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Contact Us: SSR SP1 "Professor" starting at $249.00
Bridestone Potenza RE01r starting at $141.00 Car Shows
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Put Your Vehicle Into Car Shows
When you're trying to get sponsored or trying to do things to increase promotional value for your current sponsors, you need to get visible. While drifting competitions are still relatively new in this country, car shows have been a mainstay for decades. You can quickly and easily increase your presence and image in the "import market" through appearances in local or national car shows and automotive trade shows.
Some people may put-down the import car show circuit as too "fast and furious" with all of the flashing lights, neon, and gaudy body kits present. However, these car shows attract thousands of interested spectators (potential fans) who may or may not know much about drifting at this point. If you have the chance to be these people's first contact in the world of drifting, you should make every attempt to show them the light. Also, car shows are filled with dozens of vendor booths that you can talk to and find more potential sponsors.
Find out what car shows are in your area and call up the event promoters. See if you can put your vehicle into the show and see if you can get a booth provided for you. If you're a fairly recognized driver with a great car, you may be able to secure yourself a space in the show. When approaching event promoters for booth space, try to see things from their perspective as well. What do you offer their show? Is your vehicle an awesome showpiece that people would come to check out? Will you have a well put together and exciting booth for people to check out? Are you bringing any models? Will you be doing giveaways? Autograph signings? Anything you can do to make the promoter's show better gives you a better chance of securing a booth in their show.
If you can't get a booth for free, it may also be worth your while you just purchase your own booth, depending on the popularity of the show. Car show entries and displays are something that you can put into your sponsorship proposals for potential sponsors. When other drivers are just attending 7 drift competitions a year, you can be attending 7 drift competitions + 5 national car show events + 1 automotive trade show. For the price, sponsors could be getting much more exposure with you and your vehicle since you'll be in more events.
Let the Promoters Know You're Available Once you secure a booth in the show, let the event promoters know that you're available if they need anyone for events or promotions at the show (judges for the booty contest, hot dog eating contestants, etc.). While you might not be doing the greatest things at the show, it will allow you to meet and work with different event promoters and show people that you're an overall good guy and easy person to work with.
Also check with the event promoters (ahead of time) to check on the posibility of your car being a featured vehicle in the show or in the show's advertisements. Anything additional that you can get out of each car show appearance increases your list of credentials. Rather than just putting on your driver's resume that you attended ABC Car Show, you can put down that you entered a "featured vehicle" in ABC Car Show and images of your vehicle were used in print, TV, and internet advertisements.
Notify Your Sponsors of Your Appearance For each car show you enter, let your sponsors know where you're going to be, when you'll be there, and what you plan to do. Give them details and time schedules of what's going on for you and your vehicle at the show. Ask your sponsors if there's anything (within reason) that they'd like you to do at the show like: pass out stickers, give out product samples, etc. Make sure you check with the event promoters before hand to find out what you can and can't do at their show.
If you're lucky, maybe your sponsors will see the value in your car show appearance and give you some additional help like budget to hire some car show models to appear at your booth, money for revamped vehicle graphics, a set of their new wheels, or money for a good detailing of your car. If your sponsors ask if they can help you out, let them know what you need (again, within reason) and what would be nice to have. Let them determine how much or how little they're willing to help you out.
Be Present at Your Booth While your car is probably going to get most of the attention at a car show, you should be present as much as possible to answer questions and talk to people. Sometimes just the chance to meet a you in person is enough to make you a fan's favorite driver. Think about it; if you've been watching the D1 Grand Prix for years and finally got a chance to meet one of the drivers in person and talk a bit with them, you'd have at least some personal connection with them that would make you cheer for them more. That's what you're trying to accomplish here.
You might not need to wear a full racing suit, but you should wear attire that states your team or your sponsors. If your sponsor happens to be walking by and sees you wearing his colors and logo, think of how happy you'll make them. If anything, your clothes should say, in a subtle way, that you're the owner / driver of this vehicle. That way if people have questions or comments they'll know to see you.
Take Photos of Your Booth Make sure to document your appearance in the car show. Take good photos of your vehicle, your display, you (in your sponsor's apparel), other activities you're doing at the show, and of the people coming to your booth. You'll need these photos to add to your resume, driver's profile, webpage, or future sponsorship proposals.
After the event is over, remember to send all of your sponsors photos of your appearance so they know you were at the event and the kind of exposure you produced for them. Also give them a quick overview of the event and summarize your experiences there.
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