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RPM Promoter’s Workshops Recap
Earlier this week, I was able to attend the 42nd annual RPM Promoter’s Workshops in Daytona Beach both as an observer and as an exhibitor. It was a great experience – two days of programming designed to help race track and series promoters be more successful – and I got to connect and reconnect with a number of great people.
In fact, I was lucky enough to meet some of you at my booth, at Volusia Speedway, and for private consulting sessions on Saturday and Sunday!
Since it was my first time attending RPM, and putting together a tradeshow exhibit for my own company, I didn’t know what to expect – something that’s a little bit, er, difficult for me.
See, I’m used to being the supporter. The person that puts it all together for someone else. I’m used to helping other people shine.
Frankly, being the center of attention felt pretty weird to me. But I realized that I have to learn to embrace that, or at least accept it, to promote what I love to do.
I imagine that many of you have to deal with this as you expand your careers and businesses as drivers, owners, and promoters. If you’re here, you’re probably the type that puts their head down and does the work instead of self-promoting. Even though, deep down, you know you have to do both.
If it doesn’t come easy to you, rest assured that you’re not alone.
I also learned a few more things that might be of interest to you, too:
Being honest. Quite a few people at RPM asked me what I was selling, or how many sales I had made during the conference. When someone poses you those questions, it’s hard to say ‘none’. But unlike many of my peers, it was my first time there and I wasn’t there to sell anything.
Because I was clear on my goal for the workshops: talk to as many promoters as I could and find out what they really needed, instead of selling what I thought they’d want. I felt uncomfortable at first, but almost everyone I shared this with was extremely receptive to talking about what they wanted and needed for their tracks.
If I had come in with a set idea of promoting one package or service, I likely would have been disappointed and probably wouldn’t have learned anywhere near what I did about what my market wants.
And that leads me to another point: setting reasonable expectations. I’m the optimistic type. I have big ideas, and I’m traditionally pretty good at making them happen. But on this trip, not knowing what I was walking into forced me to let go of my usual, lofty expectations and set only this one: learn as much as I can.
And if all I learn is that people aren’t interested in what I’m doing, at least I’ve learned that now.
Luckily, interest in DirtyMouth far exceeded my expectations. There were so many promoters from all types of racing and all types of backgrounds that were really interested (and excited) about what we’re doing here. And that’s the fourth thing I was reminded of: I thrive on talking to motivated people who want to improve and, ultimately, excel.
I’m thankful for each and every motivated one of you, and I’m looking forward to making connecting with you regularly more of a priority this year. (Hint: a few new projects are on the horizon!)
Finally, I learned that the more you step up in your career and life, it’s likely that: you won’t always be able to prepare. Or at least not to your standards.
When I made the decision in December to go to RPM, I knew the timeline would be tight. I planned on spending the entire week, days and nights, leading up to RPM devoted to preparing for the workshops since Carl had the opportunity to head to Florida early. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way – my grandfather passed away the day after Carl left and my week was spent arranging travel and spending time with my family.
It was the first time in a long time that I wasn’t as publicly prepared in my business as I wanted to be. And it crushed me at first.
But once I got to RPM, I was reminded that I was the only one who knew what that original vision looked like. I got amazing feedback from attendees and it helped me to see that the work I had done was enough, and just showing up the best I could exceeded their expectations.
And that’s probably the most important takeaway.
When you decide to put yourself out there and take a chance, set reasonable expectations and let others in on them. Prepare as much as you can, and let got of the rest. Enjoy it.
It might not work out like you think it will, but you’ll learn something.
And I don’t know about you, but that’s what I’m here for.
xo.
Kristin
The Perfect Social Media Bio
Preparing for the RPM Promoter’s Workshops in Daytona next week, I’ve been doing quite a bit of research. One thing that became quickly apparent to me was that many tracks, drivers and series’ are hard to find on social media.
Many are there. And many are doing a great job.
