Every day I receive messages from riders or parents of riders wanting to know if MotocrossGear.com is currently looking for riders to sponsor. Motocross is an expensive sport, and often times parents make huge sacrifices to have their kids at the races every weekend. Sponsorships can play a big role in a young racer's future. Here are some quick tips to make sure you have the best chances of sponsorship or rider support.
#1 - Not Trying
Ask and you shall receive. Remember that everyone is busy. Most likely you have to reach out to them. The worst that can happen is that you don't get a sponsorship or rider support. It's like the quote, “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”
#2 - Not Having a Website
The year is 2013. The internet has been around for a long time now. Technology has advanced to where you can set up a nice looking website (for free) in less than an hour. A great way to get on a companies radar is to set up a website for yourself and list the companies you like alongside your racing accomplishments. While Hookit.com is great, but many companies (including us) aren't on there. You also run the risk of a 3rd party controlling your relationships.
To set up a free website you can use wordpress.com, tumblr.com, blogspot.com or any other free blogging platform. There are free themes to use, and they are a good place to list your racing accomplishments, videos, pictures, and more. Hint: Most of our rider support riders are found because they link to our website from theirs! You scratch our back, and we'll scratch yours.
#3 - Not Proofreading Your Website or Letter.
Take the time to have your resume and website edited for spelling and grammar. It looks more professional and will show companies that you will represent their brand in a respectable manner. Hint: Having proper spelling and grammar will put you in front of 90% of other applicants. Trust me.
#4 - Coming on Too Strong
If you are asking for hundreds of dollars worth of products in your first communication with a company, that's not a good start. Unless you just won Loretta's, often you will have to start small with rider support and work your way up to full sponsorship as your career progresses. Remember, it's a relationship.
#5 - Doubting Yourself
Just because you don't win every single race you enter doesn't mean you aren't eligible for sponsorship or rider support. Often times the riders who are at every single race possible are the ones with the best hookups, regardless of their results. Hard work beats talent when talent refuses to work.
#6 - Assuming We Are Millionaires
Many times I get emails from riders who think MotocrossGear.com is a multi-million dollar company with tons of cash to throw at riders. They assume it is a large corporation run by a bunch of bigwigs in suits. This couldn't be further from the truth! With a little bit of research, you can figure out that I'm just a normal guy named John. My wife and I handle all aspects of this website ourselves. No mega warehouse, no multi-million dollar marketing budget. We are regular people like everyone else. I go riding with my buddies , work hard to grow this business, cut my own grass, watch the Braves, etc. It's important to think about these things when contacting someone.
Bonus Tip #1: Be Sure to Tell the Company Why Sponsoring You Will Benefit Them
While chatting with the owner over at Trail-Pro.com about this subject, he mentioned that someone recently told him that they receive over 150 emails a day asking for sponsorship. He went on to say that very rarely does a rider say what the company will get in return for sponsorship.
Bonus Tip #2: Keep a Good Online Image
In the past, racers could get away with being wild. These days Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have pulled back the curtain and put rider's lives on display to the public. It's important to keep a good image of yourself on your social media profiles. While posting that wild picture or string of profanity might get some laughs from your buddies, it might get you a pass from a sponsor.
Conclusion
Take these tips into careful consideration when you start thinking it's time to look for support. They can have a huge impact on results. If you take your riding seriously, it will certainly show. Just don't let any simple things like what is mentioned above hinder your results.
If you'd like some help putting your best foot forward online and want to reach out to us, just use the contact form listed at the top of the site. Good luck!