How to get and keep a Sponsorship
By Ken Sauret
National Lowrance Pro Staff
Let’s look at what a “sponsorship” really is. To you the tournament angler, you’re looking for a way to offset some of the expense of traveling to and competing in bass tournaments. To the company, they’re looking for creative new ways to increase their customer base, sales and therefore revenue. Your proposal needs to contain creative ideas of what you’re willing to do to help the company increase revenue. Think outside the box to separate you from the multitude of guys going after the same sponsorship dollar. We as fishermen need to re-think our preconceived ideas of what it means to be a sponsored fisherman. I think we should use a new term to get to the heart of what sponsorship really is. Let’s call it a “marketing partnership”. You better think like a marketer if you’re going to get those precious dollars out of a company’s marketing/advertising budget. Think of ideas about how you will garner more exposure of the company’s product or service to prospective buyers and promote the product or sell the product directly to consumers, “marketing”. Don’t let the word “sell” scare you. Companies want to sell more product, you want a sponsorship, so you become a salesman of that company’s product. Think of the last time you went on a job interview. You were “selling” yourself to the interviewer as to why you should get the job, you were a salesman. If you’re married, how about when you asked your wife to marry you, that was great salesmanship if she said yes! When you sign a sponsorship contract you have essentially become a salesman for that company, unofficially that is because you don’t get paid vacation, retirement or a health plan!
Anglers who can bring new ideas for marketing, advertising and promoting a company positions themselves as one who is looking toward the future for ways that the company can secure new customers and also retain their current customer base. Your creativity and ability to think outside the proverbial box is necessary. Ideas don’t usually come to mind overnight so spend some time learning about the company and its products and what skills you have and match up a marketing program that you are willing to do and that brings value to the company. These new ideas will separate you from the hundreds of other anglers looking for the elusive sponsorship dollar in the marketplace today.
There is a difference between contacting a company and saying “look at what I’ve done in the past” and saying “look at what I can do to bring you more business.” Focus your proposal on what the company can expect from you that will increase their business. Your approach can be the difference between a “Yes” and a “No”. If you get a “No” don’t be discouraged. You will get many more No’s than Yes’s. Just be patient and persistent. Sometimes when you contact a company the timing is wrong for that company so the “No” doesn’t mean they don’t like you personally or your proposal, it just means that the timing isn’t right for them right now. Maybe it is the middle of their budget year and the time isn’t right for them to add a pro staff position. Wait a couple months and re-submit your proposal, timing can be everything. While you are waiting to resubmit your proposal, educate yourself on the product or service that the company provides. Also find out who is the right person to talk to. Get to the person who makes the decisions of who gets their marketing dollars. This is where your research of a company is so important.
Whatever you come up with to promote products and services make sure you follow through with what you said you would do. You will build a credible relationship with the company and this will result in successive years sponsored by the same company. Most importantly you will need to build credibility with the prospective consumer. You do this by being honest and helpful with people you come in contact with. By the way, don’t solicit sponsorships from competitive companies, if you have a hard bait sponsorship it should be your only hard bait sponsor. Don’t go after any old sponsor; only approach those companies where you believe in the product and can speak from the heart with honesty about the product to consumers.
The single most important piece of advice I could give you to get and keep your hard earned sponsors is to always do more than you get paid for. Always look good, wear your shirts and hats whether you are on stage or in the parking lot. People are always watching you so your reputation and the way you carry yourself matters. I’m talking about credibility. Credibility is compromised of your trustworthiness and expertise. Be a person who is described by these two words. Work hard for your sponsors and rewards will come, even if the reward is just the same contract year after year. When times are good for a company and it can be credited to your efforts you will take another step up the ladder. Remember how fortunate you are, there are a lot of anglers who would love to have your contract! Do your best to inform the company of the activities you get involved with so they know what you are doing and have something to measure how valuable you are to the marketing department. Usually this is done in quarterly reports to the pro staff or marketing director via email. You will normally start at the entry level position, the bottom rung of the ladder, then work your way up the ladder to where you want to be. By being creative in your approach and your ideas of marketing the company along with patient persistence you will reach your goals and succeed beyond what you can currently imagine. Each door you open leads to another opportunity and each experience will make you better at marketing yourself and your sponsors. This is your future, don’t hold back!
Always remember: “Do more than you get paid for”.
Ken Sauret
Lowrance National Pro Staff
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