sponsorhouse.com

[mxyoung]

Sponsorhouse.com is the easiest way and most effective way to send a resume. no more paper resume and 100% guaranteed to get to the right person everytime. pay the yearly 50 bucks answer the questions click enter and it autimatically formats your resume, then click who ever you want to send it to and BAM it gets sent to that company's rep like that.

[motomadness]

check out the site //www.sponsorhouse.com

Mike - you may want to modify the opening message to include what you wrote in the other thread, the delete the other thread, it may help with the survey.  If you need help give me a call.

[Super Dave]

So, where's the road racing section?

[motomadness]

I talked to Mike, he said they are launching that section on July 1st.  That's probably why the response is low.

[spyderchick]

I checked out the site and I think it has real possiblity. I would ask you how exactly does the sponsorship occur, considering a lot of racers develop pretty solid connections through face to face contact at the track, with dealers and reps, etc.

If you are going "big time" racing, and you need an array of sponsors to underwrite major portions of the season, what might be good criteria for that racer to have in place as part of their resume?

Also, other than the one time fee for the season, is there any percentage, a la sports agent, that would be incurred?

[Jeff]

Not to be a pessimist(sp?) but the concept seems flawed IMHO.  

As a business, why would I choose to sponsor X out of Y received resumes from what equates to a bulk mailing list?

I would look for resumes personally delivered/sent, and those folks who scheduled an appointment to talk (in person or on phone) to explain why I should sponsor them.

Good sponsorships come with a hefty responsibility on the rider side.  Most riders can't deliver, so their sponsorships suck.

Sponsorship isn't about carrying a logo and winning races (at our level anyhow).  Nobody is going to buy an M4 exhaust because I won a race on it.  However, if I take the time to do an extensive product review and then personally recommend/explain why I feel this is the best exhaust, I can sell a ton of them...  None of that can be conveyed though in a bulk-send scenario...

For you as a website/business owner (of sponsorhouse.com), you may be onto a good thing.  I think you will probably get a good response from riders and maybe from new businesses.  But in the end, I still don't think it will do much for riders or businesses...  Just my thoughts...  

[motomadness]

Jeff,

I understand that you've been very successfull in attracting sponsors for you program.  No offense, but it is a small scale racing program.  I mention the club racers to sponsorhouse to try to get people to think about the privateer struggling to complete a season, and win a few championships.  I made a point to say that the club racers needs are more monetarily based than anything else.

I believe, without really talking to them in much detail, that they are trying to attach companies with riders on a National level.  Something that would possible bring more media or public attention to their products.  Think about it, why do you ride a Honda, because of their winning record.  It not to far fetched to believe that the street riders you know are basing their purchasing decision based a lot on your opinion and your record.  

When we really start thinking about our sponsors  I think we really need to start thinking about those street riders and our influence on their purchasing decisions.  They probably won't spend top dollar on some parts, but they might spend a little more on some of our sponsors entry level products.  With the way track days have take off in the last several years, those entry level to mid-level products are probably gaining more attention.

It's not just how you use it, but also how you market it.

[Jeff]

Sean,

I agree with what you are saying, but there are a few points that go along with it.

Nobody but US, follows club level racing.  It just doesn't happen.  So associating a name with a product really does nothing unless that person goes pro.

People attached to me are basing their buying decisions on my view of the product, and my presentation of that view.  Not by how well I'm doing.  

But aside from my personal program, I'm struggling to see how anyone would get a true valuable sponsorship out of this website...  I guess for a new business that wants to promote a product, they could grab resumes and start sending product at a discount to get the name out there, but the ROI is very "chancy".  Again, my opinion and I could be wrong...

Oh, and why do I ride a honda?  Sponsorship.....  A case could easily be made for the R6 or GSXR on winning reputations, but the sponsorship wasn't there.  It was with the Honda...  Would I choose another bike all things equal?  I don't know.  The R6 is one HELL of a competitive bike right out of the box with minimal setup.  But I "know" honda's...  So it would be a toss-up..

[motomadness]

I think this is good dialogue.  It definitely highlights how our level is currently viewed, but nothing is absolute.  I've seen plenty of talented racers in our region perform quite well at the pro level.  Has that fact be exploited enough?  I seriously doubt it.

It's time for a change.

[Jeff]

Totally agree Sean.

It's sad that high-school basketball/football/hockey gets air time but we do not...  Anything on 4 wheels is prime-time on speed, but we get nothing...

Time to head to Europe...  We'd all be famous there!

[Super Dave]

Most riders fail to promote what they do.

A high school football coach would call a local paper if something were going on.  Who wrote and sent out press releases after their last club race?

Do you do mailings to your customers or "fans"?  How about anything to your dealership other than dropping in once in a while?

Ever notice that your local H/Y/S/K dealer usually gets press releases from the factory teams?  MX/SX/RR/etc.  

I had a Cub Scout group down at the last Blackhawk I attended.

Europe?  Well, the seriousness of the club level there far surpasses what we do here.  

Marketing...

How long was Richard Petty still the face of STP after his racing career?

The flip side to all of this is that sometimes the companies that sponsor riders don't do anything with their sponsorships...

They give out product or give discounts but fail to advertise the riders that are using their products...

You can look at Suomy ads in RRW with Xaus wadding...how about pics of Gobert(s), Rosno, Hanson, etc?

Vanson used me in their catalog.

Lockhart does do some stuff by actually putting pics in their catalog.  They may not have things in stock, but at least they support road racing at multiple levels.