Submitted by R.L., CA:

Have you ever wondered how a regular guy like you, a Blue Collar MTB enthusiast, can get a sponsor for a race or riding event?

It’s not as hard as you may think. In this article, I will explain how people, like you and I regular non-professional weekend warrior riders, can achieve sponsorships from companies.

TEAM
The first issue that needs to be addressed is getting on a team. If you can’t find a team to join, start one up! My friend and I started riding on our own a few years ago and it wasn’t long before we started to meet more and more people on the trails. Our group eventually grew enough to start our own team. We call it, “Team Zoom” (shameless plug!).

Believe it or not, but from my experience, it is far simpler to obtain sponsorships when you have a larger group of people than it is when approaching a company as an individual. Once you have a minimum of four people from your team who are willing to race, then your next step is to find a few events in which to participate. The race doesn’t have to be some major 24-hour event. It can even be a small 12-mile race that is held locally.

EVENTS
When you do pick your race, have everyone on your team agree to a schedule of events that each person will not only participate in, but also ride in. If everyone feels confident that they can do more than four or more events a year, then go for it. A unified team will look pretty good on your proposal to your prospective sponsors.

ROLES
The next challenge is establishing roles within your team. Everyone needs to participate in making the dream of sponsorships a reality. Each role is important – here are some suggestions on what each person should do:

* Jersey Designer – have the person who is most creative in your group oversee the designing and logo placement of the jersey
* Vendor Scout – this person heads up finding the best prices from shirt printers
* Marketing – this person should possess some public relations’ skills and a bit of a sales personality, which will help in obtaining prospective sponsors

WHY SPONSOR
Now that roles are established, you have to discuss as a team what you will be offering as a proposal to the company. You need to discuss and agree on what you are willing to do to get their money.

“Team Zoom” offers its sponsors a guarantee that we will participate in a specific number of events from now until the following year. We also made sure we had some stats on participants, spectators and what type of coverage we can offer.

For example, one event we plan on riding in is the Los Angeles Bike Tour. When I approach a company, I make sure I have details as to how many riders will be participating (15,000). I even offered one of our sponsors my car as a form of advertising. But keep in mind that your entire team needs to agree on and be comfortable with the methods you choose for obtaining sponsors.

ADVERTISING
Why should a company sponsor your team? The best way to convince them is to tell them that their sponsorship pays for cheap advertisement. Team sponsorship is traditionally expensive, and it’s normally only done be large companies.

A key selling point—tell prospective clients that advertising is the means of sponsoring your team—this will give them the impression that their company is larger than they realize. It’s also impressive for them to have pictures on their website of the teams they sponsor.

TARGET MARKET
If your team focuses on small and medium sized companies, then your chances of getting sponsorships are greater. You will have to determine which company to approach first as your main sponsor—then offer them prime real estate on your jersey for logo placement on the chest. You still have the sleeves, shoulder, lower chest, back, and collar for selling other advertising spots.

Each spot on the jersey should cost a certain dollar amount to advertise. For example, you can charge a company $100 to take the spot on both sleeves. You can charge your main sponsor up to $300 for the front logo. Prices can be higher or lower depending on whether you think the company can afford it. Remember to offer them sponsorship for a certain timeframe, such as six months to a year.

Once the “Team Zoom” shirts were created, our whole team visited our major sponsors and presented them with their own race jersey. Some sponsors decide to wear them, while others put them on display in their offices. In addition, we send out pictures of the riders at the events, and even include some action shots.

NOW WHAT?
Once your team obtains a few sponsors, the amount you charge for advertising should be enough to pay for your entry fees, jerseys and you should even have enough money left to enter the next event. If you budget it right, you may be able to afford purchasing matching helmets and other gear to make your team look more professional.

Another suggestion, COMMUNICATE! Make sure everyone who is involved in the project is in constant communication with one another. It is also a good idea to call, email or visit your sponsor once in a while to give them an update on your team.

DELIVER THE GOODS!
Finally, deliver what you promised. If you tell your sponsor that your team will be racing, invite them to come and watch. Placing on the podium, of course, is an added bonus, especially if your sponsor is there to see! This will show them that their money is actually being put to work and will also build a good relationship with your contacts, providing for a long working relationship.

I hope this helps. I know that most riders don’t normally get a chance to get sponsored by someone. But if you approach it with a different angle, you might be surprised by how much support you can get.