Sponsorships?

[-venom-]

Anybody have some good info on exactly how to go about acquiring sponsorships for a team? I'm trying to get a 2004 Winternationals team together, and while it's still early yet, the sooner things get finalized, the better.

Or is it a long shot to expect anything at all from most companies? At least team discounts, right?


hmm.... harder than I though..



http://www.phatwhippincrx.20m.com/images/dumbass.jpg

[missionhockey21]

Are you talking about a full out equipment sponsorship or just like jersey and pants being supplied?

[-venom-]

Mainly just jerseys and pants, perhaps wheels and bearings as well..... but for the most part, yeah jerseys and pants



http://www.phatwhippincrx.20m.com/images/dumbass.jpg

[DannyG]

Whether you appaoach an industry sponsor for equipment, or a non-industry company for cash support, the approach is the same...

1. What's in it for them? The sponsor company will either have to get some good publicity or public recognition ("public" at the very least within the inline hockey community), or the company will want to simply do it as a good deed (out and out charitible contribution).

2. Put together some form of a presentation: written, media, samples, etc. and present them in person. Be prepared to dramatically demonstrate exactly what this is going to cost your prospective sponsor, and even more exactly what they are going to get out of it. It is even more helpful if you could show how the sponsor company could measure the benefit(s) to them.

Examples;
a. By sponsoring you, their product sales will increase...and how they will know that the increase is because they sponsored you.
b. The intangible good will that the company will receive by doing it's good deed in giving you stuff or money.
c. The company's sponsrship of you will reduce their costs, therefore making their company more profitible.
d. The company gets alot of good publicity because their sponsorship of you is a public relations "good news" thing, featured prominently in the media.
e. More people in the company's specific market segment become aware of their product or service because they sponsored you.

All of these above potential benefits are difficult to "prove" measureably. However, if you can demonstrate that these benefits would happen, and convice the sponsor with your personal presentation, then you will have a great shot at it. You will also have gone through the process that marketing managers and admen strive to accomplish in their professional occupation. It is plain hard work to come up with these perfect match ups between teams and sponsors that will really mean something beneficial to the sponsor company.

Go to the library, take a sales course, learn everyting you can about modern selling, marketing, advertising, etc.

Good luck, have fun, and go get 'em...

[missionhockey21]

I've never personally gone about trying to find a sponsor, because my rinks usually had one in place. I have gotten black biscuit to give team discounts on jerseys and pants, it was a good amount of money off the total, I think we saved around $100. Also a lot of companies only give one sponsorship to one area, city, whatever so you might need to check around.

[SpeedDemon]

Very simple: Build a resume that a sponsor will want to help contribute to. Win every major tournament from now until next January :)