Sponsor Relationships

Given the effort it takes to entice new sponsors it is vital that you manage and cultivate the relationship with your existing sponsors.

Here are some key points to remember when considering the club’s relationship with
sponsors...

Your sponsorship coordinator or committee should be the key contact to communicate with
the sponsors and manage their experience. It can be a good idea to allocate a committee role
dedicated specifically to sponsorship.
Ensure the sponsor endorses any promotional material or press releases bearing their name.
Many sponsors like to use sponsorship occasions and race events to entertain, so make sure
they are well catered for.
Do your sponsors or prospective sponsors, or individuals within those organisations have
interests or charities that they assist or are aligned with? Consider if your club could hold
functions or race days in support of these groups/causes to build a rapport with the sponsor.
Keep your sponsors informed with regular updates, clippings and media coverage obtained
and samples of any printed material with the sponsor's name or logo on them, make them feel
part or your club community. Provide them with copies of annual reports, newsletters, and
minutes of meetings.
Establish a calendar to manage the sponsorship period. Meet with the sponsor and invite them
to any racing events in the months prior the expiration of the sponsorship period. When its
time to ask for a continued commitment to sponsor your club, you want to ensure that they
have had a positive experience!
When seeking sponsorship renewal, provide a report thanking them and detailing how their
money and or support assisted the club and the benefits that they received and publicity
obtained in return (i.e. attendance numbers for the last year, samples of media footage etc.).
Meet with the sponsor to discuss how the year went. Find out if the sponsor was happy, how
they would like to continue the relationship and what improvements they would like to the
arrangement.