Pole Position - Set Your Targets and Attract the Attention of Potential Sponsors

Send Your Proposal

You've made contacts and gotten some interest. Now is the time to send out that racing proposal you worked so hard on. However, before you print it out for mailing, you may want to go back to the section on and tweak it for each company you will be sending it to. Also, make sure you add a cover letter in front of your racing proposal.

The cover letter briefly introduces you to your prospect, as well as points out a specific benefit or two if the potential sponsor expressed interest in something particular during your initial conversation. You could highlight that briefly in the cover letter as well. As always, customized vs. generic provides a greater positive impact and impression.

Concerning the actual delivery of the proposal, you have a few options. If it is a local company, and you have time to do it right away, you could hand carry it over. At a minimum you can leave it with a receptionist or assistant, but you may even have the opportunity to briefly meet your contact person.

As far as mailing goes, one of the most cost-effective methods is USPS Priority Mail. The post office provides the cardboard envelope, and it usually is only around three bucks and arrives in a couple of days. If you want to really make an impression on a prospect that has shown great interest, send your racing proposal overnight via FedEx or UPS.

Regardless of how you get your proposal to a prospective sponsor, don't delay in getting it out, especially if they expressed a lot of interest when you first spoke with them. You want to have the proposal fresh in their hands as soon as possible so they don't forget who it was the sent it and what it's all about. Plus, it just shows that you're on the ball - one more way to differentiate you from all the competition. So, print it out and get it out!

Finally, do you have a really serious prospect that you'd like to make a huge impression on when your racing proposal is delivered? Here are a few more out-of-the-box ideas you can try (these obviously are more expensive, so use your discretion):

• Send your proposal by way of an entertainment-type delivery service, i.e. an attractive model, singing telegram, a clown, etc...
• Send your proposal along with a nice box lunch or lunch delivery from a local restaurant
• Send your proposal with a basket of some sort. Use a theme you know your contact has an interest in. For example, if they like baseball, pack a basket with maybe a baseball, baseball hat and a couple of tickets to a local game (high school, college, minor league, etc...).
• Combine the gift basket idea with the delivery service to really make an impression.
• Deliver your proposal in your race car. When you know the prospect will be available at work, unload your race car in the parking lot of the prospect's business or nearby (preferably somewhere out of the way). Drive your race car around to the business entrance and have someone get your contact to come out to your car. Let the guy drive the race car around the parking lot, and you might get a check before you leave!

Again, due to the expense and/or time and effort, make sure you only use these techniques on their most promising potential sponsors. So get creative! You can probably come up with a lot of other unique twists to delivering your racing proposal in a memorable, fun. And think of the impact on the prospect.

By displaying such creativity and effort before they are even a sponsor, don't you know that will further reinforce their belief you can and will deliver the benefits advertise in your race program.

Next section: Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up - Go there now!