"Get Sponsored" Programs... here's your info.

[deevergote]

Ok, I know I'm rocking the link to CarSponsorships.com in my sig (and there it is again!). I get a LOT of PMs about what it's all about, and whether it's worth it. People are always asking me if they can get something good... So, here's my answer, for anyone who is wondering!

I'd rather bring this out as a discussion, because I know there are a lot of people interested... and conversely, a lot of people who think it's a scam.

I don't know anything about other programs personally, so I'm going to focus on the one I know here. This info may or may not be applicable to other similar programs.

As far as CarSponsorships.com goes, they are not a scam. However, you're not going to sign up, pay your $89 fee, and get a free set of Raveann wheels! This is how they work:

1) You sign up. You pay the $89 fee (which, if you're serious, is nothing... you WILL get this back in benefits if you play the game!) You WILL get something, probably decalkits.com. Yes, stuff you'll probably never want. And you know what? They know that. If you quit, nothing is lost on their part. They gain $89. If you don't quit, their paying sponsors get what they paid for.

2) When you get your sponsorship, regardless of what company it is, meet their requirements! Show you're serious! Rock some decals on your windows, where they can come off. Support decalkits.com, or whatever... go to shows, prove that you're worth sponsoring, and BAM! More offers.

3) Take advantage of the "partial sponsorships" from the bigger companies. I got a Blaupunkt partial immediately, and my car really isn't all that spectacular. You get about half off... which is damn good for new stuff! Play the game, and you'll be bumped to a full sponsorship with those companies. Now, isn't Blaupunkt better than decalkits.com? See, you played the game, and you got something worthwhile!

4) Keep in touch with your sponsors AND CarSponsorship.com. They have people to help you, and the more you get to know them, the better off you are.




It's NOT a scam. However, it's not set up for YOU to scam THEM either! To be sponsored, you have to do more than park your car outside the local pizza joint on Friday nights... you have to attend shows and events... you have to take part in shows and events! You have to rock your sponsors' logos visibly on your car. This is an easy and fairly cheap way in, but you have to work at it!

Here's an example:
Our own Maple competed in a local show and won a prize for best work in progress. I think he had corner lights and nothing else. Now, say Maple got a sponsorship from decalkits.com, put a couple graphics somewhere on his windows or something, and won another show... That would make the sponsor happy, and he may get more offers (not sure, but sending pics to carsponsorships.com could be helpful there). Then he gets a partial sponsorship from Blaupunkt Audio. Ouch, stuff he has to pay for!!! Oh noes! Ok, so he buys a cheap Blaupunkt setup at half off... speakers, amp, maybe a 10" sub... Wins another show. Says "Hey Blaupunkt! I won because of your crap!"... they may offer a FULL sponsorship. Then what? Free Blaupunkt. Free component speakers, free dual 12" box, free high power amp... Just to compete in more shows. Would this fictional Maple have gotten anything for free? Depends on how you look at it... he wouldn't have paid anything, no. But he would have worked for it. However, to him, this work is play!




Ok, that's the end of my rant. I just wanted to get this out there. YES, I am an official scout for carsponsorships.com. YES I make a couple bucks every time someone signs up with my link. I'm not hiding that fact, and I'm not specifically trying to milk more business out of you guys (though if this thread generates more sales, I'm not opposed!) I just wanted to provide the info as it really is. It's not a scam, but it's not a free ride either.

-Mike

[501accord]

well thanks for the detailed info on that deev, but do the sponsors really want to represent rusting out 200,000+ 15 year old family cars?

[deevergote]

I got 6 offers with nothing but a mod list Didn't even have to provide pictures.

The whole idea is to throw a net that will make some money off of the people expecting a free ride, and gain a few interesting representatives that may not usually become sponsored. I mean, we see lots of fancy stuff on Supras, but does it hit home? Not really. I'd rather see fancy stuff on a car like mine! MOST of the tuners out there don't drive expensive cars. They drive old rustbuckets. THEY are the market. It's genious, really... the companies, through this "get sponsored" program, are reeling in and weeding out the serious tuners to represent their products to the majority of the tuning comunity. The cream of the crop (supras, STis, EVOs, etc...) are already immersed in the market. There is a HUGE market for the older cars.