But you wouldn’t know that if you didn’t already have them as part of your network or see their content being shared by a mutual connection.
The big mistake? An un-searchable bio.
Bios are so difficult to perfect, because they’re so brief. You can’t say much in the 160 character Twitter bio. That’s why it’s so important to optimize the space you do have so that fans can find you easily.
If you take nothing from this post but one single point, it should be this: do not leave your bio blank.
It’s a blank billboard that could be used to point your fans directly to you. If it’s empty, they may not even know you’re there.
Here are a few more tips:
- Make sure your name is on your profile (not just Twitter handle). If you’re a celebrity, people will likely still find you if you use a nickname, parody or do something like, for example, forget to put the space in between first and last name. The rest of us? Not likely. Make sure your company or racer name is in the name field of your profile, and if it won’t fit there (Jacksonville Speedway, I feel your pain) make sure you include it in your bio.
- Include your location (like Tri-City Speedway in Granite, IL) so that fans can use the location search function.
- Think about what your fans would want to know. Do they care more about the type of track you have or the divisions you run? Do they want to know what ticket prices are (or, hint: kids are free!)? Do they need to know your phone number in case of a rain out?
- Leave some space to make regular updates. You can always add when your opening race is, highlight last week’s winner, link to your other social media profiles or, here’s an idea for you, link to your marketing partner of the week. Sounds like activation, right?
- Be original.Is there a brief detail that makes your track or team unique? Include it. Want an example? Check out Huset’s Speedway or State Park Speedway. And there’s nothing wrong with it, but I’d advise you to avoid including racing sayings and clichés because they really don’t tell your fans much or help them find you, and they take up precious space.
Want a free critique of yours? Post a link below or email me at Kristin@DirtyMouthCommunications.com and I’ll send you a happy thought or two.
Xo.
Kristin
How to promote yourself without feeling like a sell-out.
Quick Note: Just a reminder that DirtyMouth will be at RPM doing quick and dirty consulting sessions and much more at RPM from February 16th and 17th. Sign up for a session here. I’ve gotten a few requests for non-promoter coaching while I’m in town, too. If that’s of interest, please shoot me an email at Kristin@DirtyMouthCommunications.com and we can setup a quick intro call to see if it’s a fit.
Now, on to the good stuff…
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How to promote yourself without feeling like a sell-out.
We all know that racer – the one that repeatedly finds a way to tell everyone else how great he is. He’s on Twitter, Facebook and, sometimes, a victory lane microphone lamenting how hard he’s worked, how much he’s sacrificed and why he deserves to win over, well, you.
When the topic of self-promotion comes up on almost every coaching call I do, we inevitably end up talking about that guy (or girl).
And almost everyone, myself included, has that moment where we think everyone else believes that guy.
They’re buying it, right? They think she’s as great as she thinks she is.
“And I don’t want to be that guy, so I’m just not going to promote myself at all.” – said me, and lots of clients.
But in reality, that’s not the case. Most people can see right through the clutter and call it what it is. Bull. (Even though it’s interesting to watch sometimes…)
So how do you promote yourself without selling out or blowing smoke or being that guy?
Listen before you talk. This is important in all interactions, but especially if you’re worried about seeming like a sleaze. In any healthy relationship, you’ll give without expecting to receive. Promoting yourself works the same way.
Want people to know about what you’re doing? Listen to what they’re saying first.
Connect. The best way to show people your personality is to interact with them or others. You can tell people you’re the greatest driver in the world, but it doesn’t mean anything if there are no other drivers on the track. The same goes for what you do off the track.
Have a conversation. Ask a question. Give a compliment. Make a recommendation. Call someone out, if that’s your personality. Whatever you do, be you.
Talk about your work. And I don’t just mean your day job. You could talk to someone literally all day about racing, right? So stop worrying about talking about yourself and focus on talking about what you do. See how that takes some of the pressure off?
If you start out with simple updates on what you’re up to with some pictures of what you’re working on, people will take notice without thinking you’re arrogant.
