I originally wrote this back in 2016 and it is still relevant today. Take the time to say thank you and stand apart from the crowd. This week I received thanks from 2 racers I helped out with Engine Ice in 2020. Kevin Moranz and Leland Jones. Both racers took the time and invested in their marketing to say thank you to a sponsor. Kevin sent these cool customized decals with him and our logo, while Leland sent a really cool plaque with his image and our logo. These gestures took some time and money but are well worth the effort.
These are things to consider when planning your racing budget for the upcoming season. Don’t forget about marketing yourself and certainly don’t forget to say thank you.
Below is the original post from November 2016.
All around the country the season is pretty much winding down. But before you go into winter hibernation or begin your 2017 prep, I suggest you take a little bit of time to reach out to those that helped you in 2016.
There are a couple of different methods that I recommend ranging from the very simple to the incredibly complex. Here are a couple of ways you can market yourself and express gratitude at the same time.
A simple handwritten Thank You note expressing genuine gratitude will go a long way to building relationships for the future. The act of writing the note in your own words and handwriting is a valuable tool in allowing you to understand the true nature of sponsorship. Sure you can send a thank you email but isn’t the extra effort worth it?
How about a thank you video? Something simple can be completed relatively quickly and would not only show the gratitude to your sponsor but act as an additional piece of content for your blog or social stream.
Another great way to say thanks is to send each sponsor a framed photo of their products in action. I have a couple of these at my desk, and I look at them every day. You can work with a local photographer to buy the image and print them locally at a Walgreen’s or CVS. Get a simple frame and send it off to those that helped.
And finally what about getting something custom made for your sponsors. Companies like MX Trophies can produce one-off or small minimum plaques or signs that serve as a great thank you.
So there you have a couple of ways to give back to those that supported your racing in 2016. What other ways do you use to say thanks? I’m curious to hear them, let me know.
As always the ideas expressed above are my own, and I make no claims to the success or failure of implementing them. They are suggestions to make you think. Please vet all ideas against your personal goals before implementing them.
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