I LOVE it when I get seeded!
I was seeded a little while back from long time listener Steve Keil from The Laser Group to go to a corporate race day with a Porsche V8 Supercar that The Laser Group sponsors.
I think it’s fair to say that this episode is the highest octane, adrenalin pumping full throttle show I have ever produced.
Have you ever wondered what the ROI on sponsoring a race car is?
I’ve often wondered what the point was in having your logo on a race car that was belting down the race track at 200 km/hr. Is it really good brand awareness? Is it really worth the money? How much does it cost anyway?
In this episode I take you along for the ride (literally). I had a microphone on me all day and interviewed Steve Keil about why he decided to sponsor a race car, and it may not be the reasons you think. I also had the chance to interview V8 supercar racing legend Steve Richards about his car which is his business and his approach to obtaining great sponsors. I spoke to some Laser Group staff and some of their clients to really get the full picture on the whole racing car sponsorship thing.
By the end of this episode if nothing else you will be entertained. You will also have a clearer picture of what it means to sponsor a racing car and a whole new perspective on staff and client engagement.
The verdict? I’m all for it! Thanks so much to Steve Keil and The Laser Group for seeding me, and also Steve Richards for keeping me alive!
Enjoy this one team, I know I did!
EPISODE TIMELINE
02:08 Welcome & overview
02:55 Insights into WebCentral
04:04 Today’s introduction to the race day
17:30 Cornerstone Business Solutions
18:50 Race day – Part 2
34:08 My top 3 attention grabbers from the race day
36:46 Wrap-up and insights in to next week’s guests
EPISODE SPONSORS (PLEASE SUPPORT THEM)
WebCentral listener offer – Helping your website get found, fast.
RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED
The Laser Group’s official website
Steve Richard’s official racing site
Small Business Big Marketing Blog: Seeding, Sponsorship and Social Media
Episode 14 – How seeding can help grow your brand
Buy Timbo’s new marketing book The Boomerang Effect
OVER TO YOU …
What was your biggest marketing learning or ah-ha moment from this episode?
Leave your comment below.
My guest and I respond to each and every comment.
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21 thoughts on “318 – Is Race Car Sponsorship a Smart Marketing Strategy?”
Hey Timbo, great to hear your thoughts on race car marketing. I’ve photographed Motorsport and Experience Days (such as your day) for the first ten years of my career and loved every minute of it, to work with talented drivers and instructors in fantastic locations and to meet the guests or “Billy’s as their affectionately known in the UK industry was always such a privilege. Interesting to hear and experience your perspectives as you enjoyed your first taste of a race car on track. The “live” podcast format, I thought worked very well. Cheers Tim, Tony.
Thanks Tony … what a great first job, you had! Thanks for the feedback on the ‘live’ format. I enjoyed pulling it together.
Hey Timbo, do you think that the motoring days are such a good marketing play because they stimulate all the physical senses, which makes it stick more in people’s minds? It’s unusual to have a marketing tactic that stimulates more than one or two senses, and usually it is visual or aural… at the track you have sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. I think in the past you have mentioned that not enough businesses tickle their customers’ senses, say through smell in a retail environment…
Timbo, there is one other aspect of motor racing that appeals to businesses. Winning. And when you have a bloke like Steve Richards standing on the podium with your name on his shirt, it shows that Laser are associating with success. All positive stuff. And yes, you did look a bit green towards the end.
Great podcast Tim, I enjoyed it. I was the photographer on your day and it was great to hear your thoughts on how the day is run
So I am adding some event marketing to show appreciation for my customers, and to build on this concept. First event is going to be a cooking class for holiday food. Planning it for Sept./Oct. and we are hoping to get about 40-50 people.
Love the in-person event-cast! It is working well for my podcast too, and I am looking to take it on the road to Europe too. Keep you posted.
This was a great episode in so many ways. I have more questions for you…in the forum!
Thanks Joel. Great work on capturing the day in pictures.
Correct Darryl. We all love a winner.
Couldn’t agree more, Justin. Having every sense activated is massive in marketing. A strategy that doesn’t get talked about, or implemented, nearly anywhere enough.
I like your thinking, Nick. That cooking idea sounds great … Many yars ago, Luke did one for his web development business which I attended and it still holds fond memories for me to this day. See you in the Forum.
Hey Nick, What a great concept. May have to try that with our Members and customers too. Possibly at the track. Now that’s fast food eh? (sorry, dad joke).
Thanks Joel for all your support mate. Great to hear Timbo’s perspective on the Laser Racing Team concept wasn’t it.
It was a key part of our decision making Darryl, I’m glad it wasn’t lost on people. Richo’s a real genuine bloke too and a great fit for Laser as an ambassador. PS, we did have a bucket ready for Timbo, thankfully an unnecessary precaution…
Thanks Tim, keep up the great work on the podcast
My pleasure Steve, so proud to be part of the team. Yes Timbo’s perspective was great to hear.
I didn’t think of it from that perspective Justin, but your spot on. We also run a ‘sit in’ simulator at the track so that whilst waiting for your ride, you hop in and drive the Porsche around the actual track we’re at. This way, the guest gets a feel of how difficult it is to pilot the car prior to their ride. Pushes the experience even further.
Can’t agree more Tony. I got a kick out of the whole doco style podcast. Love how Timbo keeps switching up the game 🙂
Just listening to this made me nervous!!! So intense. Good on you for feeling the fear and doing it anyway Tim!
I like the idea of thinking about how you can offer an extra special experience for your customers and clients. What a magic moment to give your members guys, well done.
It’s the little things that are the big things, Jess.
What a great episode Timbo!!! Very different in style, delivery and I was very impressed with your ‘on the spot’ interview questions.
2 things I really loved about this episode …
1) I loved your energy and reactions … you were like a little kid seeing a Toy Shop for the first time 🙂
2) I particularly liked the production of the podcast. In particular the use of the stereo microphone to get those nice background effects. It made me feel like I was right there with you at the interviews.
and well done to @disqus_De1LKzfjqx:disqus for setting this interview with Timbo. I enjoyed your very calm nature and your information you shared 🙂
Thanks Andrew. I too enjoyed pulling this one together. This style of production is a lot more work but I think is more listenable (is that even a word?!). A more recent one I did in a similar vain is my night on location with Orange Sky Laundry – https://smallbusinessbigmarketing.com/on-location-with-orange-sky-laundry/