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Event sponsorship: This service is designed to acquaint marketers with the latest sponsorship opportunities available. To have your karting-related event listed, please e-mail or fax the following information on letterhead: Event name, dates, location, types or levels of sponsorships available, contact name, phone, fax and e-mail address. There is no charge to have an event listed. E-mail address: karting@msn.com. Fax: 630-653-2637.

TEN STEPS TO SPONSORSHIP
By Sylvia Allen

Whether your are looking for $5,000 or $5 million in sponsorships, you need to have sales training and experience to know how to get it. Many people have never had experience in selling and as a result, make mistakes that alienate potential sponsors. The protocol of selling is easy to learn. By following a formula of 10 steps, you can increase your effectiveness as a salesperson.

Step 1. BE GOAL ORIENTED. In sales, as in any aspect of business, it is crucial to focus on your goals. If you don’t have specific goals, you will not be able to measure your progress effectively and examine what you need to do to become better at your job. In order to set realistic goals, look at your sponsorship sales over the last two years. Has there been a steady rate of growth? Do you anticipate any activity that will affect your sales over the next year? Determine what level you need to reach in order to have a financially solvent event.

Remember that your goals have to be reasonable. Unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances, you cannot expect to increase your sponsorship sales by 200% in one year. A more realistic goal would be 20-30%.

Step 2. WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS. After you have taken the time and effort to set your goals, write them down. If you think you can skip this step, you are wrong. When not written down, goals become cloudy and may hinder the success of your plan. Writing your goals down is a great way to refresh your memory and keep you focused.

Step 3. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT. It is amazing how many people walk into a prospect’s office without a thorough knowledge of the products and services they provide. Do your homework. Know what you can – and cannot – provide, including sponsorship benefits and rights. That way you have the information you need to make an effective presentation, and your clients will appreciate your respect for their time.

Step 4. INDENTIFY YOUR CLIENT’S NEEDS. Selling prospects a sponsorship that will not meet their objectives hampers your ability to build the long-term relationship needed in order to be a successful salesperson. Put yourself in each sponsor’s shoes and try to determine how you can best help that sponsor accomplish his or her goals. Present the sponsorship with a benefits orientation. Make sure the prospect understands the benefits. Once he/she does, the prospect becomes a sponsor.

Step 5. NEVER, NEVER LIE! While pointing out benefits is important, it is even more important not to mislead the prospective sponsor. Promising more than you can deliver is the quickest way to lose credibility. If the prospect asks you something about which you are unsure, say, “That’s a good question. Let me get back to you.” If the prospect asks you for something you know you can’t deliver, be honest and say so. Then, see if you can help the prospect resolve the situation in some other way.

Step 6. PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL. From maintaining a neat appearance to checking proposals for typos, it is important to pay attention to the impression you are making. Once you make the sale, be sure that the product gets delivered or the client get regular updates on the service. Attention to detail builds relationships and repeat sales.

Step 7. FOLLOW THROUGH. At each point in the sales process, it is important to follow through to the next level. From calling on a hot lead to making sure that your proposal was received; not following through in sales is like dropping a ball in a football game. Failure to follow through shows a lack of commitment and also makes a bad impression.

Step 8. BE TENACIOUS. Anyone who has been in sales for any length of time knows that getting a “yes” to a sales pitch on the first visit or through the first contact is rare. Often, it takes several contact and repeated follow through. Estimates are that 90% of salespeople give up too soon. Perhaps the sponsorship is perfect for the client, but it’s the wrong time. By being tenacious, continuing to provide the client with information and offering your services, you can ultimately reach the proper intersection of timing, need and action.

Step 9. KNOW WHEN TO CLOSE AND WHEN TO WALK AWAY. You have followed all the steps and have a prospect that seems very interested in sponsorship. Now is the time to ask for the order. There are many ways to do this, and you will have to determine which is right for you. Unfortunately, in spite of your best efforts to be prepared, identify your prospect’s needs, create a good impression and follow through diligently, there will be prospects that will not become sponsors. There comes a point in the sales process where, if the prospect becomes unreasonable or if you have come to an impasse, you need to walk away. Recognizing when you are wasting your time on a prospective sponsor with irrational demands or a budget that is too small is just as important as knowing when to close.

Step 10. GET TO WORK. Once the sale is complete, you have done about 10% of the work. You must now ensure the best possible service. Keep in touch with your sponsors to advise them of your progress. If there are any problems, handle them in a timely, professional manner. Follow through with promised benefits, and you can be assured of a renewal after your event.

About the author: Sylvia Allen is publisher of The Sponsorship Newsletter. She can be reached at 89 Middletown Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733. Phone: 732-946-2711.

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EVENT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

HSDA Indy Go-Kart Challenges. Date: Fall, 2001
Volunteer chapters of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America will hold fun, family events at local tracks across America this fall to raise money in the fight against Huntington’s Disease. Various sponsorship levels are available. Contact: Lauren Kalter @ 1-800-345-4732 x14 or e-mail: lkalter@hsda.org.

Championship Enduro Series. Dates: April-November, 2001
Sanctioned by the IRA, this is one of the premier racing series in the USA. Their schedule includes events at Road America, Gateway International, Grattan, GingerMan, Blackhawk Farms and others. A variety of sponsorship levels are available. Contact Dave Larson at 847-395-2398.

Burris Circle Tour. Dates: March-September, 2001
Now sanctioned by the IRA, this is Midwest oval track racing at it’s finest. Events in 2001 will be at two tracks: Joliet Memorial (Illinois) and Lake Geneva (Wisconsin). A number of sponsorship levels are available. Call John Nuttall at: 630-355-8714.

Superkarts USA (SKUSA) 2001 Tour. Date: 2001 Season
Shifter kart racing presented by Ohio-based Superkarts USA has become one of the most popular forms of kart racing in the USA. The 2001 season will feature Formula C, S1, S2, Formula 80, Junior and Senior 80cc classes. Various sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact: Jim Murley @ 614-369-4226.

Kart Expo International. Dates: February 23-24, 2002
The 10th annual trade/consumer show will be held at Pheasant Run Resort/Convention Center, St. Charles, Illinois USA. The show attracts a worldwide mix of exhibitors and attendees. Included are nearly 200 booths, seminars, special attractions and giveaways. Many levels of sponsorship are available including: Title, Major, and Associate. Contact: KMG @ 630-653-7368 or e-mail: karting@msn.com.

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INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Individual or team sponsorships: If you or your race team are seeking sponsors, we offer paid advertising space for that purpose. Cost: $1.00 (US$) per word, minimum 25 words, minimum run: 3 months. Please see the classified order form and check the box marked SPONSOR SEARCH. This is a secure site so your credit card information is protected. All advertising must be pre-paid in US funds. We accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express. E-mail to: karting@msn.com or fax to: 630-653-2637.

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Kart Marketing Group, Inc.
Post Office Box 101
Wheaton, IL 60189 USA
Telephone: 630-653-7368
Fax: 630-653-2637
Email: karting@msn.com

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