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Pre-Race Prep - The Sponsorship Plan of Attack
Set Your Goals and Plan Your Attack
Now you have a basic overview of the business of racing with the focus on the sponsor's investment of capital to allow the whole motorsports machine to operate. But you are just as much an important part of the equation as the sponsor, so let's bring the focus back on you (at least for this section) and talk about something really exciting - your goals!!
What is it that you really want out of racing?
- To be the next Michael Schumacher?
- Compete in the NASCAR Cup Series?
- Win the Indy 500?
- Enjoy racing at your local dirt track?
- Own a race team?
- Get your child involved in racing go karts?
- Work for a pro racing team as a career?
- Race in a regional club series?
- Open and operate you own drag strip?
These are just a few ideas to get you thinking if you don't already have something set in stone. Most of you I would guess already have a pretty good idea of what you want to do in your racing endeavors. I think that's because racers are already goal-oriented, i.e. focused on the finish line and checkered flag. But to win the sponsorship race and/or get to your ultimate racing desires, you need to get specific with your goals and then write them down.
Write them down you say. Why? Because it works!
Written goals work (or will at least improve your odds), so why not go for it? You know the old saying, "If you aim at nothing, you will surely hit it!" Also, getting clear now on your racing goals can only provide more direction and passion as you prepare and develop your motorsports marketing program.
Tons of books have been written on goal setting, but here's a quick overview of the basic process.
- List out all your racing goals. Think big. Start with the viewpoint that money is no object. If you have a strong enough why, you can figure out the how.
- Write down the reason why you want each goal. Reasons help generate excitement and help you imagine reaching each goal.
- Break down your long-term goals into short term and intermediate goals. For example if you want to be racing in the NASCAR Busch Series in eight years, work backwards to see where you need to be at 5 years, 2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 1 month and today. This is your "racetrack" for your goals.
- Start a notebook with your list of goals and then fill it with pictures that give life to your goals. Find pictures of your racing heroes, race cars you would like to drive, tracks you want to race, the type of race transporter you'll have, the race team you'd like to work for, anything and everything to help you visualize your goals. This is one of the most important steps - SEEING IS BELIEVING!
- Review your goals notebook daily. Infusing your mind with words and pictures of your goals is like programming an autopilot. Eventually you will be automatically moving towards your goals without even thinking about.
- Take action now, today - no matter how small. Regardless of where you are on the road to your goals, there is always some action you can take.
- As you achieve your various goals, update your list and then add new ones so you don't stall out.
Again, there are plenty of books out their if you want a more in depth study on how to set goals (and each will probably have their own little spin on how to do it), but the seven steps above are the basics.
Next topic – your team’s professional image can make or break your sponsorship search and race program. And putting forth a professional image isn’t necessarily about spending a lot of dough (although you surely can). So, onward to Your Team’s Image!
Next section: Your Team’s Image – Yugo or Ferrari? - Go there now!
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