Pictures and videos are an especially great way to show off your work in the garage and at the track without having to humble-brag about how much your sponsors or fans love you. And race fans seek them out.
Accept that it’s a commitment, and has to be earned. Like everything else in racing…you’re not going to earn a ride or sell out the grandstands the first time you tell someone how great you are. Ask for attention, and you’ll get some. But just because someone has a lot of followers on Twitter doesn’t mean they have a lot of fans cheering them on in the stands or t-shirts moving out of their trailers.
At the end of the day, it comes down to this: Just do what’s comfortable to you, and don’t be afraid to talk about your work- whether that’s building a race car, maintaining a track or negotiating deals for your series. Accept praise, and give it. But stop before you’re tempted to suck up.
There’s a line between what you’d really say and do, and what you’d say or do just for a reaction. Find your line.
Xo.
Kristin
DirtyMouth Goes to Florida
I’m excited to share that I’ve been working with Stewart Doty and the RPM Promoter’s Workshops to provide some extra content and value for promoters who attend this year’s Florida Speedweeks event.
From February 15-17th, DirtyMouth will be on hand to help show promoters how to use their online program – whether you’re just starting out or already established – to make their offline business more profitable.
As you’ll read below, part of what I’ve been working on is written material on social media that promoters can go over and discuss with us during the workshops. I’ve already integrated a number of your existing questions and dilemmas, but I’d love it if you’d take one minute and tell me what your biggest social media questions are so I can make sure I cover that.
Quick survey here: http://bit.ly/1tzUV3j
DirtyMouth at RPM: Get the next best steps to move your program forward.
Assessments: If you pre-register for the event, I’ll be providing a quick assessment of your current online properties. I’ll give you a handful of helpful suggestions on what improvements, if any, will give you the most bang for your buck this season.
Hands-On Help: DirtyMouth staff will be on hand to help promoters with the actual training needed to get up and running online, no matter what level you’re social media is currently running at. We’ll will walk you through how to setup your first profile, send a tweet or post a message, and show you how to collect the data you’ll need to fill your social media channels, in addition to providing more advanced one-on-one training.
Quick and Dirty Consulting: Want to go more in-depth with your online program? Schedule a free 15-minute consulting session with yours truly to talk about any part of your promoting program. No B.S. No filter. We can walk through your assessment and talk about the ways you can improve your program, or I can answer questions on how to integrate online into your offline program. Want first crack at a time slot? Sign up here: http://www.meetme.so/KristinSwartzlander
Guide and Materials: I’m putting together quite a bit of free material designed especially for the event. Attendees will be able to take home an abbreviated guide to social media marketing for race tracks, along with a gift bag. Those on my list will have access, too, so if you’re not going, sign up below to get your copy.
There’s a time to produce and a time to promote.
Without one, it’s really tough to successfully do the other.
You might not see it directly as a racer – in theory you can do the work of building a fast race car and win races without ever promoting.
But that’s just theory. How many successful racers do you know that pay the bills just by winning races?
I don’t know any at all. Purse structures don’t support that model.
Without some level of promotion, you can’t pay for your racing, except for out of your own pocket. (Which I would also argue makes you a successful person, not necessarily a successful racer. Nothing – nothing at all – wrong with that. But recognize the distinction.)
Successful racers pay for their programs off the track with apparel sales, sponsorship packages, product partnerships and more.
And how do they do that? Promotion.
You can’t sell tickets to your race track, t-shirts or sponsorship packages for your race team, and race car parts or shock dyno services for your racing business if no one knows who you are, what you do and why they should want to be a part of that.
You can’t pay the bills without promotion.
But here’s the catch you’ve probably already considered– you can’t promote without producing. At least, not for long.
If all you do is promote your race track but you don’t do the work, you won’t continue to sell tickets. Twitter won’t find your fans working restrooms. You can’t make promises to marketing partners without doing the work. You can’t tell people about your speed shop if you don’t have any parts.
