SJDR - Ernie Saxton Communications

Ernie Saxton
Communications
www.saxtonsponsormarket.com

09/18/06

SPONSORSHIP MARKETING - FINDING GOOD SOURCES OF SPONSORSHIP
With Ernie Saxton

In every sponsorship seminar we do around the country we are asked what businesses are the best sources for sponsorship. Our answer is always automobile dealerships. Pick up any newspaper and you will see the large amount of advertising that is done by auto dealerships. Why not show a dealer what you can do for them with a well planned marketing partnership package.
Rolfe Schnur, a gentleman who has been successful in securing sponsorship over the years, writes in the December edition of Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News that racers can bring in big sponsorship money based on building a relationship with car dealers.
Schnur points out that the art of finding new sponsors is an increasingly difficult task. It seems like the rich get richer and the weekend warriors who make up the majority of the racing population struggle to keep their operation sound.
If we had more space to devote to this column we would be able to point out many reasons why the weekend warrior is not more successful. But two or three key reasons are that weekend warriors don’t devote enough time and effort to their sponsorship marketing; most weekend warriors have no sponsorship package or have a poorly prepared package of benefits to present to a potential sponsor, and finally most weekend warriors seem to want to spend more time complaining about the lack of sponsorship rather than doing something about it.
Schnur writes that finding a company that can actually benefit from a sponsorship program on a local or regional level can be difficult. Franchises, even if they are individually owned and locally operated units, may be strapped for advertising dollars due to national programs that they participate in with their parent company.
Often times a potential sponsor claims to have no funds available but forgets about cooperative advertising money that is available to them from manufacturers that they deal with. Ask them about their cooperative ad funds. If you are not sure what coop ad funds is all about give us a call 215.752.7797 or email us at esaxton144@aol.com.
Getting back to automobile dealerships, they spend as much as $400 per car sold in advertising and incentives to draw people into their dealership.
When you travel to the track you are carrying your race car in a full page ad which is actually, at least for a large majority of racers, an enclosed hauler which can double as a billboard as it travels to and from the events and when it is parked in a good location at the track.
Racing and auto dealerships are a natural to our friend Rolfe.
There are tricks that you can use to land an auto dealership as a sponsor through racing. One of the best ideas is to take the dealer, the decision maker at the dealership, out to the race track with you. Ask them to take a walk through the parking lot so that can see how many vehicles have been purchased at their dealership. And they should be keeping track of how many were purchased at his competition.
So you show your new dealer friend the sponsorship package you have put together with all the ideas for generating traffic to the dealership. Unfortunately he still says no because all his funds are invested in other marketing opportunities.
Here is what you can do. Tell him you have a program where he will receive all the benefits that were outlined and it will not cost the dealership a nickel.
Rolfe offers the Vehicle Protection Plus Racing Sponsorship Program. The concept is that a racer has a relationship with an auto dealer and the racer introduces the VPP plan to the dealer. And with a “little effort” on the racer’s part they can switch over to the VPP extended service contracts program. You make the initial introduction of the dealer to VPP and your job is done. You have no investment to make. Every time they sell a service contract you earn sponsorship dollars.
This program has proven to be successful by many racers around the country. It allows the dealer to take advantage of your sponsorship package and make their customers happy with a great extended service contract program and it cost them nothing.
Rolfe tells us that there have been racers that have gained up to $350,000 in sponsorship money. You can email Rolfe Schnur at 704.231.2130 or e-mail Sponsorland@aol.com. Now keep in mind that you still have to create a marketing partnership package so that the dealer will want to spend his new found money with you. And you still have to do all the things that make a sponsorship successful. If not then next year the money will be going to someone else.
DON’T BEG. Many racers send their proposals to us for review. It is a service we offer to help racers make sure their package is being done correctly. One of the BIGGGGGG problems we see in many of the packages is that racers are begging. “Please sponsor us so we can go racing” is not the message you want to be giving to potential sponsors. They want to be sure that the race team they get involved with is in solid financial condition and will be able to run the full season once the sponsor has signed on and started paying their sponsorship dollars and activated their sponsorship with marketing and promotion on their own. BEGGING FOR BUCKS is a turn-off to potential sponsors.
NEW YEAR SPECIAL. We are offering the fantastic sponsorship book WINNING SPONSORSHIP written by our friend Andrew Waite. About 200 pages of what you should be doing to be successful at sponsorship and with the book you will receive a subscription to our monthly newsletter Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, now into its 22nd year. The price is $90 which includes postage and handling. Normally the book and newsletter would cost you more than $160. Or you can ask us about a gift certificate from $50 to $500 for our sponsorship help materials. Call us at 215.752.7797 or check out our website at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com.
We will be located in Daytona Beach, Florida throughout the month of February. Call us at 386.274.2029.

TIME TO BE SEEKING SPONSORSHIP FOR 2006, A VERY SPECIAL DEAL ON MOST POPULAR SPONSORSHIP MARKETING KIT

LANGHORNE, PA December 10, 2005 . . . For those wanting to be successful in their efforts to secure marketing partners for their auto racing efforts, Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., publisher of the monthly newsletter on sponsorship marketing titled Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, has come up with a special offer for their most popular sponsorship marketing kit.
“This is a package that can help a racer secure sponsorship. Racers should be working on securing serious sponsorship support for 2006 by now,” said Ernie Saxton. “In fact if racers are just now getting starting on their sponsorship efforts and are looking for serious financial support they are running way behind.”
The kit includes a video of a sponsorship seminar that Ernie Saxton presented recently. The two hour video covers much of the information that racers need to know in order to be successful in securing sponsorship/marketing partners. In the video Saxton is also found answering many questions from seminar attendees.
There is also a generic proposal that has been created by Saxton to give sponsorship seekers some idea of what a potential sponsor is looking for when a proposal is presented. It is loaded with ideas that will help get the attention of potential sponsors.
And there is a generic sponsorship marketing brochure included that can be used as a direct mail piece or as a handout.
WINNING SPONSORSHIPS, a great book on sponsorship marketing, written by Andrew Waite is also part of the kit as is a one year subscription to Saxton’s Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News. The monthly newsletter, now in its 22nd year of publication, has helped many with their sponsorship efforts and continues to provide tips, helps, contacts, latest sponsorship news and much more.
If purchased separately the package would cost more than $450. For a short time, at a time when race teams have completed their seasons and should anxious be started on the 2006 season plans and are looking to secure sponsorship support, the package is being offered at a very special price of $199.95 plus $15.00 for postage and handling.
More information may be found at WWW.SAXTONSPONSORMARKET.COM.
The Ultimate Sponsorship Kit, a more in-depth package of sponsorship marketing materials along with telephone consultation, is also available and is described at the website.
An ESC, Inc. brochure of services and self help materials is available upon request.
The sponsorship marketing kit may be ordered by telephoning Saxton at 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. Email Esaxton144@aol.com. All major credit cards are accepted.
Saxton is also available to present a sponsorship seminar for your speedway, organization or race team that can be used as a fund raiser.
Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., located in Langhorne, PA, offers more than 35 years of motorsports marketing experience. Saxton offers a variety of marketing services for racer teams and event organizers seeking sponsorship and media relations. His firm represents teams and events seeking sponsorship and works on a retainer and commission basis. Saxton also offers his expertise as a consultant to businesses looking to benefit from marketing through motorsports.

