This article will help you have a better understanding of the different types of sponsorships out there as well as how to get them.  The most important thing to remember while working with a sponsor is to always be positive as possible about the product you are representing.  Ideally you want to be able to believe in every product you have but there will be sometimes when you may question a product.  To the public you need to represent the products your are working with.  However, you also need to be honest with your sponsor to make sure that their product is of value (to be done behind closed doors out of the public image).

Now that that is out of the way, let’s carry on with the types of sponsorships that are available out there.

• Partial Sponsorship:  These are sponsorships that will allow for discounted prices on items that you need.  These will also be the type of sponsorships that have little or no recognition for advertising space on your car or racing suit.
• Half Sponsorship:  These are nice to have because this is where you get product for free.  However, you may be in an agreement where at the end of a season you return the product so the sponsor can analyze the product for future development and evolving the product.  This isn’t always the case.  The purpose here is mostly for the advertising at events that you participate in.
• Full Sponsorship:  This is where you get product for free and you get additional benefits such as being paid, getting funds to get into events and getting help with any other event costs like shipping.  These sponsors will have the loudest form of advertising and take up the most space on a car or racing suit.  Full Sponsorships will also most likely entail a contract of some sort and may require a lawyer on your part to look over all the details.

Now on to how to obtain a sponsorship.  Unless you are talented enough to where companies are contacting you to represent their product, you are more than likely going to have to do some footwork yourself.  The key important piece here is that you will have to sell your talents.  You will need to think about this process in reverse to make this work for you and for them.  The final answer and the first thing to think about is, “How is this going to benefit you [the sponsor] and why you should consider me to represent your product?”  You will need to come up with a list of things that you will be doing in the benefit of the sponsor.  Consider this partial list when looking at sponsors:

• list of events you’ll be attending
• list of past performances relative to the area sponsorship interests
• How the sponsor will be represented/advertised
• Give updates on recent events and prepare a full season review in a professional portfolio as a gift
• List the ways you plan to promote the product(s) outside events

The list can go on but these are some of the more important and common things.  Work with your sponsor to come up with a plan and ideas on how to make it worth their time and effort for your sponsorship.  Remember that you will need to do a majority of the footwork though because they are also trying to run a business and would rather not waste the time and energy on something that they will have some initial costs.   Also be loyal to your sponsor.  There is nothing worse for your reputation than taking another competitive sponsor after having spent so much time with your current sponsor.

Communication is key with any relationship and in the end will be beneficial to the overall objective.  I hope that this will help you with the start of some ideas on how to get sponsorships and help you establish a relationship that could last for many, many seasons.