MARKETING MATTERS

Marketing Matters MATTERS MARKETING Expert advice to improve how you promote and sell your products or services

DAN SAGER FOUNDED THE FAB-BIKER PR AGENCY IN 1996 AND currently represents many well-known businesses and brands in the motorcycle industry. In a new series exclusive to BDN, Dan asks us to use our imagination to solve common marketing challenges. fab-biker.co.uk

THE SPONSORSHIP GENIE Successful sponsorship will bring new customers to your door, but to be effective you need to negotiate more than just a sticker!

Imagine that you uncover a dusty old oil can while rummaging around in the storeroom. Thinking it might be valuable, you give it a quick wipe with a damp cloth, and, to your amazement, a genie appears in a puff of smoke. After thanking you for releasing it from its tin prison, the genie grants you the means to sponsor anyone you want, but there’s a catch. In order for your wish to be fulfilled, you must reveal to the genie what you expect in return for your investment and explain how it will benefit your business.

What an incredible opportunity. Not only could you generate massive publicity for your business, you could also gain access to your sporting heroes. It’s a win-win, providing you can justify your choice to the genie of the oil can.

INVEST IN A GOAT

Valentino Rossi is widely regarded as the Greatest Of All Time (other GOATS are available) and having the name of your business displayed prominently on his leathers/helmet/ bike would undoubtedly get you noticed, but is that enough to satisfy the genie? Will people see your logo and suddenly rush out and start spending money with you?

Think about things that Valentino could do that directly benefit you, such as making personal appearances at your showrooms or starring in a series of promotional videos.

Maybe regularly mentioning your company in social media posts to his legions of fans or offer VIP hospitality at race meetings to your best customers.

What an incredible opportunity. Not only could you generate massive publicity for your business, you could also gain access to your sporting heroes

PITCH PERFECT

Motorcycle racing is not the only sport. You could reach a much wider audience by sponsoring more mainstream athletes or teams. At the time of writing, Manchester City are leading the Premier League, with an average match attendance of 50,000+, and that’s before we consider television viewers. What else could you demand in return for your backing besides your name on their kit? How would you make a connection between elite professional footballers and the things you sell? You can see why a sports clothing brand or retailer might want to get involved, but it’s going to be tricky convincing the demanding genie that you’re getting value for money.

CHARITY WORKS

Sponsorship doesn’t have to be sporty, of course. There are celebrity endorsements to be bought, and you could even sponsor events, such as shows or festivals. Or you could use your unlimited budget to do something really good and support a charity. Lots of businesses, big and small, donate to charities. Sometimes because it’s a cause close to the director’s heart or because they want to be seen to be ‘giving something back’ so customers believe they are shopping with an ethical brand. What could the charity do to repay your generosity? Clearly, you’d expect them to feature your logo on all their promotional material, but they could also create content (videos, social media posts) showing people the things that your support enabled them to do. Better still, they could thank your customers for supporting your business which, in turn, supports their good work. Everyone’s a winner.

If you aren’t lucky enough to stumble across a magic oil can, you can still think about what you expect in return for any sponsorship deal. A sticker on a bike doesn’t sound like it would impress a genie. 

NEXT MONTH

We start a brand-new series, looking at ways to make your marketing budget go further when times get tough.