Sponsorship

Feegee

Feegee

The Magic Man
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
2,678
Location
Oklahoma city
I am still pretty new at the shooting game and learning as I go, but I may have a chance for a big company to sponsor me and help with match fees, ammo, and maybe some training classes. They said to get a DVD, and some info gathered up and show them what it is all about, and stuff like that. I need some input from you guys on how you think I should go about doing this, and if it works out maybe I can get some others (that are a lot better than me) in on this to.
 
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I would make sure you get somebody that's a professional photographer to make your video. Money spent on that will be paid back many times if you get a sponsor.
 
Well if you just need general match video you can go to youtube. I'm sure they will want to see some of you shooting, so hopefully you have some. Use an editing program to add an intro and maybe some titles. I use Imovie on the Mac.

The USPSA has a good intro video if you just need an explanation of the sport.
 
Shoot an e-mail over to these guys http://www.hookit.com/ Its a site dedicated to the connection of athletes, sponsors and even small businesses. They have sports as obscure as fencing on there... I can't see why they would be opposed to shooting sports?

Anyways, I used them to help me out with my motorcycles in 05-07. $50 per year to have my page saved me over $2k in equipment/maintence costs.

If you can get a page on there they have sections for photos, videos, results, event recaps, social networking and more.

Some companies that offer deals there that may interest shooters are Rudy Project(glasses), Spy(glasses), Rockwell Time(watches), GoPro(cameras), Pro-Tec(knee/elbow pads), ZYM Drink Tabs(hydration), AMSOIL(they make gun oil too), BLOQ Sunscreen(duh), Liquid Image(cameras), Skorbordz(need a custom name plate for your 3 gun cart?), Pit Posse Motorsports(you need sweet stainless steel racks and stuff for that 3 gun cart), Kicker Car Audio(pimpin), Under Armour(gotta stay cool)

The biggest missconception about sponsorship is that you have to be awesome to get it. Nay Nay, you can be as average as Joe. The trick is to project an image that says; 1)PEOPLE IN MY SPORT LIKE AND RESPECT ME 2)I can give your company good, POSITIVE exposure, 3)I am a good SPORTSMAN

If you go with a video to show prospective sponsors, USE THEIR PRODUCT IN THE VIDEO. Also, show that you are more than just a competitor. Show some footage of you shaking hands, kissing babies, helping your fellow competitors out and being a friendly and positive figure in general.

IMPORTANT; If you are going with a video, YOU must make a connection with whoever is making the decisions very quickly. Make them like you instantly. Be clean cut, have open and inviting body positioning. Use proper grammer with adjectives that make you sound exciting and like someone they want to root for.

Anyways, that's just what I've picked up in my 20+ years of Self Marketing 101 in the dirtbike world. Hope it helps.
 
Based on this I think I'll pick a couple of lucky sponsors myself

Crash217 said:
Shoot an e-mail over to these guys http://www.hookit.com/ Its a site dedicated to the connection of athletes, sponsors and even small businesses. They have sports as obscure as fencing on there... I can't see why they would be opposed to shooting sports?

Anyways, I used them to help me out with my motorcycles in 05-07. $50 per year to have my page saved me over $2k in equipment/maintence costs.

If you can get a page on there they have sections for photos, videos, results, event recaps, social networking and more.

Some companies that offer deals there that may interest shooters are Rudy Project(glasses), Spy(glasses), Rockwell Time(watches), GoPro(cameras), Pro-Tec(knee/elbow pads), ZYM Drink Tabs(hydration), AMSOIL(they make gun oil too), BLOQ Sunscreen(duh), Liquid Image(cameras), Skorbordz(need a custom name plate for your 3 gun cart?), Pit Posse Motorsports(you need sweet stainless steel racks and stuff for that 3 gun cart), Kicker Car Audio(pimpin), Under Armour(gotta stay cool)

The biggest missconception about sponsorship is that you have to be awesome to get it. Nay Nay, you can be as average as Joe. The trick is to project an image that says; 1)PEOPLE IN MY SPORT LIKE AND RESPECT ME 2)I can give your company good, POSITIVE exposure, 3)I am a good SPORTSMAN

If you go with a video to show prospective sponsors, USE THEIR PRODUCT IN THE VIDEO. Also, show that you are more than just a competitor. Show some footage of you shaking hands, kissing babies, helping your fellow competitors out and being a friendly and positive figure in general.

IMPORTANT; If you are going with a video, YOU must make a connection with whoever is making the decisions very quickly. Make them like you instantly. Be clean cut, have open and inviting body positioning. Use proper grammer with adjectives that make you sound exciting and like someone they want to root for.

Anyways, that's just what I've picked up in my 20+ years of Self Marketing 101 in the dirtbike world. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
 
Crash217 said:
The biggest missconception about sponsorship is that you have to be awesome to get it. Nay Nay, you can be as average as Joe. The trick is to project an image that says; 1)PEOPLE IN MY SPORT LIKE AND RESPECT ME 2)I can give your company good, POSITIVE exposure, 3)I am a good SPORTSMAN

If you go with a video to show prospective sponsors, USE THEIR PRODUCT IN THE VIDEO. Also, show that you are more than just a competitor. Show some footage of you shaking hands, kissing babies, helping your fellow competitors out and being a friendly and positive figure in general.

IMPORTANT; If you are going with a video, YOU must make a connection with whoever is making the decisions very quickly. Make them like you instantly. Be clean cut, have open and inviting body positioning. Use proper grammer with adjectives that make you sound exciting and like someone they want to root for.

