Imagine you're in an elevator with someone who could be your biggest fan or your most valuable sponsor. You have less than a minute to introduce yourself and make them interested in you as a racer. What do you say? How do you capture their attention and make them want to know more? How do you communicate your brand and your value in just a few short sentences?
We’re currently onboarding racers to sell on the Racer on Demand merch marketplace, and each racer gets their own driver landing page – a place where fans can find (and buy) all their merch. At the top of the landing page is a short bio so fans can quickly learn more about each racer and be compelled to support them. In a sense, your bio is the opportunity, for 30 seconds or less, for you to talk to each fan in an elevator and convince them to root for you, connect with you, and support your race program.
Writing a bio that grabs the attention of your audience can feel like a daunting task. It can be hard to find the right words, tone, and style to showcase your personality and achievements. It can be tempting to either write too much or too little, or to sound too boastful or too humble. It can be difficult to balance what you want to say and what your audience wants to hear. And it can be challenging to write a bio that stands out from the crowd and reflects your unique brand as a racer.
Here’s 4 steps you can use to craft every intro.
Your bio isn’t a copy/paste for everything you do. It should be tailored to the audience you’re trying to reach and the situation you find yourself in. Lucky for you, if you can remember these four steps, you’ll be able to give a compelling pitch to sell your brand and introduce yourself in every situation and in front of every audience.
1) Tell them who you are and what you do…
This part is easy. Your elevator pitch should always start out with your first and last name (it’s easier for people to look you up!), what you do, and a little bit about yourself. Keep this brief – only include information that is relevant to the conversation or posting and wrap it into one or two sentences.
Here’s what that could look like:
“My name is Amanda Van Den Elzen. I race Class 11 and spot professionally in the Champ Off-Road short-course series.”
“I’m Chris Van Den Elzen. I am the team owner of VDE Racing, I drive the #66 Pro Spec Truck, and I was voted Fan Favorite by Champ Off-Road fans in 2023.”
2) …what makes you different…
My last blog post talked about how to differentiate yourself in the motorsports world. If you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you head there next. In that post, I tasked you with finding two values that define exactly what a fan or sponsor can consistently expect from your brand. Your elevator pitch/bio is the perfect place to highlight those values and intentionally form this first impression.
Here are a few examples of how you can do this:
“I’m using my race program to teach other racers how to build meaningful connections with fans and business partners while modernizing motorsports marketing.”
“I pride myself on the innovation I bring to the race track and on the bond I share with my family through racing.”
3) …what you know about them…
This is the part that most people leave out. Any good pitch, including your bio, brings your audience in and makes a connection with them. It’s important to know who is going to be reading your bio – who is your target audience? If you’re writing your bio for the merch marketplace, you’re probably targeting fans. If you’re writing an email to a potential sponsor, building a racer resume, or forming a sponsor deck, this part of your pitch will differ significantly from your marketplace bio. Do a little research if you need to – it’ll pay off in the long run.
Here’s what this part of your pitch could look like:
“I’ve been following your brand for a few months. I noticed your social media posts emphasize your new product line and it’s something the fans of our motorsport could really benefit from.”
“I know how important is for fans to feel connected to racers and the brands they represent, so I always leave space in my pits for fans to come in, get autographs, chat with me and the team, grab some stickers and swag from our business partners, and take pictures with my truck.”
4) …and what you want them to do.
Sure, a bio could technically be complete without this piece, but a call-to-action gives your elevator pitch a little added oomph. After all, why even introduce yourself if you don’t want your audience to do anything with the information they learn from you? Assume your audience doesn’t know what you want them to do, then tell them. If you want them to buy your merch, tell them. If you want them to follow your social media pages, tell them. If you want them to get on a call with you next week to talk more about partnering with your brand, tell them. If you don’t tell them, they don’t know.
Here's a few ways you could tell them what your next step is:
“Would you be open to a call to explore this idea more?”
“Keep in touch! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.”
Once you’ve got your elevator pitch down, practice it. Go into every situation with an elevator pitch ready. Heading to a race? Have your elevator pitch ready for fans that will interact with you. Reaching out to potential business partners? Craft an elevator pitch for each of them, in writing, and practice it for when you secure a meeting. Remember, your elevator pitch is the first impression most people will have of you and your brand. Make it work for you!
Are you interested in selling on Racer on Demand's merch marketplace? Sign up here!