TIME TO BE SEEKING SPONSORSHIP FOR 2006, SPONSORSHIP KIT AVAILABLE
15% OF EACH PURCHASE GOES TO SALVATION ARMY HURRICANE FUND

LANGHORNE, PA September 30, 2005 . . . For those wanting to be successful in their efforts to secure marketing partners for their auto racing efforts, Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., publisher of the monthly newsletter on sponsorship marketing titled Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, has come up with a special offer for one of their most popular sponsorship marketing kits.
“This is a package that can help a racer secure sponsorship. Racers should be working on securing serious sponsorship support for 2006 by now,” said Ernie Saxton. “And those who purchase the kit now will see 15% of their purchase go to the Salvation Army Hurricane Relief Fund.”
The kit includes a video of a sponsorship seminar that Ernie Saxton presented recently. The two hour video covers much of the information that racers need to know in order to be successful in securing sponsorship/marketing partners. In the video Saxton is also found answering many questions from seminar attendees.
There is also a generic proposal that has been created by Saxton to give sponsorship seekers some idea of what a potential sponsor is looking for when a proposal is presented. It is loaded with ideas that will help get the attention of potential sponsors.
WINNING SPONSORSHIPS, a great book on sponsorship marketing, written by Andrew Waite is also part of the kit as is a one year subscription to Saxton’s Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News. The monthly newsletter, now approaching its 22nd year of publication, has helped many with their sponsorship efforts and continues to provide tips, helps, contacts, latest sponsorship news and much more.
If purchased separately the package would cost close to $350. For a short time, at a time when race teams have completed their seasons and should anxious to get started on the 2006 season and are looking to secure sponsorship support, the package is being offered at a very special price of $199.95 plus $12.00 for postage and handling.
Those taking advantage of this special offer will have 15% of the purchase price donated to the Salvation Army Hurricane Relief Fund.
“This is our way of trying to help those in need, the Hurricane victims, and help racers secure sponsorship,” said Saxton.
More information may be found at WWW.SAXTONSPONSORMARKET.COM.
The Ultimate Sponsorship Kit, a more in-depth package of sponsorship marketing materials along with telephone consultation, is also available and is described at the website.
An ESC, Inc. brochure of services and self help materials is available upon request.
The sponsorship marketing kit may be ordered by telephoning Saxton at 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. Email Esaxton144@aol.com. All major credit cards are accepted.
Saxton is also available to present a sponsorship seminar for your speedway, organization or race team that can be used as a fund raiser.
Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., located in Langhorne, PA, offers more than 35 years of motorsports marketing experience. His firm offers a variety of marketing services for racer teams and event organizers seeking sponsorship and media relations. Saxton also offers his expertise as a consultant to businesses looking to benefit from marketing through motorsports.

SPONSORSHIP MARKETING
With Ernie Saxton

(First of a series)
Recent telephone calls from racers have me concerned about what is going on in regards to sponsorship marketing. As most know the major teams have agencies representing them or have staff members working on their sponsorship opportunities. When it comes to local and regional racers it is pretty much something that is being done on their own.
What is disappointing is that even with all the information that is out there on sponsorship, many racers are doing nothing and many others are handling sponsorship search efforts very poorly. With that being said we felt it would be a great time to do a get back to basics type of column…..maybe two.
Finding sponsorship for local and regional racers is not easy and, actually, it is getting tougher. However those who present an intelligent package of benefits for the sponsor showing how their involvement will impact their business are finding success.
If racers are not willing to spend the money to hire someone to represent their sponsorship opportunities then they have to learn to do it on their own or keeping paying for their racing out of their own pockets.
We are offering about two dozen ideas on what a racer should be doing to attract sponsorship and keep sponsors happy so that they will continue their involvement.
SET A REALISTIC FIGURE. In most cases there is no television involved in local and regional racing so that keeps the sponsorship value down. If you are racing in events that have no TV, little or no fan support and no media support, you can not expect to find a big dollar sponsorship. Be realistic in what you ask for. We have a formula for figuring what to ask for (actually we suggest that you offer a few different packages) and we are happy to share it with you. However we need to know about your racing efforts in order to come up with that figure. Give us a call at 215.752.7797 or email us at Esaxton144@aol.com.
Don’t expect the sponsor to pay for everything. They don’t want to get into the racing business. They will just want to use you and your team as a marketing tool.
With all that said, we also want to warn you not to sell too cheap. Too often we see racers selling exposure on their race car at a price that is much lower than it should be. If you don’t feel that the marketing opportunities are worth much, the sponsor will share the same feeling. We suggest asking for more than you expect to receive so that you have “wiggle room” and can negotiate.
And realistically a sponsor will pay only what they feel the opportunity is worth to them.
BUSINESS SENSE SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR RACING EFFORTS. Run your race team as you would a business. Those means set budgets and live within those budgets. Present a professional image for your team with team stationary and business cards. Be prepared to show a potential sponsor your business plan. And this may surprise a lot of racers but potential sponsors will check out your credit status and reputation. Get a copy of your credit report and clear up any problems.
NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT BEG!! Never tell a potential sponsor that would you will not be able to race unless you get their sponsorship support. That is not sponsorship marketing that is BEGGING FOR DOLLARS. Our opinion is that a racer should be ready to race, have his equipment in place, even without sponsorship support. A sponsor does not like to get involved with a race team that is going to be created with their money.
MOST SERIOUS SPONSORS DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR RACING. Fortunately for a lot of racers there are business owners who get ego gratification out of seeing their business name on the side of a race car. They don’t care about the marketing returns. They get to charge off their involvement on their taxes for something they enjoy being part of………at least until their first IRS audit.
Business people are often looking for ways to market their business. Most of them do not care about racing. You can offer them a unique opportunity. They will be able to market their business in a sport that accepts commercialism much more readily than any other sport. You have to show them how it can be done and how it will be done by you on their behalf. And the rewards will be GREAT.
MOST SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ARE BACKWARD. The biggest share of sponsorship proposals that we have the opportunity to review are done backward. Too often we see that 75% of the package is about the racer, the race team and racing. Actually 75% of the package should be filled with information on how the racer will market the sponsor as part of the race team.
And you do have to offer a package that includes a variety of things such as the name on the race car and on the hauler. Names/logos on the team uniforms. Include them on the team website (if you don’t have one you should). Hospitality and entertainment. Media involvement. Signage at events. Sponsorship of an event. Track magazine advertising and the list goes on.
The racer needs to have some of the sponsorship dollars set aside to market the sponsor. And the sponsor must be made aware that they have to spend some of their own money to activate the sponsorship. Most of the failed sponsorships we have come across have failed because the sponsor was not made aware what they have to do to make it all work. It is a team (racer and sponsor) effort that makes sponsorship work.
We will continue our list of two dozen or so basic sponsorship marketing suggestions next issue.
Please feel free to give us a call at 215.752.7797 or email us at Esaxton144@aol.com to ask questions. We are happy to take your existing proposal and review it for you for a small fee.
OUR SPECIAL OFFER FOR THIS MONTH includes a big discount on our monthly MOTORSPORTS SPONSORSHIP MARKETING NEWS. This is for readers of this column and for new subscribers only. The price for a one year subscription will be $59.95 and that is for a one full year plus we toss in a two or three of the most recent editions. We can tell you that the newsletter has helped many be more successful with their sponsorship efforts. Telephone us at 215.752.7797 and have your credit card ready. Please take a few minutes to visit our website at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com as it is constantly updated with new information that we feel will be of interest and useful.

