Cycling UK Forum

So I have been training for a long tour over 8000 km. I am going to take it slow and enjoy the places I visit, so the plann is a 4-5month venture into the foreign lands. From UK to Iran

as some of u might be aware, I am still on a lookout for a touring/expedition bike. I have everything except the bike and a trailer.

I am an amateur photgrapher, and will be carrying two cameras with me. I plan to organize either a film or foto project, in turkey, georgia armenia and iran(western world is not very interesting). I haven't settled what the theme or topic could be yet. I will do as everyone else does, write a joural, keep a blog, and have a website where I can write reviews about bike parts, cities, etc.

So here comes my question. How does one manage to get sponsorship from big companies. I know that the process would have been easier if I had established a website during my last tour and had traffic. But that was my mistake, and I do not have any established credentials to prove my commitment to this companies.

Does anyone have any experience dealing with sponsorship, how do you approach the firms.

I do not want free products but certain discount for generating traffic to their website, and a review on the product.

Sorry ... but I think "dream on" may be the order of the day ... a number of the bike manufacturers actually have a bit on their websites that tell people not to even bother asking.

I'm amazed at the number of people that I get asking questions about how to acquire sponsor funding at my cycle-endtoend.org.uk website - from expectations of equipment/bikes etc to calling at branches of chain supermarkets to pick up free food - in these straitened times unless the event is something REALLY SPECTACULAR then chances of any significant support are minimal.

... but good luck in any attempts you do make

Rob

Why would any company sponsor you to do something that hundreds, if not thousands, of other people have been doing for years, i.e. going on a long bike ride and enjoying yourself.
If you're only looking for discounts and not freebies then you'd probably be better just shopping around via Google, most stuff can be had a pretty good discount to RRP if you look carefully.

robgul wrote:Sorry ... but I think "dream on" may be the order of the day ... a number of the bike manufacturers actually have a bit on their websites that tell people not to even bother asking.

I'm amazed at the number of people that I get asking questions about how to acquire sponsor funding at my cycle-endtoend.org.uk website - from expectations of equipment/bikes etc to calling at branches of chain supermarkets to pick up free food - in these straitened times unless the event is something REALLY SPECTACULAR then chances of any significant support are minimal.

... but good like in any attempts you do make

Rob

The difference is that I do not want freebies, I am going to assemble a bike on my own, so in return for a small discount I will be providing traffic to their website and their products.

I guess this whole shenanigan of sponsorship would have been easier if I already had an established website and could provide them with numbers. This could have created an instant trust between us.

Lastly, I realise there are plenty of dreamers out there, but i have learnt in my short life that if you don't ask u don not get anything. It doesn't hurt to ask.

The only spectacular part of my journey would, if I manage to create a short film, or an exhibition when I return, then that could be another advertisement for the companies.
However to film something, you need to carry a heavy piece of equipment. But I will be taking enough foto equipment to create a photographic exhibition at the end.

ara-the-bird wrote:..... so in return for a small discount I will be providing traffic to their website and their products.

....I guess this whole shenanigan of sponsorship would have been easier if I already had an established website and could provide them with numbers. This could have created an instant trust between us....

Realistically, I would guess that if you're lucky you might get a couple of hundred people following your website and travels, of whom only a handful would end up following any links to sponsors websites and buying stuff, so sponsors are not really going to get anything out of it.

Instead of sponsorship through bike related products you might get something through education or other.
I've no idea what "other" maybe but think outside the box as they say.
Iranian embassy, religion, camping firms. :roll:

Good luck though.

Why not enjoy your ride totally self supported without any mercenary financial aspirations, I would imagine that old one trick pony is played out at this stage.

Discussing sponsored type rides a couple of years ago with my LBS owner, he said there was hardly a week went by when someone did not come in looking for sponsorship of some sort or other, from freebies to discounts etc.
So basically there are a lot of other people out there doing/considering the same kind of thing.
I guess you could contact the likes of Mark Beaumont to find out what they did , but I would think you will need a unique selling pitch.

Remember you are asking to be paid/supported to do something a lot us earn valuable wages to pay for; a holiday awheel in far flung places.

It's a simple transaction - if you want sponsorship, you're going to have to prove to your sponsor that they will make a profit on the deal. If they won't, it's not sponsorship but a donation. Given the barrage of requests most bike businesses get, goodwill is unlikely to get you far.

If you've already got a decent audience as a journalist or blogger, or a proven track record in PR, then you might stand a chance. Otherwise, you've got to see it from a businessman's perspective - what can you offer them in return?

what's up with all the negativity guys.

There is nothing wrong in trying. If you do not ask and sit on ur ass then there will be no benefits. I will not loose anything, except couple of hours on writing up a proposal.

I'd rather be the person who tried and failed, than the one who did nothing about it.

ara-the-bird wrote:what's up with all the negativity guys.

There is nothing wrong in trying. If you do not ask and sit on ur ass then there will be no benefits. I will not loose anything, except couple of hours on writing up a proposal.

I'd rather be the person who tried and failed, than the one who did nothing about it.

So go try then. Let us know how it goes.

thelawnet wrote:

ara-the-bird wrote:what's up with all the negativity guys.

There is nothing wrong in trying. If you do not ask and sit on ur ass then there will be no benefits. I will not loose anything, except couple of hours on writing up a proposal.

I'd rather be the person who tried and failed, than the one who did nothing about it.

So go try then. Let us know how it goes.

should have got the hint from the post that I am going to.

I just didn't expect so much negativity.

ara-the-bird wrote:what's up with all the negativity guys.

Let me paint you a picture. Vin Cox is the current round-the-world record holder, with a time of 163 days. He's organising a race around the world, to depart from London in February 2012. Vin is an experienced athlete and adventurer and has a proven track record of gaining media attention. There are race entrants who are doing it for charity, have extensive touring experience and a serious chance of breaking the world record but are struggling to raise enough sponsorship. You're planning on pootling around Europe for the fun of it.

Any bike-related company you write to will have thrown dozens of letters in the bin from people attempting far bigger and more interesting trips than yours. I'm not saying that you shouldn't bother asking, but you're probably wasting your time and effort unless you can legitimately answer the question "Why should we sponsor you, rather than a veteran tourer having a crack at the round-the-world record?".

ara: I'm going to be on your side on this. Yes, you'll get 200 outright rejections (the above posts, esp robgul's, are spot on). Then you'll discover something of your own - a good photo that you took, an article in a mag, a supplier you know through a friend etc and maybe a take on life that no-one else has thought of. That's the way it happens. So I would say go for it. The reality is as written above. The super-reality is what you make it.

I have tried and failed to get commercial sponsorship for various enterprises, so I can't suggest a tried-and-tested method. (I have successfully raised £30k from non-commercial organisations.)

But, remembering commercial organisations have a bottom line, I reckon that's the most promising route. You are trying to sell something to a company. Why would they buy it? Why is it worth more to them than your selling price? And why would that particular company (rather than some other) benefit? How does your idea tie into their business?

I also suspect asking for £10,000 is easier than £100. It would cost them £100 to read and respond to your letter, so even if they made £200 profit from a £100 sponsorship, it's not worth doing. They are more likely to be interested in making £20k from a £10k sponsorship. But you need to tell them how you will supply that value.