What do successful sponsored athletes do between races and off the track that makes them valuable?
Answered in: 2023 Motorsports Sponsorship Summit at Mechanix WearThe Answer
Wheel Pros' Brian Henderson said he cares more about what racers do OFF the track than on it. Successful athletes: 1) Cultivate a lifestyle that authentically incorporates sponsor products in daily life, 2) Talk about sponsors naturally in conversations - even mentioning wheels to a valet when parking, 3) Create content year-round, not just during race season, 4) Help identify and recruit upcoming racers who could become sponsored (building their 'cartel'), 5) Show up at sponsor dealerships, appear at events and tradeshows, 6) Offer their vehicle for sponsor booth displays, 7) Maintain a professional public persona on personal social media, 8) Connect sponsors with each other for B2B opportunities. Atturo Tires emphasized asking: if it's a 12-race series, that's only 24 days - what are you doing the other 340 days of the year?
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2023 Motorsports Sponsorship Summit at Mechanix Wear
Recorded live January 7, 2023 — six sessions in three hours: 1. Why Brands Sponsor & How They Calculate ROI — Alex Striler with Ben Dolan (VP of Marketing, VP Racing Fuels), David Cardey (Sales Manager, Eibach Springs), Jackie Donahue (Group Marketing Manager, NGK Spark Plugs), and Jesse Spungin (President, Mechanix Wear). 2. Promoting Yourself & Sponsors Thru the Media — Tony Yorkman (Marketing Director, Team RTR), Megan Meyer (NHRA champion and founder of Driven By Social Academy), Dan Schechner (Editor, PRI Magazine), Don O'Neal (Racers in Rental Cars podcast), and champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. 3. Activating at Events to Increase Brand Value — Alex Striler with Kevin Miller (CEO, USAC), Matt Martelli (CEO, Mad Media and the Mint 400), and Dan Dennehy-Rodriguez (SCCA). 4. Creating Decks That Attract & Writing Proposals That Sell — Alex Striler, Tony Yorkman, and Megan Meyer. 5. Finding Tire and Wheel Sponsors — Tony Yorkman with Chris Meyer (Senior Marketing Specialist, Maxxis), Brian Henderson (Wheel Pros), and Michael Mathis (CEO, Atturo Tires). 6. Networking and Meeting New Sponsors — Alex Striler with Kathryn Reinhardt (SEMA board member), Travis Clarke (SVP, Wasserman), and David Morton (Fifth Third Bank).
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