You can’t promote without doing the work.
We all need to find that balance between production and promotion. There will definitely be times when you’re doing more work than promoting. That’s probably your offseason, actually. And there are probably times when you’re doing more promoting than producing.
Overall, though, you need to be promoting at least as much as you’re producing if you want people to know, like and trust you.
In the end, it’s you, not just your work, that they’re buying anyway.
xo.
Kristin
Racing Isn’t What it Used To Be. Here’s Why I’m Glad:
If you’re on any form of social media these days, you’ve probably seen a post or photo talking about the ‘good old days’ of racing, when ‘real’ race cars came to the track on open trailers and you could bring your whole family to the track for today’s price of popcorn.
My grandfather’s #83 modified, shown here in the 1960’s.
Although I can’t disagree – racing was pretty great when I was growing up – I have to say that I’m much more positive about the future than I am sad about the way things were.
Call me crazy, but I’d like to take a moment to be grateful for the opportunities we have and shine a hopeful light on our sport:
We can watch a race from almost anywhere. In fact, even if you’re on Antarctica right now you could probably catch a race from a short track somewhere in the world. (And pneumonia. But whatever.)
The power of live streaming and high-quality video broadcasting has never been, well, more powerful. My list of race-tracks-to-visit is much longer than my allotted number of vacation days each year (even if I am mostly my own boss), so I’m more than happy to pay the price of admission – usually more than the price of a grandstand seat – to see a race from my living room.
(Side Note: If you or your local track promoter believe that live streaming a race, or posting results to social media, will take fans out of the stands, I’m thrilled to factually tell you that you’re wrong. Future post to come.)
And while we’re watching races from all over the world, we’re also cheering on new drivers and supporting sponsors we’d never have known before. Wider exposure means a larger, wider audience for your race team, track or series. This means more potential for revenue that you never would have had before, from t-shirt sales to marketing partners.
We’re safer than ever. Maybe that’s not saying much. But with family, friends and a husband I’m pretty attached to strapping in each week, I’m grateful for the advancements we’ve made. We still have a long way to go, though, and that’s why I’m a strong supporter of those who are working to make the sport safer, like the Motorsports Safety Education Foundation and their partners.
Knowing that there are people who are working to promote safety awareness and develop new technologies gives me the peace of mind that my grandmother’s generation never had.
Money will always be the great divider in racing. It will never grow on trees again. Wait a second…it’s never done that! It may have been easier to get what we like to think of as a traditional ‘sponsor’ in the past, but companies have gotten more discerning about how to spend their money. And so have fans.
What does that mean for you? Those who provide the value (and prove it!) get the spoils. We have never had more tools for attracting and activating our audience than today, whether that’s selling ‘sponsorship’ or tickets.
My grandfather never could have funded his racing by monetizing a YouTube channel. But you could. He couldn’t have sold apparel to fans from all over the world through his website (while he slept!), but we do. He couldn’t have helped a sponsor sell their products through a QR code campaign or sold tickets to a race through social media. But we have.
I would argue that we have more full-time racers today than we ever have before, and that’s because of the tools we have today to share our love for the sport and monetize that passion.
We’re a diverse and talented group. This might be pure conjecture, but I’ve never seen a more unique racing community in my lifetime. We have people from all walks of life who are contributing to the sport, not just the standard demographics we used to list on our sponsorship proposals.
When I think about how far racing has come – I’ve talked to many women in the sport who remember when they weren’t allowed in the pits – I’m excited by how much richer our sport is becoming by allowing our community to become larger and more diverse. We can pull a variety of strengths from what we do away from the race track – our day jobs, interests outside of racing, political affiliations, education and backgrounds – to what we do on the race track. We’ve never before been able to harness that.
That’s why it’s so important that we embrace it. And invest in it.
Our future is bright.
Xo.
Kristin
P.S. What change are you grateful for or excited about? Feel free to leave it in the comments below.
Connect!