MAKING SURE THE SPONSORS KNOW
With Ernie Saxton

Gaining a marketing partner (selling sponsorship) is tough even under the best circumstances. The economy continues to improve but racers, even the pros who have marketing staffs searching for sponsors on a daily basis, are having a difficult time finding marketing partners.
Properties -that’s you if you are looking for sponsorship-that cannot prove they have contributed in a meaningful sense to their sponsors’ bottom line nor have a program in place that will do just that, have an especially difficult task ahead.
Properties with long-and-short term sponsors should treat them like they’re hungry for business, (and you should be hungry). Pitching the business every year as it you were closing the deal for the first time. And the search for marketing partners should continue year around, even if you have all the financial support you need for this year.
A property’s best protection against losing a sponsor is to instill a culture of joint accountability and communication with them. A property MUST AGGRESSIVELY take credit for its contributions to the sponsor’s bottom lines, and do so regularly and tastefully using language and criteria the sponsor understands.
With the executive merry-go-round spinning and people losing their jobs, it is important to make sure that there is a paper trail to show what has been done.
At a minimum a property (reminder that this is you the racer) should compile and report the following to key sponsors (on at least a monthly basis):
* Available attendance figures, demographics and trends in the industry.
* All news media coverage that you have been able to obtain including track and organization publications.
* Make sure the sponsors are aware of what exposure is being secured for them on various websites. Hopefully you have your own website in place and include information on sponsors and their links.
* TV exposure if there is TV involved. VHS copies of any exposure generated by your team. This is very, very important for both the national or local racer.
* There should be a complete list of sponsors made available to all involved. It is especially important to inform other sponsors of new ones that are added during the year. There can be no sponsor conflicts. There should be no sponsors that could be considered competition for the sponsor that you are giving this information. In fact new sponsors should be CLEARED with current sponsors being signing them
* There should be a report created for those merchandising product displays, sampling and signage opportunities that you have created. Include photographs. This can only happen, of course, if you make it part of your on-going marketing efforts.
* Public address announcements that you have arranged for your sponsor. This is particularly near and dear to my heart having been an announcer for more than 35 years. It amazes me how very, very few racers provide information to announcers so, hopefully, they can get some mentions for the team and their sponsors.
* There should be a clip book of news releases and news clips that include the sponsors’ names. Again this is an area that is, again, often ignored, usually by local and regional racers and event organizers. It amazes me how much effort racers put into going racing and how little effort the majority of them put into keep sponsors satisfied. That is the reason that racers have to be constantly searching for new sponsors. Most do a very poor job of doing what was promised to the current sponsors.
* Samples of coupons that you gave out at the events you take part in. Part of your sponsorship deal including local and regional sponsorships should include distribution of coupons and literature for the sponsors that will benefit from that type of promotion.
* Include a copy of event programs and event promotional materials. This is especially true if you are included in the programs and promotional materials, and every effort should have been made to be part of those materials. Offer a story (with photos) on your race team for use in the program book. (Note the programs for major events and how teams have stories included. This makes sponsors very happy.) You may be pleasantly surprised to see how often this material is used.
* Every once in a while don’t forget that thank you letter to the sponsor. Don’t want to the end of the season. Do it often. Even once a month is not too often.
* The more materials that show what you have done on behalf of the sponsor, the better the chance of getting them back. And here is a key point! If you have done more than was required, you have a great opportunity to raise the ante for the sponsors to be involved for the next season.
* There definitely should be a mid-season meeting with the sponsor to make sure all goals are being reached. If they are not, it is the time to put plans in place to make sure the goals are reached. And if you are reaching the goals, mid-season is a good time to make the sponsor aware and make the FIRST PITCH for a renewal.
And at the end of the season you put all the monthly reports together and make one big presentation and sales pitch for the next season…..including an increased fee for being involved based on the successes enjoyed this season.
A success story with one sponsor can be an important part of your presentation to other potential sponsors and don’t be afraid to ask current satisfied sponsors for a testimonial letter stating how happy they are with your efforts. That can be a BIG PLUS in your sales efforts.
PLEASE FEEL FREE to call us with your sponsorship questions. And put us on your media list for news about your team sponsorship efforts at Esaxton144@aol.com.
OUR SPECIAL OFFER FOR THIS MONTH. Again this month we offer the great book on sponsorship titled WINNING SPONSORSHIP by our friend Andrew Waite, an actual generic drag racing sponsorship proposal (the way we think it should be done) and a one year subscription to our sponsorship marketing newsletter titled Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News (it has helped many with their sponsorship efforts).Normally the package would cost more than $350 and you can buy it now for just $184.95 including postage and handling. Telephone 215.752.7797 and have your credit card ready.

