It’s easy to make the comparison of a resume and application with a sponsorship proposal since each is a written document that typically strives to depict its subject in a positive light with the goal of acceptance. Similarly, it’s of the utmost importance that each be accompanied by a unique cover letter addressed to the correct person with his or her name and title spelled correctly and the rest of the text free of spelling or grammatical errors, too.
Printed mistakes in a proposal can reflect poorly on a racer by suggesting a lack of attention to detail, an uncaring attitude, laziness, or just plain ignorance of basic business etiquette. Even if you’re a wordsmith yourself, trust me, take the time and make the effort to get someone whose word skills you trust to read and check your work for errors and clarity. Everyone needs an editor!
Of course, even after making sure everything is in order, getting that sponsorship proposal into the hands of a company’s decision maker can be a challenge. Pilots always were advised to enlist the help of friends or acquaintances who already worked for the airlines they were targeting. In fact, some airlines actually required a letter of recommendation from a current employee before even being willing to consider a new application.
Racers, too, should make use of any contacts they may have at a potential sponsor. A letter of recommendation will never hurt, but even a casual mention of, “He’s a good guy,”
might be just the catalyst you need to get that elusive face-to-face opportunity to sell your deal to the right person. Taking it a step further, you just can’t beat the impact of a hand-delivered proposal by a trusted source to the decision maker, so dig out that pile of business cards you’ve collected over the last couple of seasons before making a mailing list.
So let’s say your application/proposal garnered the desired attention and the company wants to call you in and learn more. Something as simple as your contact information can say a lot about you and how seriously you take the task at hand. Just as pilots were advised not to use that beerboy@hatmail.com e-mail address when making an application, racers probably should forego the “fastass” online persona in favor of something a little more professional, preferably inserting your own or your team’s name into the mix.
Likewise, a professional sounding voicemail message is a must. So drop that cute routine you taped with your wife or the celebrity impersonation greeting, go with a straightforward announcement that promises a prompt reply, and stick to it by checking for messages frequently. Alternatively, if you use a cell phone as your primary contact, make sure to answer it with more than a grunted, “Yeah?” Realize that you never know when that magic call may come and it’s your only chance to make a good first impression.
When you think about it, sponsorship and job searches really are similar pursuits; you’re seeking a relationship that will hopefully pay off for both parties in the foreseeable future. Both can lead to serious business arrangements, usually with consequences on both sides if the relationship fails, so it just makes sense to approach each with an organized, targeted plan.
PS. There are still more similarities between a pilot’s job pursuit and that of a sponsor-challenged racer, so if there’s enough interest in this column, I’ll continue the analogy next month.
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