TBurd,

How good are you right now?

This will control what you can expect.

If you are front of the fleet(top 5% maybe), you can go for the big fish, otherwise keep it simple.

If you are not top of the fleet it is almost easier as you will be cheaper to sponser (afterall, no sponser will buy someone a new boat if they won't be going around the marks in first place showing the sponsers graphics.....).

Talk to the local (independant) chandlers and bars / Cafe's, find the local business people who like sailing and talk to them about supporting you in some way:

Can the local petrol retailer "give" you free petrol ?, can the local Chandler give you free sailing kit ? Can the local sail maker make you free sails ? Can the local Chandler cut you a deal to sell their stock at open events from your trailer box for a 10% cut ? etc.... Basically when you start out, you need to find people who can help you at little cost to them as you are (realistically) going to be getting them fairly little in return for their investment. For these poeple, you need to write to them, or just walk in with some ideas and talk to them when it is quiet (for them) and not 10 minutes before closing time.

If you are top of the fleet and after the big fish then you need to be much more professional about it.

Get some pukka marketing lit. together - presentations (multi-media on CD that you can send them), list of results (don't lie they will be checked), probable exposure you can get them (eyes per day per logo etc.). Costs to them. New sail is this, Title sponser new F18 is this. Title sponser for the Nationals is this, Title sponser for the worlds is this. Wearing their wetsuits (after they give you them free) is this etc etc etc... Come up with a plan, an execution plan (x contacts a week) and do some digging around. Which CEO's sail, which CEO's Wife's sail, which CEO's Son's sail (Coaching option from you for the son if you are qualified etc) Find people who might want to sponser you.

And also customise each on before you send it out (put a GOOD picture of your boat on the front cover) and later on, put a picture of the boat with a mock-up including their graphics showing how it could look (and a paragraph below indicating that you hope it was OK to use their logo and if this is not the case you will delete all images after the receipt of a simple e-mail.

If people like the CD's, they may call you in for a chat - wear a suit !!!!!!!!

Build yourself a Website (or get a mate to do it for you).



To give you some idea, in my time sailing I have the following sponsership's under my belt.

LOcal Chandler gave me and my crew new wet suits and kit (approx £1000) for a collection of stickers on the boat for a year.

Next year he also added the "selling kit out of the box".

My crew also managed to get about £500 from his employer, I managed to get some extra time off.

Following year we got VERY lucky and my crew's employer offered full blown sponsership for a Tornado campaign, 3 boats, travel, etc.... He spent a lot of time talking to them (I was in and out of the country on business) and we came up with a plan that was workable. We had the finances committed and were about to order 3 Tornado's from Goran when they pulled the plug as their sponsership budgets were going in diferent directions. Ho Hum....

So you really need to decide what you want to do (and if you can sell yourself at that level) and then do it......