SPONSORSHIP MARKETING With Ernie Saxton

Getting a sponsor may actually be the easy part. Protecting your sponsor, keeping your “friends in the sport” from stealing that sponsor away from you, may be even tougher.
Having been involved in this business for more than 30 years one thing we have learned is “loose lips will cost you sponsorship.” Let me give you an example. We represented a racing team some years back and was asked to do a full blown sponsorship marketing presentation at a company headquarters. We brought a race car that was painted in the company headquarters (that created a lot of excitement) and put on our best “dog and pony” show. It looked very likely that they would become the team sponsor and it involved some very serious money.
Unfortunately the racer we represented felt a need to shared the day’s experience with his “racing friends.” The next day one of his “racing friends” had a proposal delivered to the potential sponsor offering all the same benefits and more for less money The deal for our client died because of “loose lips.”
As we tell racers who call us for assistance and clients we represent keep everything to yourself. Don’t be free with information about your sponsorship marketing efforts with your friends or anyone else. When there is money at stake often times your racing friends become your worst enemies.
Often times our own clients question why we are so secretive about what we are doing regarding their sponsorship marketing efforts and we share with them some of our stories about “loose lips” and the results.
With that said we wanted to use this column to answer some questions from readers.
Our first question deals with getting to the table, ready to finalize the deal, and the potential sponsor is holding back. How can we get the deal finalized? We always hold something back just in case. Maybe you toss in an extra appearance or two. Perhaps we give them some more space on the car and/or the hauler. (Always include the hauler as part of the deal. The exposure on the hauler often is more than that generated by the race car. If you are not a big winner including the hauler is even more important.)
Having something to offer, a deal breaker, to finalize the deal is important.
Question number two. What can we do to generate more exposure for the sponsor? It amazes us how few racers do this and it costs nothing but a little effort. Pit together a FACT SHEET for the track announcer and public relations person. There is no guarantee the information will be used but it definitely will not be used if it is not made available.
As a track announcer, having announced at 174 different tracks across the country and in Canada, it amazes me how few racers make such information available.
All you need to do to create a FACT SHEET is grab a piece of paper and something to write with. Include your name, hometown, age, information on the family, your occupation, hobbies, etc. And the sheet should include information on the team members, type of race car, engine, and more. List some past successes. Share with them a fact or two that no one may be aware of and could be of interest to the fans. And make sure you include a list of sponsors and locations.
Often times, as an announcer, we have had down time. And when that happens we have often found the FACT SHEETS very useful. Like we said there is no guarantee that the information will be used but often times it is and nothing makes a sponsor happier than to hear their name on the public address system.
Question number three. How much should I be asking for? We are often amazed at how many racers call us and ask that question. And when we ask what they need to race, they have no idea. And the racer who tells a sponsor he will take what he can get will most likely find that the sponsor shows no interest.
Actually a potential sponsor will usually figure out what the program is worth to them and how much they are willing to take out of their marketing budget.
There are a lot of things that have to be considered when putting together a price. Is there TV coverage? How many people attend the events? How often do you race? What are you willing to give the sponsor? And the list goes on. When you have all that information then you can come up with a price. One thing we will tell you is allow yourself some “wiggle room.” What that means, is ask for more than you need. 99.9% of the time the potential sponsor will want more for less.
If you have all your information together and want to come up with a price for a sponsor, give us a call and we will work with you on the telephone for a reasonable amount of time. Telephone 215.752.7797.
We’ll be saving up your questions for another column in the near future so keep calling and asking.
WANT MONTHLY HELP WITH YOUR SPONSORSHIP EFFORTS? Our monthly newsletter, now in it’s 21st year of publication, Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, is loaded with help for racers seeking sponsorship. The business of sponsorship marketing changes on a regular basis and you need to be up to date with the latest information. We have just added veteran marketer Gil Bouffard to our staff. He will be writing some features that will be very helpful to racers seeking sponsorship success.
You can sign up for our newsletter at the low cost of $59.95 for a one year subscription. That is a $30 savings off the regular price. And when you are a subscriber you can feel free to pick up the telephone and pick our brain when you need some sponsorship advice. Telephone us at 215.752.7797 to order one year of Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News. And check out our website at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com to see what is new.

SPONSORSHIP MARKETING WITH ERNIE SAXTON

Every racer is looking for that magic part, the one that will put them at the front of the pack each and every time out. In reality, that part doesn’t exist, at least not at your local speed shop.
In today’s media-driven motorsports world, knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it may be more important than anything you can bolt on your race car. The world is full of great drivers who never made it to the top because they couldn’t get in the passing lane in front of the camera, microphone or, perhaps most importantly, a prospective sponsor.
“It’s a different world for drivers trying to break into the top echelons of racing today,” says veteran motorsports broadcaster Rick Benjamin (Rick is a long time friend of this columnist and he is one broadcaster we have great respect for. And who can forget the great work done by Rick and Larry Nuber some years back on The Nashville Network). “Twenty years ago, if you could drive the wheels off a car, that might be enough to get you to the big leagues. It certainly made you a star at the local level. Today, speaking well and projecting yourself positively is essential if you want to be successful in racing. That’s true no matter how old you are, from the local tracks right up to the top levels of the sport.”
If anyone is an expert on driver media relations, it’s Benjamin. The Charlotte, NC broadcaster has called countless races on both radio and television for the past 20 years. When it comes to recognizing solid media skills, Benjamin’s got a unique perspective. That’s why he says media and public relations training for drivers at all levels are all but a must in today’s sponsor-driven racing world.
“The escalating cost of auto racing at all levels has almost put drivers in the position of having to be a salesperson first and a racer second,” said Benjamin. “It’s easy to see why drivers at the top levels have to be quality spokespersons. They’re on television all the time and they have to justify multi-million dollar sponsorships both on and off the track. Considering that even race cars on the local level can cost upwards of $100,000, drivers at the local level have also had to improve their interpersonal skills in order to network the kind of sponsorship dollars just to go racing on a regular basis. If you want to run fast, you have to have the appropriate funding and most guys at the local level don’t have that kind of money.”
In an effort to give drivers at all levels a fighting chance in the glare of the media and corporate spotlights, Benjamin’s Visioncast company started a Media Training program a couple of years ago. According to Benjamin, the one-day program is beneficial to almost any racer.
“We use the morning classroom session to give the participants an overview of the different kinds of media, how they work and what to watch out for,” stated Benjamin, “We talk about key themes and how to get your point across. There’s also emphasis on working with adversarial media and dealing with stressful race-related situations.
“In the afternoon session, we put the participants in interview situations in front of the camera so they can get comfortable with the process,” Benjamin continued. “Just being comfortable in front of the camera, having the correct body language as well as knowing what to say and when, is a big advantage. That’s not only true in working with the media, but also very critical when you’re standing in front of potential sponsor who has the financial ability to take your racing efforts to the next level.”
While Benjamin’s clients have included top stars, recent classes have been populated by a number of “Young Guns” and aspiring racers hoping to quickly advance through the ranks.
“Sanctioning bodies, the major ones, are definitely aiming for the coveted 18-34 year old demographic,” said Benjamin. “Those are the people buying tickets, souvenirs and sponsor-related products and that’s why we’re seeing so many ‘Young Guns’ - drivers in their early 20s – getting great rides. One of the first things these young drivers are recognizing on their way up is they need to work well with the media and be able to sell the sponsor’s product. We’re getting a lot of inquiries from young drivers about taking our media training classes. They view media training like going to a driving school – it’s something they have to learn if they want to get to the top.
Driving talent might initially get them noticed, but being able to sell themselves to the media and potential sponsors is going to get them the ride.”
And what about Media and Sponsor Training for drivers who will never get to the big leagues? According to Benjamin, it’s still a worthwhile exercise.
“There’s a great line from the movie The Right Stuff where the astronauts tell the NASA officials ‘No Bucks, No Buck Rogers,’” said Benjamin. “It’s like that at all levels of racing. If you want to go fast and win races, you have to have the right financial backing. Being able to present yourself well is key to getting the right funding. With it, you can win races and maybe advance your career. Without it, you’re just driving in circles.”
For more information on Media and Sponsor Training, please contact Rick Benjamin at rickben@earthlink.net.
AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL OFFER for readers that gives you a copy of our newest sponsorship video (two hours of a recent seminar on VHS) so you can watch it in the comfort of your own home or office. In addition there is a generic proposal that gives you what you need to make your presentation to a potential sponsor and a one year subscription to Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News (our monthly newsletter on sponsorship that has helped so many be a success in gaining sponsorship). The usual cost would be about $400. You can get it with a simple telephone call to 215.752.7797 (have credit card ready) for just $159.95 plus $10.00 for postage and handling. This is a package you can use this season and many seasons to come.
Got a question about sponsorship give us a call or email us at Esaxton144@aol.com.

