Unsolicited Deck Pics

What’s the difference between a sponsorship deck and a proposal, and when is it okay to send either?

Imagine this: You’re on a dating app, swiping left or right or up or down or however that works, (it’s been a while), and *ding,* you’ve got a message. You open it and excitement turns into embarrassment, shock, and maybe even disgust. Immediately you delete the message and vow to cut off all communication with the sender. You’ve fallen victim to an unsolicited deck pic.

Okay, okay. All joking aside, partnering with businesses for sponsorship deals is a lot like dating. You can’t just start sending proposals and decks and “Will you sponsor me?” messages to every business you can think of, willy-nilly, and expect one to bite. Let’s talk about what the differences are between a sponsorship deck and a proposal, and when it’s okay to send either of them.

What is a Deck and when do I use it?

You can think of a sponsorship deck as a job application for the role of sponsored driver. The last time you applied for a job, how did you apply? Did you ping the business’s social media account and send them your job application? Did you show up at the business and hand them a generic application with your info filled in? Probably not.

You probably did some research about the business, checked if they had a job opening, read the job description, and decided if the job was a good fit for you. Then you applied by giving the business the information they were looking for. If you were really excited about the role, you might have even tailored your application to the specific job you were applying for, making sure you reported out the skills and experiences that overlapped with the expectations laid out in the job description. Perhaps you even looked up who the hiring manager was for the role and wrote them a letter or reached out to them directly.

This is how you should be approaching sponsors, too. Before you send anything over, you should be doing your research. Look up how the company is involved in motorsports, or if they’re not, what are they involved in? What are the values of the business and how does that align with your values? How are they marketing themselves and what products does it seem like they’re putting the most marketing dollars into? What skills, experiences, or opportunities do you have that could help them reach their business goals? Who makes the decisions?

Once you’ve done your research and you’re starting to understand the strategy and goals of the business you want to work with, it’s okay to open a line of communication. This is where your deck comes in. Your deck, just like your job application, should be reflective of the research you’ve done while also introducing yourself. In your deck, include things like:

• Your story, mission, and vision as a racer
• Your racing highlights, accomplishments, and testimonials
• Your brand identity, values, and personality
• Your audience demographics, psychographics, and behaviors
• The alignment and fit between your brand and the sponsor's brand

Do not include an ask for sponsorship, or include any prices/fees at this point, after all, you’re looking for a job interview, not a job offer right now. Your main goal when presenting a deck is to start a conversation.

What is a Proposal and when do I use it?

If a deck is like a job application, the proposal is more like contract negotiation. A proposal should only come out once you and the business are both in agreement that it’s a good fit. This comes after meeting, talking through ideas, and lots of listening on your part. If you haven’t already read the blog post titled “Stop Pitching and Start Listening,” be sure to check it out before you meet with a potential sponsor. If your meeting goes well, the person you’ve chatted with will likely ask for a proposal. Every proposal is different, and it should answer the following questions:

• How will I provide value that supports your business strategies and goals?
• How will I showcase your brand and the values you stand for?
• What are the metrics and methods of measuring the return on investment (ROI) of the sponsorship?
• What are the expectations that I have for the business and that you should have for me?

And, yes, a proposal should include your ask, whether that’s funds, product, or something else. Remember, this is a negotiation, so be open to feedback and collaboration and be prepared to justify your value with metrics that are meaningful to the business you’re in talks with. Benchmark your price on services the business could hire, instead. If you’re going to be providing social media content, look up what it costs for similar content to be created by others. If you’ll be providing advertising on a livestream, look up what the cost is to run a commercial of the same length on that livestream. Be creative to solve their problems in a cost effective way, and you’ll find that businesses will be more eager to spend their budgets on you.

What it all comes down to is putting the business’s needs before your wants. Sponsorship isn’t about you, it’s about the partners you work with getting a valuable return on their investment in you. Your deck is the tool to open conversations and your proposal is how you demonstrate the value you can provide by solving business problems and working toward their strategic goals. If you’re not confident in creating a deck or a proposal that will open doors for you, check out the Racer Resources page for custom deck and proposal services.