LUFSAE.COM FORUM

Here's a good post I saw on fsae.com

PatClarke
Member

Posted October 02, 2006 06:21 AM Hide Post
MMDavari,

I know I have posted this before, but it's worth saying again.

As a marketing Manager for many years, I used get a proposal at least once a week from someone asking me to give him money to spend on his racing car. Despite my being a motor racing fan, I could never see value in this, so I simply tossed the applications in the bin!
However, if someone made an appointment with me I found it very difficult to give a flat refusal, so usually he went away with something.

I would down play anything related to "Racing" in your application. Instead concentrate on the educational competition facet of the competition.

Hint! If 'Racing' is part of your team name, then rename the team!! Serious!!

Always follow up any application with a call, even call before you send the proposal (In order that you get the right person). If someone rejects your proposal, in your follow up call ask if they might know another company you should approach.

Don't target companies that may already be at the limit of their commitments. Most companies have some money budgeted for special projects, get to it before someone else does. The best targets are always companies who can use what you or the competition have to offer.

There is not much point in talking to someone at a branch office, you have to find the main man.

Don't expect someone to give you money just because you ask for it. There MUST be something in the deal for the sponsor. Find out what might work for the sponsor (ask them!) and package this into your proposal.

Generally Engineers don't make good salesmen. Find a sponsor hunter...If necessary, let them take a comission, after all 90% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

When you do get a sponsor, look after them like gold, they are every bit as valuable.

Finally, don't get despondant after the first refusal...or the 99th either!

Good hunting
Pat

Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruíz de Santayana y Borrás wrote: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Those are some great suggestions. Racing may come off sounding 'dangerous' or 'entertaining' which people may not feel ethical about sponsoring. It looks like our campaign could use some refinement.

Agreed, wow that was a good read.