SHOW SPECIAL EXTENDED FOR SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE AND UNICEF TSUNAMI DONATIONS

LANGHORNE, PA January 21,2005 . . . "We have had quite a few Motorsports 2005 show attendees contacting us because they missed out on the show special that we offered during our SPONSORSHIP BASICS seminar which drew a standing room only audience," said Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News publisher Ernie Saxton. "Many were disappointed that they missed out on the special offer so we have decided to extend that special deal."
The Motorsports 2005 Show Special included the great book written by sponsorship marketing expert Andrew Waite titled Winning Sponsorship, a generic sponsorship proposal that includes the cover letter, contract and more (the way we feel it should be done), a generic sponsorship marketing brochure (something racers should have with them at all times) and a one year subscription to Ernie Saxton’s Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News (this is the monthly newsletter, now in its 21st year, that has helped so many reach sponsorship success).
The Show Special is priced at $145.95, which includes postage and handling, with 10% being donated to the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund. If purchased separately the package would cost more than $400.
"As a result of the orders placed at the show, during the SPONSORSHIP BASICS seminar, we were able to donate $350 to the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund. And we will continue to donate 10% from each order placed until January 31st," said Saxton. "We think it is important for racers to be out their seeking sponsorship and using the right approach and materials. For that reason we are extending the Show Special offer."
At the same time Saxton has announced that with this being the start of his 21st year of publishing Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, he is offering the newsletter at half price. Normally the newsletter, 12 monthly issues, sells for $89.95 but new subscribers will be able to subscribe for just $45.00. And while supplies last Saxton will include a couple of the past editions for new subscribers at no additional cost.
Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News offers feature stories by experts on sponsorship marketing, public and media relations, latest sponsorship news, tips, leads, helps and more.
And Saxton is offering a NEW Sponsorship Basics seminar video. This is a two hour video tape completed at a recent seminar. The video offers the opportunity to learn about sponsorship marketing in the comfort of your home or office and then telephone Saxton to ask questions. The price is just $99.95 plus $6.00 for postage and handling.
To order the Show Special, the newsletter or sponsorship video at the special prices telephone 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. Major credit cards are accepted. Check in at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com to see all the free information provided for those seeking sponsorship help and the sponsorship marketing materials that are available.
Saxton also makes himself available as a consultant and does take on sponsorship representation clients from time-to-time. In addition he is available to present sponsorship seminars for speedways, teams and organizations.
The Langhorne, PA resident has more than 35 years experience in motorsports marketing.

SPONSORSHIP SEMINARS SET FOR JANUARY 14 AND DAYTONA BEACH FEBUARY 18TH

LANGHORNE, PA JANUARY 2, 2005 . . . "The reason most racers are not successful at securing sponsorship support is that they never try," was the comment by Ernie Saxton, considered a sponsorship expert and is publisher of the monthly sponsorship marketing newsletter titled Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News. "We get calls every day from racers looking for the easy road to sponsorship. We explain what it takes and that there is a time, effort and expense involved, and they seem to give up before they even get started."
Saxton points out that sponsorship marketing is not really brain surgery. With a little effort, some time and money invested, the rewards can be fantastic.
A recent article in IEG Sponsorship Report forecasted that sponsorship spending by North American companies will increase by 8.8% to more than $12 BILLION in 2005. Racers should be anxious to get their share of that impressive amount of money.
"Many racers seem to think that sponsorship is only available to those who are successful on the speedway. That is not true. Sure if you are successful on the track that helps. However the real secret of sponsorship marketing success is what the racer is willing to put into the marketing package and use to make the sponsorship successful. We have been involved in the sponsorship marketing business for a lot of years and we have seen many racers find sponsorship success without being outstanding performers on the track," said Saxton. "The success, serious sponsorship support, comes to those who are willing to make the effort. You have to be willing to work at it. Often times it takes as much effort, maybe more, that the effort being spent on the actual racing. However the stress level in the sport will be lot less with sponsorship in hand."
On Friday, January 14th, Saxton will offer a "BASICS IN SPONSORSHIP SUCCESS" seminar, about 55 minutes of what he thinks racers should be doing to be successful at sponsorship marketing, starting at 4:30 p.m. It will be the 20th year that Saxton has offered this free seminar as part of the huge Motorsports 2005 Presented by Sunoco motorsports extravaganza.
Saxton will also include a question and answer session along with offering some of his sponsorship marketing materials at a discounted rate for just seminar attendees.
And on Friday, February 18th, 9 a.m. Saxton will offer his three hour SPONSORSHIP MARKETING A TO Z seminar in Daytona Beach, Florida. Saxton has offered the in-depth session, much like a workshop, for more than a dozen years during SpeedWeek activities.
The Daytona seminar includes just about everything he can squeeze into three hours that will help racers, event organizers, organization officials and others reach sponsorship success. The seminar is designed for those who are local and regional racers. A question and answer session is included and Saxton will be happy to review sponsorship marketing proposals for attendees at no additional cost.
The price for the Daytona Beach seminar is $149.95 and will include a generic sponsorship proposal and a subscription to Saxton’s Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News.
Just 25 reservations are taken for the February 18th Daytona Beach seminar. For information or to make a reservation telephone 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392.
For more information on Ernie Saxton and his sponsorship services and materials check in at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com.
And for those who can not attend his seminar he does have a special offer available that includes a recent sponsorship seminar on video (two hours) plus a one year subscription to his Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News for just $99.95 plus $6.00 for postage and handling. The regular price would be $240.
Saxton also presents sponsorship seminars, helping race teams, organizations and speedways, to raise funds. Seminars are easy to arrange and can be very profitable. Saxton has offered his seminars in Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada and many other states plus Canada.
Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc. is located in Langhorne, PA.

