Hunting for Sponsorship: Do's and Don’ts
By Scott Schumaker

Inside Triathlon, May 2004

You’ve just won your age group. Or you’re going to be a neophyte pro this year. Or maybe you have an incredible human-interest story. Dreams of sugarplums and sponsorship are now dancing in your head. Sugarplums – small balls of candy – are easy to get. Buy a bag of Raisinets and you’re good to go. Landing sponsorship, however, is more like finding buried treasure. Figuring out where to dig, and what to dig with, is tough, and hitting gold is anything but certain. You can better your odds though.

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First, remember you’re not just competing against other triathletes for support. Many companies receive hundreds if not thousands of sponsorship requests from a slew of sports. According to Chris Randall, associate brand manager for Clif Shot, simply saying, “I will be a moving billboard for your company,” or relying too heavily on your results and ranking probably won’t get you very far. You need to highlight what else you can do for the company. Will you be giving clinics? Coaching? Leading group rides and run? Are you sociable and approachable? Are you involved in your athletic community, and how will you positively represent the company?

BE PROFESSIONAL

“Presentation is really important,” says Wink Jackson, owner and designer for Zeal Optics. “Someone who has taken the time to put together a detailed profile about themselves, what races they plan to do, and where they see themselves five years from now let’s us know what kind of investment we can make into that athlete.” The information packet should include accurate, easy-to-read results that detail whether a result was in an age group or overall, the races you plan to do the next season, personal records, accolades, community involvement, contact information, and anything else that might make a sponsor sit up and take notice.

“Don’t forget to include a picture,” says Brandt Furgerson, national sales and marketing manager for Zoot Sports. “People want to put a face with the name.” Stick to a head shot though. A photo of you racing with the logos of a competing company splattered all over may cause a potential sponsor to question your brand loyalty.

BE REALISTIC

Kevin Tordoff, senior director of marketing for Saucony, says, “I think a lot of people have the impression that because you’re a sponsored athlete . . . you’ll make ridiculous amounts of money. It’s not that easy. There are a lot of really good people who’ve won serious, major races whose compensation package is only a couple thousand dollars.”

The reality is that triathlon is a niche sport from which only a handful of athletes make a living. So don’t be disappointed if discounted or free merchandise is the extent of your sponsorship deal.
Once you pick up sponsorship, you should keep your sponsors up to date with weekly or biweekly e-mails that include race results, current pictures, how your training is going, how you’re feeling, product opinions, etc. Do this year-around, not just during the season.

Finally, send proposals out by November, December at the latest. Make sure they are addressed to the proper person. Call the company to get the proper contact information if you need to, but do not to request sponsorship over the phone. This is very bad form. And don’t expect a phone call – or follow up with your own call – for at least a month.
 
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