect with a like-minded company, craft a win-win opportunity, agree on the terms and, most importantly, execute. But we all know that there’s a ton of work that goes into the in-between of a marketing partnership. Most of us can identify the right companies, find the decision maker and draw up a marketing plan. Then comes the sales pitch. And the proposal. And the sweating. We’ve all been there – you bust your butt to get in the door and have the opportunity to pitch the perfect company for your race team. You’re fist-pumping with excitement and then it hits you – you now have to produce that clinch-worthy proposal. That irresistible piece of marketing material. The one they can’t put down. It’s the proposal that perfectly reflects you and your racing program, and the success that you’ll have together. And your confidence begins to falter. I’ve been there myself. In my career, I’ve submitted, evaluated, reviewed and approved (or denied) hundreds, maybe even thousands, of proposals. I’ve seen it all – from hand-drawn submissions to tricked-out seven-figure deal materials. And I know the kind of work it takes to produce a piece that’s both beautifully eye-catching and undeniably effective. If you want a real shot at working with a...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Oct 30, 2014 | Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses, Racing Sponsorship
A few weeks ago, an article that I wrote received criticism on LinkedIn because it used the word sponsorship in the title. I understood the commenter’s point of view – some people hear sponsorship and think ‘free money’ – and I actually do prefer the term ‘marketing partnership’. But I had to laugh when other commenters questioned him and his responses included the word ‘sponsorship’ instead of ‘marketing partnerships’ over and over again. Let me be clear: I don’t think he’s a hypocrite. It’s just difficult to strike the word from our vocabulary. Our brains are wired to recognize familiar patterns. For example, if the other cars on the racetrack begin to slow, your brain knows to make your eyes look for the caution light even before you think about it. ‘Sponsorship’ is how we in racing, and in many sports, refer to our marketing programs. So, it’s really hard to talk about sponsorship programs without using the word sponsorship. Our brains can recognize it, even if it doesn’t best describe what we do. To a potential marketing partner, the word ‘sponsorship’ immediately conjures up an exchange of value. And that’s where things can go right or wrong. If they’ve had a bad experience in the past, they might have a negative response to the term. It has positive associations for some, and negative associations for others. But here’s why I disagree with striking the word ‘sponsorship’ altogether: If someone has a strong, negative association with the word sponsorship, you’re not going to change their minds by using a different term in place of it. In fact, only using...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Oct 23, 2014 | Mindset, Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses, Thoughts and Rants
(Did you get my Katy Perry reference there? That song has been in my head all morning and now it’s probably in yours, too. You’re welcome.) Four years ago this week, I left my last ‘corporate’ job at a downtown advertising agency. In some ways, that seems just as scary today as it was then. But it was also exciting and exhilarating, also the same as it is now. I took a risk, and it paid off. I didn’t have a showstopper exit that I can wax on about. It was like most – I delayed the decision until I couldn’t ignore the voice in my head that said I was ready to take the leap. I put in my notice, wavered, agreed to help the company transition my accounts, and was woken by 4am phone calls from my boss asking me to reconsider. We, the company and I, held on to our safety nets for a long time. But at some point, not quitting became riskier than leaving my cushy salary and benefits, the security of a corporate ladder and a solid paycheck. And that’s when I pulled the plug. Many ‘success’ stories we hear go like this: I had a vision, I quit, I worked hard and I got a big break or built a company and now I’m a success. In racing, you often hear: I got my first go-kart, won a bunch of races, moved up to sprint cars, got a ride and now I’m a success. But it’s what’s in between the lines, the time that you stayed at the corporate job after you...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Oct 16, 2014 | Motorsports Marketing for Tracks, Teams and Businesses, Racing Sponsorship
One of the most common pieces of advice you’ll hear is that you should be targeting potential sponsors or marketing partners whose target demographics match with the audience you reach. In essence, the company should want to reach the people who are interested in you. Your audience should be their target. When we think about the people who are interested in you, most of us instantly think about fans as that demographic. And that’s a great place to start. But there are other people who pay attention to what you say, from your other/current marketing partners, manufacturers and retail shops that you work with, other racers you mentor or share shop space with, and media outlets. For example, you might be featured often in a magazine or newspaper that the potential marketing partner would also like to be referenced in. Another example? The company you’re looking to work with may also want to do business with a current sponsor. In an ideal marketing relationship, you’re the linchpin between the company and who they want to work with. When you’re brainstorming companies to connect with, or, hopefully, you may already be connected with, for your sponsorship program, knowing who your audience is can be a great first step to matching it up. So how do you form the picture of your audience? You probably already have a decent feeling for who you’re reaching. But here are a few tips for how to paint a solid picture: Think about what kind of people surround your car on an average night. Are they young or old, male or female, blue collar or...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Oct 3, 2014 | Mindset
Note: Make sure you look for information at the bottom of the post on the giveaway! I’m not sure if it’s reading that makes me feel like a vacation or a vacation that makes me feel like reading. Right now, I’m on vacation (for longer than a weekend – the first time since 2008!) and it never fails – when I’m not working directly on my business, I get more ideas and inspiration than probably the entire rest of the year. One of the reasons? I read and listen to almost anything I can get my hands on. Some of it is business-related, some of it racing – I read a great article on Cory Kruseman in Sprint Car and Midget and another on this guy named Carl Bowser in Flat Out Magazine on the plane yesterday– and some of it just for fun. This summer, I was sent a copy of Creativity for Sale by author Jason SufrApp and I was able to take it in over the course of a few long tows to Fremont Speedway and Wayne County Speedway. If you’ve got a crazy business idea like, oh I don’t know, racing, this is practically a manual for you. Jason talks about building his own million-dollar business by wearing t-shirts and other silly things at iwearyourshirt.com. The book is part his own story – having a crazy idea and figuring out how to make money at it – and part a manual for others to do the same. As the winter months approach, you might be looking for new material to dig into to inspire your...
Connect!