SHOW BUSINESS IS PART OF SPONSORSHIP MARKETING
With Ernie Saxton

The racing season is over. At least that is true in most parts of the country. And once the final race has been run all of sudden racers realize that they should be considering who they will be contacting in regard to sponsorship for 2005 and beyond. Actually sponsorship marketing efforts for 2005 should have started a long time ago…..if you are looking for serious financial support.
One of the most popular steps in seeking sponsorship is for racers to take part in trade shows. Many great shows are coming up. There are hundreds of companies involved in motorsports exhibiting at these shows. It is a great place to network, make contacts to secure sponsorships and other support. However most racers do not handle it very well.
Exhibitors at trade shows are there to sell their services and products not to listen to racers give sponsorship spiels. And many exhibitors are often offended by racers who try to take up their valuable sales time, clogging up their display area, with full blown sponsorship presentations.
We suggest that you make your visit quick. See if you can speak the person who handles marketing. If there is no one there involved in marketing. Make an effort to get the name of the marketing person. If you are fortunate enough to reach someone involved in marketing take 60 seconds or less to explain who you are and what you are looking for. Get a business card. Give out your business card and a brochure (easy to create and should be part of your sponsorship marketing package) that explains, briefly, what your sponsorship package includes. See if an appointment can be arranged for the future or at least tell him or her that you will be in touch in the very near future. You might even be able to arrange to meet over cocktails or a meal. Offer to buy. You have to spend money to make money. The important part of all this is to be sure you follow up.
If you are not fortunate enough to actually meet the marketing person but you have been successful in getting the marketing person’s name, ask if you can leave your card and brochure. Follow up with a telephone call to their office to be sure card and brochure was received and try to set up an appointment.
Now if you are fortunate enough to get some time, off the show floor, to meet with the marketing person make sure you have a proposal to show and you are well prepared to talk about your sponsorship program and answer any questions. Rarely will you sell a program on the spot. This will pretty much be a get acquainted session and if all goes well you will be invited to meet again. And offer to pay the check if there has been food or drink served. That makes a strong impression otherwise you might be considered a mooch.
By the way don’t show up at the show wearing your blue jeans, favorite racing t-shirt, faded baseball hat and sneakers…..and then expect to be taken seriously when you visit the various exhibitors.
If possible, get to the show very early so that you can get a directory. Make an effort to find out who is at the show in advance. Either way you map out your stops, who you want to see so that you are not running around, unorganized, and wasting a lot of time.
Trade shows, motorsports shows and other similar events offer great opportunities to sell your sponsorship if you handle yourself in a professional manner. And if you don’t then you will make it difficult for all racers trying to do the same thing. Good luck in your efforts.
NOW THAT SEASON IS OVER it is time to send or hand deliver your sponsors a report on the season. Tell the sponsor what he got for his investment. If you hand deliver the report, call and let them know you are coming first, it will give you the opportunity to make your sales pitch for next season. Give the sponsor reasons to renew. If you have had great success (that does not just mean a winning season) that should be reason enough to renew. Success is based on doing what was promised for the sponsor. Did you get them the media exposure promised? Did your sponsorship have impact on the sponsor’s business? Did you keep the sponsor informed throughout the season?
If you mail the report, allow a few days and follow up with a telephone call. Make sure the report was received. See if there are questions. And offer to come by to talk about next season. Of course if your sponsorship efforts did not do what was promised, it will probably be difficult, perhaps impossible, to get an appointment.
Be prepared for the meeting with your current sponsor in order to renew or you can use these suggestions when meeting with a potential new sponsor. Write down on a piece of paper all the topics you hope to discuss during the meeting. For each topic you’ve identified, frame a question in plain, simple language. Read all of your questions aloud. Listen to how they sound. Edit to make them as clear as possible. Make sure, based on the personalities of the people involved, your wording is appropriate. Arrange your questions into a logical strategic progression. Before you ask important questions, pause for a moment. This will signal the prospect that what follows is critical and needs a thoughtful response. Remember to ask questions in a calm, collected manner, and one at a time. Try to match the sponsor’s, or potential sponsor, rate of speech and demeanor. Listen to your sponsor’s responses with an active listening posture while maintaining eye contact. Your body language should send the same message you communicate with your words.
SPECIAL OFFER. We just concluded another Sponsorship A To Z Seminar and have a new video tape of the seminar to offer our readers. For just $174.95 ($10.00 postage and handling) you will receive the seminar tape (watch in the comfort of your home), the great sponsorship book titled WINNING SPONSORSHIP by Andrew Waite or an actual sponsorship proposal and our Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News (a one year subscription). Telephone to order at 215.752.7797 or visit our website at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com.
We will again be doing a SPONSORSHIP BASICS SEMINAR at Motorsports 2005 Presented by Sunoco at the Fort Washington, PA Expo Center on Friday, January 14th, 7:30 p.m. That is opening night for the three day show. And we will again be doing a three hour SPONSORSHIP A TO Z SEMINAR in Daytona Beach, Florida on February 18th at 9 a.m. Cost is just $149.95. Call for details.
Contact us at Esaxton144@aol.com to get the details. And that is the same address to use if you have questions about sponsorship marketing.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