Quite honestly, this program is looking for the rustbuckets... and they know that those who are serious are determined to pull their cars out of rustbucket status and put them into show/race status. Those that are serious will play the game. Those that aren't won't make the companies look bad, because they won't be out there representing them! Those that aren't serious are covering the costs of recruiting with their sign up fee. It's a no risk operation for the sponsorship companies.

[92accordlxtuner]

Seems interseting...what is you traded in your ol cb7 rustbucket for a shiney new model rust-free bucket? Will they still want to sponsor you?

[deevergote]

Either way, it appeals to the "low end" crowd... those who are tuning $2000 cars, instead of $35,000 cars. You know, the OTHER 90% of the tuner market!

[accrdpower]

u don't really need carsponsorships.com at all.......just email websites( has to be professional, give a good amount of info and some background info., make one email and change the name of the receiver), go to local shops, ask around and i guarentee u will get sponsors. my club got over 15 sponsors by just emailing websites! and many if not most shops we went to in some way helped us out. that is the key place to start when getting major sponsorships. go with local places and internet sites. go to shows and wow u get noticed by major companies. ans yes deev u r right, sponsors weed out the people that are a waste of time. if u really are dedicated, u will get sponsors. if u have the 89 bucks then go ahead and go that route.....for me i'll take the 89 and put it toward a new radiator lol...

not that i am saying carsponsorships.com is bad but it just depends on how u want to go about getting your sponsors. all a matter or preference

[93CB7]

I don't buy those "tuner" magazines because they don't represent me. I don't have fantasys about owning a $35,000 car and all of the things I could do with it to make it unique. I wanted a low mileage, rust free 93 ' EX because I like the car and I could pay cash. Now I want to make it my own. Blacked lights, window tint, 16" wheels with rubber size that won't change my speedo, and lower it a little. If the sponsors are interested in me and they can help me get what I want by giving them some exposure why not?

[deevergote]

Yeah, you can get sponsorships yourself, that's very true. Carsponsorships.com and places like them just make it easier... they take the legwork out of it. You don't have to worry about coming across as unprofessional. When they find a sponsor for you, you're in.

Smart sponsors, and sponsors that will be willing to deal with the lower end of the tuning spectrum (ie: us) will definitely take advantage of the tools provided by such programs though. The programs not only do the legwork for us, but they do it for them as well!

[skinnye1]

I don't think if you have to pay its really a sponsorship, I see so many ricers in my area driving around with sport compact pro stickers on their cars thinking there sponsored, a discount you pay for is not a sponsorship, a $89 sticker is not a sponsorship its just a smart scam.

[ray ray]

i joined last year and received two sponsorships, decalkits.com and house of boom audio, i havent really stuck with it but i might start just to see what comes out of it. if nothing else ill have some cool stickers for my tool box and maybe some audio stuff. lol. i think its worth it.just check it out and remember you only get back what you put in to it.and bump for deev.

[deevergote]

I don't think if you have to pay its really a sponsorship, I see so many ricers in my area driving around with sport compact pro stickers on their cars thinking there sponsored, a discount you pay for is not a sponsorship, a $89 sticker is not a sponsorship its just a smart scam.

Did you read anything I wrote? Or are you just talking to hear yourself talk?

[skinnye1]

yeah I read what you wrote, and guess what its a joke, you know why you get free decals from decalkits.com because it cost them like $3.00 to do it and they get advertising, the shop I work at use to get so many kids coming in saying that they are sponsored and wanted discounts we did'nt a discount to one of them they all had sport compact pro stickers on their cars, One kid had to have us install the decal cause he could'nt figure it out

[deevergote]

Still, you miss the point. Do you think some idiot that can't install his own stickers would know what to do with a sponsorship? No. Those are the morons that expect to get something for nothing. Those are the morons that pay $89 for nothing, and call it a scam. Show me someone that did what was needed that got screwed, and I'll accept it. So far you're just shoving your uneducated opinion down my throat as if it were fact.