I recently received a PM asking for advice about how to get event sponsors. After much thought, I decided that I would reply to that person in public.

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Thanks for the kind words. Even with the economy, this will be a good year for door prizes for the Rocket City Ramble / 10th Annual Mid U.S. Ramble. I think we've been blessed with committments totalling in the $4,000 range.

Working to find event supporters for door prizes has been almost a full-time job. I avoid using the word sponsor because I'm wary of any potential legal complications should the event have a mishap.

Go into this with the attitude that this is a business transaction. As much as you love and are dedicated to your event, don't let it be personal. If someone can't or won't support your event then: Thank them, invite them to attend the event personally, and leave the door open for next year.

I'll detail some of the steps that I took.

1. Start six months out. Yeah, six with a capital 6. Six months, at a minimum. at least. Did I say six months yet? Some corporate sponsors like Optima plan more than a year in advance. If you wait until the end to start planning, you screw yourself over.

2. Make a list of every vendor that you or members of your planning committee do business with. They are your best bets for support because they know you.

3. Make a wish-list of big companies that you might want help from. Don't be afraid to go big - Kuhmo, Optima, etc. Some companies have marketing strategies that reach to the grass-roots.

4. Research the hell out of these companies. Google is your friend, but personal contacts are far more powerful. Write a professional letter with your event logo at the top. Put it on good paper. I don't mean heavy linen paper, but something better than what you swiped from your office Xerox machine.

5. When you write your heartfelt plea for support, don't forget that most businesses do not do this out of the goodness of their heart. This is a marketing expense for them and tax-deductible. When you write the letter, tell the company why they should support YOUR event. What will you do for them? Logo on a t-shirt? Display their banner? What else can you offer to help promote THEIR business?

6. There are some great guys that do their own small-business stuff out of their garage. They rock! Some will help you. Some just can't support every event. Be patient with them as they make their decisions. Little guys that make 50 cents or a dollar on each sale can't support every event with freebies - because they're already doing something for the community at large.

7. Include a business card for your event. It's a nice touch and will probably be kept long after your letter gets tossed. You can buy a pack of them at Wal-Mart for less than 10 bucks that will fit in your laser printer.

8. Send your letters (or in some cases emails) out. Say that you look forward to hearing from them by date X.

Now comes your real work. You won't hear back from 80% of your letters. People running a business are busy putting food on the table. Your letter may get put on a back burner or in a stack of paper.

9. Seven to ten days after date X, start making phone calls. Depending on your job, you might need to take time off work. Call on a Tuesday-Thursday in the afternoon. Never bother people on a Monday or Friday.

10. When you call, have a "shtick". Practice it over and over before you even pick up the phone. Ask the manager/owner if this is a good time to talk, because catching them at a bad time is a good way to hear "no".

11. If you have a couple of long-shot companies - start with them first so you can get down the rhythm of your sales pitch. Sell your event, but more importantly, sell the benefit of donating your your event. Listen to your potential donor - hear what their needs are. Hopefully, you can help meet them.

12. Have thick skin. Be prepared for no. I respect "No thank you". Be prepared for people who never return calls or transfer you to a secretary to take a message. Some people don't know how to say no, so they'd rather avoid you. That will be frustrating because you don't know how far to pursue it. Personally, I err on the side of caution. Don't let it sour you on the process.

More to think about:

13. If you have more than one person working the project, you need to be talking to one another. Keep meticulous call records, including time/dates of calls, to whom you spoke, and to whom you left voicemail. Don't ever have two people badger a vendor... it appears unorganized and unprofessional.

14. No, I won't give you my letter. Not because I don't want to help, but because it won't work for you. YOU have to be able to talk the content - it needs to have your feel/tone. Some companies get requests for assistance every day or week. You need to make sure your letter stands out.

15. While you can use a template, don't boilerplate your letter. Read it and ask if THIS letter is applicable to THIS vendor, supplier or artist. If not, then your letter needs work. The worst thing you can do is use Microsoft Word to create a huge mailing list and run off the same letter to everyone.

Some final thoughts:

16. Where do you buy your oil or plugs locally? Can you get NAPA, Jocko's or some other FLAPS to support your event? Even if it's a set of plugs or some car-wash stuff for people to use for your car show - it's nice to have local support.

17. Think outside the box. Do you need donuts or coffee for your event? Ask someone local. Do you need maps for your out-of-town guys? Ask a realtor and invite them to staple business cards to the front of each one. (Realtors have the BEST city maps.)

18. Be willing to pony up a t-shirt to a vendor if they hint at it. In fact, budget for it. For your local donors, plan on framing a group picture so they can put it on their wall.

19. This is in bold, because it's so important: Be VERY grateful for the small donations. While the $800 donation might be more impressive on the table, treat your $12 donor with the same respect. Guess what? First, it might be all the donor can provide. Second, an attendee at your event might need exactly what the $12 donor provided - and will be VERY HAPPY with that.

20. If someone can't help, DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT be mad. Even if they make their living from the 914 community - everyone goes through lean times. Some people's pride won't allow them to say "Sorry, man, things are tight right now."

21. You will be treated rudely sometimes. People have bad days or perhaps they're just assholes. Don't air that dirty laundry - it reflects poorly on your event. Remember, no matter how much you love your event: it's not personal.

22. Be honest with vendors. Gonna have 50 people there? Don't say you anticipate 250. Marketing budgets are limited and they have to make wise decisions with their funds. I'd rather have the business around later: bigger and stronger and able to support my event next year.

23. Remember what your mom taught you. "Thank you" goes a long way. Thank you notes go even further. Encourage your attendees who receive prizes to send a thank you note or email. Everyone likes to be appreciated.

Anyways, that's probably way more than you wanted to know about getting door prizes for your event. Lots of it is common sense... but they say that it ain't so common these days.

Best of luck,
Rusty

That's appreciated. Donno if it's necessary, for a 'mere' supporter as opposed to a 'name' (e.g. "The ZoomieProducts Rocket City Ramble") sponsor, but it is appreciated.

I'm OK with 'donor' - indicates that I am contributing something for no more than 'promotional consideration.'



BTDT. If you think it cannot possibly take SIX months to plan an event, it will take a year.



And this brings up an important point. Even though donors supply stuff at "only" their cost, that cost comes 100% out of anticipated profit and margins are thin. If I've got a 5% margin it means I have to sell $2000 -more- stuff to break even on a $100 contribution.

I have to tell you, in the years I have been doing this, I have had -one- sale I can attribute to my support of the 914 community.


It is almost essential to have the support of a local shop that is knowledgeable about our cars. People are driving in from hundreds of miles away in 40-year-old cars and they won't know ANYONE at the destination. There are bound to be little glitches, adjustments, or just "I forgot something." People attending a destination event will look to the event organizers for support - after all - YOU drew them there.

We've heard the courageous stories of hotel parking lot repairs done with locally purchased tools, and they are great stories, but mostly, these stories are fundamentally the result of insufficient planning.

One big thing Rusty hinted at but didn't say outright: You MUST ask the vendors / donors for their support. Individually. Specifically.

I've been off the 'event supporters list' for about 5 years now and it's NOT because I'm still bitter about having to give up my /6. It's because NO ONE ASKED.

Especially since, like I said, I've seen no actual results from the efforts.

But generally, It is not the responsibility of the donor to track you down and beg to be a part of your event. You have to ask. (if nothing else, sooner or later you're going to have to tell them where to send the stuff...)

I'm glad to be a participating donor of this year's RCR because Rusty asked me to be. It's as simple as that.