PROOF THAT OUR SPONSORSHIP MARKETING HELP DOES WORK
With Ernie Saxton

This time around we offer you the last of our three part series (refer to previous editions) that covers a long list of suggestions and ideas to help you be successful in your sponsorship efforts.
CONSIDER SENDING PROPOSALS by Federal Express or a similar delivery company. Just about everyone pays more attention/gives credibility to this type of package when it arrives.
CONSIDER ADJUSTING phraseology you use - cost or price becomes amount or investment; down payment/first payment becomes initial amount or initial investment; replace contract with paperwork, agreement or form; buy becomes purchase or own; instead of problem, use situation or
challenge; objections are areas of concern; cheaper becomes more economical.
DON’T VIEW "NOs" as failures - they are learning experiences, give you the opportunity to develop your sense of humor, give you the opportunity to practice techniques and perfect performance and negative feedback can change your course of direction.
SELLING [hunting for marketing partner(s)/sponsor(s)] is finding the people to sell and selling the people you find.
GREAT SALES PRESENTATIONS are made up of three parts: 1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, 2. Tell them, and 3. Tell them what you’ve told them.
LISTEN more than you talk. This is a problem for a lot of us. Learn to listen. When you talk, ask questions.
SALES STALLS - are a challenge of selling and are often an appeal for justification (now is the time to throw in those little things you’ve been holding back for just such an occasion). They show that a prospect has both positive and negative feelings about your offer. Build on the pros- pect’s positive thoughts, satisfy their negative ones - be prepared! If you can’t get by the stall, make a new appointment, review proposal and make changes so it’s more attractive. Last but not least, ask for the order - if they say "NO" it gets you past the stall and you can move on. They just may need to have the question asked.
ADDRESS THE PEOPLE you are contacting as "Mr.", "Ms" (unless you know the woman in question is a "Mrs.") until invited to do otherwise.
DON’T SPEAK TOO FAST, especially when leaving a message on voice mail. Most people, when nervous, can seemingly hit 100 mph while talking. Conversely, don’t talk too slowly - many systems have a fairly short space for each message.
IN CONVERSATION, be cognizant of "uh", "um", "ah", "like", "ya know", "you know what I mean" and "let me tell ya what" and other such verbal mental pauses. Need to formulate an answer? Take a deep breath and swallow while you think or comment, "Let me think a moment before I answer that…"
YOUR MARKETING PARTNERSHIP proposals should include benefits beyond "exposure" and "tax write-off" to the potential sponsor. Some businesses are not looking for exposure and be very careful when you talk to someone about "tax write-offs."
DON’T BE SURPRISED if you are asked for credit and/or personal references from potential marketing partners - be prepared with names and contact info. And be sure you’ve asked the contacts in advance if it’s ok to use them as a reference.
THIS LETTER SHOWS THAT WHAT WE PREACH CAN WORK……
This letter comes from a regular reader who seems to feel that what we offer here on a regular basis does work. I never had any doubts. Did you? If it works for a nine year old imagine what it can do for you.
Ernie
I have read every article, applied your principles and it WORKS! We are a first year 2 cycle JR Sportsman kart racing family from Wisconsin. My son Kyle is nine years old but his right foot is the size of Dale Jr. (smile). I set up a marketing campaign using your recommendations. We landed several area sponsors. After a while it became almost easy. I believe we provide the sponsors a value for their investment they simply can't pass up.
I kept to the basics as you said.
1) We started a website http://www.bfiveracing.com/ as the foundation of the marketing package.
2) We leverage "logo links" at the main page as our top offering.
(Logo links are sponsors logos on the main page which when you click on take you to their website).
3) We have three (3) simple and easy to understand sponsorship packages; Platinum ($1000.00), Gold ($500.00) and Race Day($100.00). Each provides a different level of return to match the spend.
4) I created a color marketing proposal with pictures throughout to help tell the story. "A pictures worth a thousand words".
The final page on each proposal is tailored to describe exactly what we are looking for from that sponsor and describes what we will provide in return. NOWHERE does it talk about what we need them to do for us...it only talks about what B-Five Racing can and will do to help promote their business or service.
5) We display the car at every race or car show we can fit into. Provide scheduled appearances at sponsor’s locations with the kart and driver. Go to schools, to talk to other kids about Say No Drugs and safe driving with the driver,hauler and kart.
6) We have Sponsor Appreciation Days at the track. Offer them the opportunity to bring customers or family for a day at the races. Provide them pit passes to show them karting from the inside.My wife cooks up a nice lunch with table cloths and fancy napkins under a canopy tent. Make them feel like VIPs for the day.My wife's cooking alone is worth a $1000.00.
MOST IMPORTANT: We deliver on the promise.
Return on investment/ traceable results.
A: Website: Logo links Moving traffic to their site(s), interesting content to keep consistent viewership.
B Corporate Identity; Trailer with BIG, easy to read ( thanks to your article) lettering, kart lettering on sides and fairing. School visits, newsletters with their logos & web info and race /car show displays.
C Image; Good kid who: speaks well, races clean, appreciates their support, kart is always clean, decals updated, trailer immaculate.
D. Creativity: VIP Racedays for sponsors and their customers.
E: Sales Impact: Example F&F Tire (one of our Platinum sponsors) We distribute flyers to kart racers. "Buy a set of tires at F&F and get your kart race tires digitally mounted and balanced for FREE. To date we have helped sell more tires than they have spent in sponsor dollars. Good for F&F, good for the karters and good for us.
F) FUN: We make it something you want to be involved in. Newsletters sent to customers, associates and family, the VIP days, calling them personally to talk about last race and reinforce our appreciation of their involvement.
You may notice... nowhere did I talk about Kyle's win loss record, position in the points, NEED to win...because there isn't a NEED to win - He's nine in his first year. To date his best finish is eighth and the sponsors are elated!!! He races hard, drives clean and loves the sport. We deliver on our promise to market their business and that is all they are looking for IF it is done right. Thanks to your program "I think" we have put our best foot forward.
Thank you again for some great information that worked beyond our expectations.
David Brinkmann
Marketing Director B-Five Racing
SPONSORSHIP SEMINAR SET FOR NOVEMBER 13TH IN LANGHORNE, PA. For just $149.95 we offer a three hour seminar along with Winning Sponsorship book and a subscription to our monthly newsletter. This is at least a $300 package for just $149.95. Reservations are limited so we suggested you make your reservation early. No paying at the door. Telephone today so that you are not left out.
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.saxtonsponsormarket.com for the latest sponsorship helps and materials. We have some great special offers on the site to prepare you NOW for your sponsorship marketing efforts. And there are a lot of free helps. And we are always happy to chat with readers about sponsorship. Telephone us at 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. And you can email us at Esaxton144@aol.com.

NEW SPONSORSHIP MARKETING KIT FOR LOCAL AND REGIONAL RACERS IS AVAILABLE NOW

LANGHORNE, PA November 26, 2004 . . . For those wanting to be successful in their efforts to secure marketing partners for their auto racing efforts, Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., publisher of the monthly newsletter on sponsorship marketing titled Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News, has come up with a new sponsorship marketing kit.
The kit includes a brand new video just completed of a sponsorship seminar that Ernie Saxton presented recently. The two hour video covers much of the information that racers need to know in order to be successful in securing sponsorship/marketing marketing partners. In the video Saxton is also found answering many questions from seminar attendees.
WINNING SPONSORSHIPS, a great book on sponsorship marketing, written by Andrew Waite is also part of the kit as is a one year subscription to Saxton’s Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News.
If purchased separately the package would cost close to $350. For a short time, at a time when race teams have completed their seasons and are anxious to get started on the 2005 season and are looking to secure sponsorship support, the package is being offered at a very special price of $149.95 plus $10.00 for postage and handling.
More information may be found at WWW.SAXTONSPONSORMARKET.COM.
The Ultimate Sponsorship Package, designed for professional racers, is also available and is described at the website. An ESC, Inc. brochure of services and self help materials is available upon request.
The sponsorship marketing kit may be ordered by telephoning Saxton at 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. Email Esaxton144@aol.com. All major credit cards are accepted.
Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc., located in Langhorne, PA, offers more than 35 years of motorsports marketing experience. His firm offers a variety of marketing services for racer teams and event organizers seeking sponsorship and media relations. Saxton also offers his expertise as a consultant to businesses looking to benefit from marketing through motorsports.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL AND MORE……
With Ernie Saxton

