Hot rods

I just had the pleasure of visiting with Hank Funk. He is building a beautiful little hot-rod you have to see to believe. Check it out here:  http://hot-rod-build.blogspot.com/

A couple things of note about it: The chassis is painted, not powder-coat, adding multiple layers of clear to the paint gives a depth to the colour that you just can’t get with powder. The photos do not do it justice, you need to see it in person. to really appreciate the finish.

He showed me some of the details too, besides the beautiful job on the plumbing, Rather than using the standard hot rod ignition key, he sourced a brand new original ignition tumbler from an early model Mustang. This is not only a Model T, this is a Ford. That is not a Chev engine in there, that is a 351 Cleveland motor. I happen to really like the tunnel ram setup too. I know that modern single plane single four barrels are more efficient, but this just looks cool, the way a fun hot-rod like should look. I love it and am looking forward to watching the completion of it.

Make sure you check back to his blog often and watch the progress, there will be some video of the build up soon too.

The airbrush work for the graphics on the side are awesome, but you’ll have to wait to see that.

I will get back to the series on sponsorship next week.

Breakfast at Dennys

I guess I got ahead of things. It’s fine for me to say that you need to ask potential sponsors what their goals are, so you can design a marketing program to best address those goals, but what you want to know, and need to know is how to you meet the potential sponsors in the first place so you can ask those questions. I have struggled with this myself in the past.

The first place to start looking for potential sponsors is within your own circle of contacts. Write a list of everyone you know, yes, everyone. “But young Billy down at the parts store doesn’t have the money to sponsor me.” You may be right, but young Billy may be developing the next Google in his parent’s basement when he’s not delivering parts. If that is the case, you may regret those times you didn’t treat him a little better when the parts he delivered were the wrong ones. . . and you know full well it isn’t his fault they’re wrong. Now, keep writing your list.

I was discussing sponsorship with two time World Champion Frank Hawley a few years back when he said to me; “You never know who you’re sitting next to when you’re having breakfast at Dennys.” Those who know me personally have heard me repeat that mantra. Very powerful words.

Back to Billy. So he’s not developing the next Google, he’s playing Final Fantasy, but what do his parents do? How about his uncles? His best friend’s dad? Just for fun, let’s say his best friend’s dad manufactures widgets. These are great widgets and this company just went public and is developing a new brand and whole new marketing campaign to spread the word. How are you going to know?

How is the widget company going to know that you are an ideal medium to spread the word about these great widgets. They will never know, or want to know, if you are the guy that Billy calls “the jerk” for yelling at him ’cause the parts were wrong. (and it isn’t even his fault)

A much better, and realistic scenario is that when Billy delivers the parts, right or wrong, you ask him how is day is, genuinely. As you get to know him better ask him if he got through the next level on “what’s that game you play again?” As easy as that, but it has to be genuine, Billy thinks you’re a nice guy. His best friend’s dad happens to overhear him telling his best friend about your cool race car, and Dad thinks, “race car, yeah, that would work for our widgets” “Hey Billy, who’s that nice guy with a race car?”

I know some of you are thinking “yeah right, that doesn’t happen”. And true it is rare. But,much more likely is this and it happens all the time:

Billy’s friend’s dad, the widget maker, we’ll call him John Smith. John has overheard Billy talk about that guy with a race car who’s a jerk when the parts are wrong. . . and it’s not even his fault. From that point on, if you even want to consider trying to get sponsored by John Smith’s widget company you have to fight that first impression John has of racers being a jerk. And that’s a difficult fight.

Myself, I am very fortunate to have some amazingly powerful and successful people on my business team. I have presidents of international companies, and CEO’s and managing directors of multi-million dollar companies, on my team. These people are nice people, and they help me. They help me for free. Among other things, they introduce me to people they know who might benefit from sponsoring me.(as a side note, notice that they introduce me to people who will benefit from sponsoring me, it is not about what I can get, it is about what I can do for my sponsors). And these wonderful people on my team do it for me because I am a nice guy. I am nice to the parts guy, I’m nice to the receptionists, I’m nice to the person making the coffee. I know if I wasn’t a nice person, none of these people would help me.

I’ll get back to the list you are making of people you know in my next installment.

If you want to be sponsored, the first thing you have to do is you have to be a nice guy.

“You never know who you’re sitting next to while you’re having breakfast at Denny’s”