A one-size-fits-all pitch won’t cut it anymore in the hunt for sponsorship. When reaching out to potential sponsor partners, a tailored sponsorship deck is now required to further that conversation.

Why a personalized sponsorship deck is necessary to obtain sponsor support and how to effectively put one together.

In motorsports sponsorship, where the competition for attention and investment is fierce, the ability to stand out and make a lasting impression is paramount. Picture this: two race teams with their sponsorship deck, each meticulously crafted to showcase the benefits of partnering with a brand. One is a generic template, filled with generalized information and lacking personalization. The other is tailored specifically to the needs, interests, and values of the prospect it aims to captivate.
As a sponsorship consultant, I’ve seen firsthand the stark contrast in outcomes between these approaches. Customization isn’t just a nicety; it’s necessary in today’s market, where authenticity and relevance reign supreme. A one-size-fits-all pitch won’t cut it. Let’s delve into why tailoring your sponsorship deck to each prospect is essential for success.

Why the Deck is So Important

A sponsorship deck outlines a potential sponsorship opportunity for a sponsor. Its purpose is to garner enough attention from a sponsor to warrant a call or meeting with the sponsorship seller. The deck creates the first impression of the driver, team, or race track in the sponsorship hunt.
Sponsorship managers receive numerous sponsorship decks every month. The decks that grab their attention are the ones that are relevant to their needs. If you receive many emails, you probably only open and read the ones important to you. Similarly, sponsorship managers will only pay attention to the decks that are relevant to their business. To create relevance, you need to customize your sponsorship deck to meet the sponsor’s specific needs. Since every sponsor is unique, your deck should be tailored to fit their requirements.

Understanding Sponsor Prospects

To customize a sponsorship deck, one must first understand the potential sponsor. Sponsors each have distinct business objectives, whether it’s enhancing brand visibility, launching a new product, or driving sales. The initial step involves research to understand these goals. There’s never been so much information about so many companies freely available on the internet. Researching a prospect often provides all the “breadcrumbs” necessary to create a relevant and targeted sponsorship deck

The Customization Process

Curating a sponsorship deck entails compiling data and insights directly addressing the sponsor’s needs. The structure of the deck itself should unfold to address these needs clearly and compellingly. It’s essential to distinguish between customization and personalization; the former involves tailoring the proposition to the sponsor’s objectives, while the latter might include using the sponsor’s name or brand colors.

Elements of the Customized Deck

Describing yourself in a relatable way. Often, a deck opens with an “About Us” section, introducing the racer, team, or track. This section must accomplish two objectives for the seller. First, it must present a unique description of the seller’s brand. A sprint car driver’s deck must differentiate this driver from the many other sprint car drivers in the US who are also looking for sponsorship. However, even a unique description may be tweaked as this section is customized.
For instance, the sponsor must see its brand values in the driver’s description. If a sponsor prospect works at a family company with a long history, they likely want to connect with a driver from a racing family with a long history in motorsports. Similarly, a tech company would like to affiliate with a tech-savvy driver who can symbolize change and innovation, as most tech companies do. Consequently, the About Us section would be customized to the brand values of each prospect.
Your audience matches the sponsor’s customers. An audience is generally the fans of a racer, team, or track. However, the audience can include race attendees, television viewers, website visitors, or email subscribers. The sponsorship seller describes its audience in terms of demographics (like age, gender, residence, and household income), psychographics (like values and hobbies), and buying preferences (like preferred products or brands).

The Audience section of a deck must highlight the audience segment most relevant to each sponsor prospect. Sponsor A may seek young male customers, while Sponsor B seeks to connect with families. Sending the same deck to both Sponsor A and B could turn off both. Therefore, you’d want to customize each deck to tell the story of the young males (for Sponsor A) and families (for Sponsor B) who attend your race events.
Your sponsorship offer provides just the right tools. Your pre-sales research should guide what marketing tools you offer to a sponsor. A sponsor selling a business-to-business product cares little for logo placements on a car. They’re looking for opportunities to meet other businesses at a race event that can buy their products. This sponsor may also value unique VIP events or hospitality to entertain potential customers.
Conversely, a sponsor introducing a new product in your race market would love logo placements, signs, and social media. This sponsor needs a racer to create awareness for new products when the sponsor needs awareness the most. Again, you would customize the deck to the sponsor receiving it.

Mastering The Future

Customization is the keystone of a successful motorsport sponsorship deck. A tailored proposal demonstrates an understanding of the sponsor’s needs and showcases a commitment to a strategic partnership. As the motorsport industry continues to evolve, the future of sponsorship decks lies in the ability to innovate and customize in alignment with ever-changing sponsor objectives. The era of generic proposals is over; the future belongs to those who master the art of customization in their sponsorship decks.

Ken Ungar is president of CHARGE, LLC. Ken will share more details about how to customize sponsorship decks in his PRI Education seminar, “Customizing Sponsorship Decks: Dialing In The Perfect Pitch to Find Sponsors,” on Thursday, December 12, in rooms 234–235 of the Indiana Convention Center during the 2024 PRI Show. For more information about CHARGE, visit chargesponsorship.com.