Just about every day of the week we have racers, event organizers and even sponsors telephone to ask questions. In the next few columns we are going to share with you some of the questions and our answers to the questions most often asked.
My long time friend Sylvia Allen, the marketing guru when it comes to sponsorship marketing for events, helped us with this question. "What should I be including in my marketing partnership/sponsorship proposal?"
Sylvia shares many of the same thoughts that we do. You have to do some homework….read newspapers (we read five each day including the Wall Street Journal), visit company websites, ask for a company prospectus, and try to talk with someone in marketing at the company you are approaching. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that many company representatives are happy and very willing to talk about their company and share some marketing secrets. Ask a few questions such as:
* Actually the first question should probably be to find out if the company has an interest in sponsorship marketing. That one question could save you a lot of time, expense and aggravation. If they have no interest in sponsorship, you will not have to ask any of the other questions.
* What are their budget parameters? If you are looking for $100,000 why not make sure they have $100,000 available to spend.
* Now that you got that out of the way, ask what is the company criteria for sponsorship?
* How do they measure success for their sponsorship involvement? This is good to know so that you can incorporate some measurement ideas in your proposal.
* How will your sponsorship be integrated into their other marketing activities?
* Are sales, profitability, and employee attraction/retention important components of a sponsorship offering? It is amazing to us how many sponsorship seekers seem to be feel that the only thing that companies are interested in is gaining media exposure. That is not a priority with many companies but if you can show how your sponsorship package can impact their bottom line you will probably have a much better chance to success.
* Many companies place hospitality and entertainment above media exposure when it comes to sponsorship programs. So make sure you find out if hospitality is important to the potential sponsor and address it in the proposal.
* This is very important. Find out who gets involved in the actual decision making process. This will save you from spending a lot of time talking with someone who leads you to believe he or she is a decision maker but does not have the authority to order a dozen pencils.
As Sylvia Allen told me, if you get answers to these questions it will provide great direction for your presentation. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS! Make sure you do some research on the company that you are contacting. AND MAKE SURE YOU DO A LOT OF LISTENING. I have never learned anything while talking.
We can put you in touch with Sylvia if you would have interest in buying her book, HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT SPONSORSHIP SALES. Though it is designed for those seeking event sponsors it has a lot of useful information for anyone involved in sponsorship sales. I use the book often.
A racer from California asked "How can I get information about companies that I want to contact regarding sponsorship?" If you are looking for local sponsorship, in your home area, check with the local Chamber of Commerce to see if they have a directory available. Most Chamber of Commerce directories list all the member businesses and key people along with phone numbers and more.
I also suggest that you spend time reading the local newspapers which often include business news. And most newspapers include new business listings on a regular basis. Some of those new businesses could be looking for ways to market themselves and you could be in a position to offer that opportunity.
And in many cities there are Business Journals. We subscribe to the Philadelphia Business Journal because it keeps us informed on what is happening with area businesses. And on a regular basis they offer a list of new businesses. We send them a "good luck with the new business letter" and follow up with a telephone call to see if we can be of service…..set up a meeting after asking some of the questions we suggested earlier in this article. You want to get out and have face-to-face meetings with as many businesses as possible but you want to be well prepared for each meeting and you don’t want to be wasting time with those who have no interest or no budget money available.
Next issue we will talk about that SECRET SOURCE OF SPONSORSHIP MONEY that goes untapped because the businesses that have it don’t think about it and most sponsorship seekers are not aware of it.
SPONSORSHIP MARKETING SEMINAR. On Saturday, November 13th, 9 a.m. in Langhorne, PA we will be presenting a three hour SPONSORSHIP MARKETING A TO Z SEMINAR. This will be three hours of learning how we think you can be successful at attracting sponsorship support for your race car, your event or your organization. It is designed to bring serious money to those who are looking for serious sponsorship support. And we will stick around to answer questions plus if you bring your current proposal, and an envelope with enough postage to return it, we will review it for you.
The cost is $149.95, just 30 registrations will be accepted, and that will include a one year subscription to our monthly newsletter, Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News (now in our 20th year), the great sponsorship book by Andrew Waite titled WINNING SPONSORSHIP and the three hour seminar. That is a package valued at more than $300 and you get it all for just $149.95. You can sign up for the seminar at 215.752.7797 and you must register in advance. CHECK US OUT at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com. We have a lot of FREE information on our website which is updated on a regular basis.
Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com

"SPONSORSHIP MARKETING A TO Z" SEMINAR SET FOR NOVEMBER 13TH

LANGHORNE, PA October 12, 2004 . . . "One of the biggest problems I see in sponsorship marketing for weekly short track racers and regional racers is that they sell their sponsorship package too cheap," said sponsorship marketing guru Ernie Saxton as he outlined a number of problems facing racers seeking sponsorship.
"Racers are not selling a package of benefits to potential sponsors. It continues to amaze me how many racers, looking for sponsorship, seem to be begging, looking for handouts, rather than actually outlining the benefits of sponsoring their race team. The majority of racers still think that sponsorship is nothing more than taking the money, painting the sponsor’s name on their race car (not including the hauler) and calling that sponsorship."
Saxton, who has been involved in sponsorship marketing for more than 30 years, publishes the internationally circulated monthly newsletter titled MOTORSPORTS SPONSORSHIP MARKETING NEWS. The newsletter, which offers news and feature articles related to sponsorship marketing, promotion and media relations, has helped many racers to be successful in their sponsorship search efforts.
On Saturday, November 13th, Saxton will present his "Sponsorship A To Z" Seminar/Workshop in Langhorne, PA. It is set to start at 9 a.m. Seating will be limited to just 30 and reservations must be made in advance. A special seminar/workshop offer has been created and includes the three hour seminar (including questions and answers), a one year subscription to Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News and a copy of Andrew Waite’s great book on sponsorship titled Winning Sponsorship for just $149.95. That is a package worth more than $300.
The three hour seminar/workshop will give attendees all the ammunition that Saxton feels they will need to be successful in their efforts to secure SERIOUS SPONSORSHIP.
Saxton will show attendees how to create proposals that work, add value to their current offer, securing media exposure, creating interest, presenting a professional image and more.
For information and to register for the seminar telephone 215.752.7797 or 215.752.2392. Saxton offers a load of sponsorship helps and services on his website at www.saxtonsponsormarket.com or you can request a free sample of his Motorsports Sponsorship Marketing News along with information on materials available for racers wanting to improve their sponsorship marketing efforts.
Saxton is also planning a "Sponsorship A To Z " Seminar in Daytona Beach, Florida on Friday, February 18th, 9 a.m. This seminar, again three hours, will touch on what racers involved in regional and national competition need to do to be successful in their sponsorship marketing efforts.