Quote:
Originally Posted by mav1178
Want a sponsorship? Very simple.
Know the company whose parts you want to represent.
Know the target audience you want to represent these parts to.
Know how to present the product to the target audience.
Put this all in a simple PDF or business presentation.
Or, just pick up a simple book about marketing and go from there. Sponsorship is no different than buying out a magazine advertisement or placing a billboard ad. The more views you can guarantee, the better your chances are of getting free parts, assuming that's your goal.
-alex
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So far reading through everything Mav's post has certainly been the most accurate. I get emails all the time from guys who write four sentences saying "Hey I have a 2013 blah blah, and I think you guys are really cool, so if I put a sticker on my car can you give me free parts?" No, doesn't work like that, nor do vendors normally sponsor cars, 99% of the time it's manufacturers.
I've been lucky enough to now pick up four sponsors on my build, not including one deal which technically wasn't a sponsorship it was a developmental deal on the car for testing that I got a deal on but that doesn't really count since there's no real contract that was signed. For the sponsorships the #1 thing they want to see is how may car shows you are registered for and plan on going to. If you're not going to compete in car shows, then there's no intensive for them to invest in you. If you can show them that you can be a brand ambassador at these car shows when showing your car, then there's no benefit that you will give to these manufacturers.
If you can show these companies that what you can do will improve their sales, which is what they expect, and if this is your FIRST time modifying a car in this way to try to attract sponsors, you'll likely only pick up a partial sponsorship which is what happens 99% of the time. Partial sponsorships usually will cover a certain percentage of the cost of the item, but not all of it. Once you wow these manufacturers, usually a contract is signed which states you need to go to x amount of shows, or x amount of press events.
Good luck out there, but the best thing I can really say to try to get sponsored is to have a vision for the entire car first before you decide to start emailing every company out there. A lot of these manufacturers despite being competitors do talk to each other, so if someone gets a whiff that you have a want to just get free parts and you don't care from where, they likely wont touch it.