Anyways, that's just what I've picked up in my 20+ years of Self Marketing 101 in the dirtbike world. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...

Side note. Crash, do I know you? I'm sure our paths have crossed at one time or another.

Very well said. I wasn't going to post it, but in my past as an ATV racer, I had Subaki chains, Scott goggles, and Wiseco pistons as sponsors. They gave me cases of product to give away at races. Coming off the track, throw goggles into the crowd, share spark plugs and chains with other racers, to promote good will and get the name out. Was not the best in the country, but made sure the sponsors got what they paid for.
Its like a job. Put in a resume with a great video, and great pics, 8X10, High resolution of doing something awesome, wear their logo's and talk the product. Every win was because of the sponsors great product.

Ponca City has been putting on the Grand National Motocross for 20 some years now. 2nd largest in the country, and its going on now.
Parents looking for sponsors for their kids, have calenders made, professional photo's, etc to market their kids to the factory teams on site.
Just take this advise and the advice from Crash and run with it. One never knows how its going to turn out. (as crash said, stay with the clean cut look ;) )
 
Crash217 said:
Shoot an e-mail over to these guys http://www.hookit.com/ Its a site dedicated to the connection of athletes, sponsors and even small businesses. They have sports as obscure as fencing on there... I can't see why they would be opposed to shooting sports?

Anyways, I used them to help me out with my motorcycles

Thank you so much for this info i will follow a lot of this to the "T" in 05-07. $50 per year to have my page saved me over $2k in equipment/maintence costs.

If you can get a page on there they have sections for photos, videos, results, event recaps, social networking and more.

Some companies that offer deals there that may interest shooters are Rudy Project(glasses), Spy(glasses), Rockwell Time(watches), GoPro(cameras), Pro-Tec(knee/elbow pads), ZYM Drink Tabs(hydration), AMSOIL(they make gun oil too), BLOQ Sunscreen(duh), Liquid Image(cameras), Skorbordz(need a custom name plate for your 3 gun cart?), Pit Posse Motorsports(you need sweet stainless steel racks and stuff for that 3 gun cart), Kicker Car Audio(pimpin), Under Armour(gotta stay cool)

The biggest missconception about sponsorship is that you have to be awesome to get it. Nay Nay, you can be as average as Joe. The trick is to project an image that says; 1)PEOPLE IN MY SPORT LIKE AND RESPECT ME 2)I can give your company good, POSITIVE exposure, 3)I am a good SPORTSMAN

If you go with a video to show prospective sponsors, USE THEIR PRODUCT IN THE VIDEO. Also, show that you are more than just a competitor. Show some footage of you shaking hands, kissing babies, helping your fellow competitors out and being a friendly and positive figure in general.

IMPORTANT; If you are going with a video, YOU must make a connection with whoever is making the decisions very quickly. Make them like you instantly. Be clean cut, have open and inviting body positioning. Use proper grammer with adjectives that make you sound exciting and like someone they want to root for.

Anyways, that's just what I've picked up in my 20+ years of Self Marketing 101 in the dirtbike world. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for this info it is very helpful and I will follow a lot of this to the "T", and Jesse I will probally need some of your expertise!!
 
Dennis, I doubt we ever really crossed paths as I never had any contact with quads. I was an mx kid at Ponca, Lake Whitney etc, 23 or so years ago, then switched to woods racing once I got on a 60cc full time. I've been with MSR off and on since 95. I'm nothing special, just a bottom of the barrel AA/Pro class rider than routinely gets beat by the faster guys in the class below me. But I have more fun with racing now than I ever have. I'm sitting 2nd overall in the ATVMotion series this year. 6 points back and hoping I can make the last few races count.

Anywho....
 
I already have 10 pending sponsors in this category.


http://www.hookit.com/wheelchair_racing/default.aspx
 
I know this is an old thread, but it's something I have been wondering about. The Army Marksmanship Unit, years ago, had a pick-up shooter program, where current soldiers could try out for the various teams and, if they showed potential, could be assigned to the AMU on a training/trial basis. Those days are gone, which really sucks. Anyway, I hope to wear someone's jersey someday in the near future, but for now, being active duty, I wouldn't be able to devote the time or travel necessary to adequately represent any sponsors, even if I were good enough.

It has always seemed like a catch-22, in which you almost need a sponsor to help with ammo and match costs, but in order to get sponsored, you need to burn lots of ammo and spend lots on match costs to get the experience and skill to be desirable. I have discovered this isn't really the case in terms of mechanical skill, as that can be improved very easily, although I'm pretty sure nothing can substitute match experience for getting better at shooting matches.

To make a short story long, I have a couple years until I retire, and in that time I plan to bust my ass to improve my skills and experience to become more marketable. My question is this; with the sport of practical pistol and 3 gun exploding the way it is, and the lack of advertising that many companies can get away with and still make sales in today's market, what kind of events, and rankings should I strive for before approaching companies with sponsorship discussions? Obviously, Glock isn't going to pick me up as a B-class USPSA shooter with no major match wins, because I haven't been on TV and I'm not a hot 5'2" former gymnast. I certainly don't plan to try for the bare minimum to impress someone, but if I make it my plan to win the 3GN championship or Production Nationals before approaching a company, I'll basically have to murder all the other competitors in their sleep and I'm not even sure where Barry Dueck lives or, for that matter, if he sleeps.
 
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