Approaching Sponsors?

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louisem

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Could anyone come up with some ideas on how to find sponsorship (small or large)? I'm based on the continent with a small string of jumpers,but obviously seems more logical to look for a British sponsor....horsey or otherwise....
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or not? Travel most weeks through Europe,pretty ok results,but have NO idea where to start looking or how! Help?
 
You need to write a cover letter and then all your decent results and a short blurrb about your best horses. Also you need to say why they should sponsor you, what you can offer them but someone else couldnt, and where you hope to go in the future - in terms of level. Then chose sponsors who are likely to be interested and go for it. Normally, most wont be interested at this time of year as they'll have used up there sponsorship budget allowances for 2008 (best to contact end of the year) but you'll probably get a few responses.
 
Thanks,I was thinking for 2009 anyway,what sort of companies do you think I should go for? I don't get many English horsey mags,but there must be some website with various companies on it?
 
i'd try local companies, companies that you already use that you think could do with the word spreading, etc etc. try to think of what you can offer them (advertising on lorry, etc) as your starting point.
 
You are better off approaching companies which are not directly equestrian-related: the ones that are either already have a sponsorship policy and relationships with top riders/their agents, or they have a policy of no rider sponsorship (which some do). Try local companies or ones with which you have any links (ones you have worked for, ones your friends work for, owned by friends or friends of friends) etc - having a name as an entry point is a huge help as companies do get loads of approaches. Try and work out what might light their fire: branding, hospitality, networking with HNW individuals etc, then taylor your pitch to match that (Very important not to produce a "standard letter", it will be very obvious and is an immediate turn-off). Make sure you make the pitch really commercial-sounding: most riders don't do this they go for the "help me fulfil my Olympic dream" approach which is much less powerful. Remember, whoever is the Marketing Director of the company will have to justify their decision to the rest of the Board in commercial terms. Good luck! Oh, one more thing, having said don't bother with equestrian companies, you are unlikely to get any money out of them but you might well get some product so they are worth a try from that point of view - even if you don't get it free, maybe see if you can negotiate "trade terms" which is usually 50% off in return for logos on the truck etc.
 
Thanks for that.I'm indeed on the road in Belgium,Holland and France all the time.The lorry thing would be a good selling point.Gonna get on to it straight away,just got to find some time now,between shows!!!!!
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I've been looking for some funding too and here is a fragment of an advice I got from someone in "sponsorship-know-how":

"the first thing to do is think how you are going to be of help to a potential sponsor.
companies expect some sort of return on investment & this can be in several ways. PR/publicity is the most obvious one - if you are winning, being photoed etc. in kit branded with their logo, on your horses rugs & lorry at competitions etc..
Secondly, corporate entertaining. If you event for example then your sponsors might want to arrange a hospitality day at a prestigious event such as Gatcombe - you'll be expected to schmooze with clients, maybe do a course walk or a talk over lunch.
Other reasons are for "social responsibility" so a company might like to be seen to be sponsoring a paralympic rider etc...

You need to present yourself as professionally as possible to potential sponsors. Do you have a website? A polished CV & up to date list of achievements? Good photos?? A plan for how you would promote their company would be a good idea."

I didn't have much luck in general (was told by that one feed company receive 250 letters a day!!). However, a few companies told me to contact them again once I have some competition record in the UK to speak of
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and I will definitely do so.
If you do already have a good track records you should find it easier
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Good luck!
 
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