sirveyr Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Ever since I was placed in charge of gathering prizes and sponsorship for a match a few years ago, I have been acutely aware of the match sponsors at all the matches that I shoot. I have always taken a few minutes to send each of them a short e-mail or make a phone call in the week after the match. Last weekend, I shot the 2011 Great Lakes Regional IDPA Championship. I sent all of my thank yous out by Monday evening. Out of the 25 notes that I sent, I received 10 replies and they all were surprised, if not shocked to, hear from me. Springfield Armory, which donated (4) XD's to the prize table, thanked me for taking the time to contact them and asked for my shirt size so they might send me a T-shirt. Cool! Anyway, I get home from a local match yesterday and there is a huge box sitting in my front bushes. It is from Springfield Armory and contained the following: (2) T-shirts (1) Polo shirt (3) Hats Mouse Pad Coffee travel cup (3) Large window decals, I'm talking NASCAR size (1) 2'x3' banner (1) Golf towel Holy crap! My intent wasn't to get free stuff by writing these little notes, but it sure was cool to receive all of this great stuff. I guess the lesson is that we should all take some time to personally let the sponsors know that we appreciate their efforts. Sometimes we could get even than we received at the match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 After Space City Challenge, I sent around 20 thank you notes to the sponsers of that match. I was surprised to get back ONLY 1 reply, from Chuck Bradley from Shooters Connection. I wasnt doing it to get a reply, but was a little surprised to get as little response as I did. Springfield was one that I never heard back from. It is possible that I sent one to the wrong email at SA. I could only find 1 online. Anyway thats really awesome that they took care of ya like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Gaines Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 After Space City Challenge, I sent around 20 thank you notes to the sponsers of that match. I was surprised to get back ONLY 1 reply, from Chuck Bradley from Shooters Connection. I wasnt doing it to get a reply, but was a little surprised to get as little response as I did. Springfield was one that I never heard back from. It is possible that I sent one to the wrong email at SA. I could only find 1 online. Anyway thats really awesome that they took care of ya like that! Aaron, did you send me one! Lol I think it is very thoughtful/Professional to write letters to sponsors and thank them for their donations. Without their generous contributions, all of the matches would be just trophy matches. they donate money and their time, and do alot of things for matches that you don't even know about, to sweeten the prize table even more. Another thing is know who is sponosring the match beforehand, and you can thank them personally at the match. And do not offend a sponsor (This has happend to me once!), But I jumped his ass and set him straight. I understand there is always 1 bad apple. I have actually heard some companies not sponsoring matches,because they feel as if the return is not worth all the effort, and for rude comments made by individuals at matches or on a public forums about particulars instances. But for the most part. I will continue sponsoring matches, because the people in this sport are great, and without you guys/gals I woudn't be in business. When I recieve a personal thank you note from someone, thats is like icing on a cake, and it just reinforces my willingness to support the shooting sports! That was awesome of Springfield to do that for you, they didn't have to, but they did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiserb Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I was at a match recently that had a prepaid post card attached to each prize. The post card was a typed thank you not back to the person / company that donated the item. The prize winner simply signed the post card and put the card in the collection box at the match. I thought this was a nice touch and a good reminder for participants to "Thank" those who donate the prizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Aaron, did you send me one! Lol I shook your hand and thanked you at the match buddy! But I should have put one in writing as well. My earlier comment wasnt really meant as a rant, though re-reading it, it could sound like one. Im glad so many companies are sponsoring our matches, I was just a little surprised at the lack of response to notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I was at a match recently that had a prepaid post card attached to each prize. The post card was a typed thank you not back to the person / company that donated the item. The prize winner simply signed the post card and put the card in the collection box at the match. I thought this was a nice touch and a good reminder for participants to "Thank" those who donate the prizes. I like this. Its a nice reminder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Miles Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I was at a match recently that had a prepaid post card attached to each prize. The post card was a typed thank you not back to the person / company that donated the item. The prize winner simply signed the post card and put the card in the collection box at the match. I thought this was a nice touch and a good reminder for participants to "Thank" those who donate the prizes. We have done something similar to this with my fly fishing club, New Mexico Trout. We type up a thank you letter for every donation, the winner has to sign the letter before they receive their prize. The letter is then mailed to the donor by the club. Doing it this way involves a bit more effort on the club member running the prize awards but guarantees that all the donors get a signed thank you letter which helps with getting donations next year. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_M Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Who do you contact at the larger companies like Springfield? Do you just send an email to the "Contact us" email address? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROY NEAL Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 As the sponsor coordinator for 2 area match's and 2 stage match's I got to know some really great people at many company's. Sandy and Brandon Strayer were the best to work with. They gave so much. I think it was to stop my constant begging. Deb at Springfield Armory is great to work with. Chris Edwards and Dave Sevigny at Glock are great. Chuck Bradley at Shooters Connection helped so much. Dave Zimmerman at Target Barn-what a class act. Matt Burkett (love him to death), Joe and Bob at Techwear-two great friends, Sam Conway-American Shooters Edge, Tony P. @ Velocity Shooter, Don Kemble (hated to see him retire) at STI, Caroline at Para-Ordnance, Derek @ Millenium Custom, Doug Jones Accurail, Eric Davis @ Blackwater USA, Phil Strader at USSA........and the list goes on. There are so many that helped that I could go on for an hour and I would still miss someone. However, the one that sits in my top drawer at my desk is a personalized note from Bud Fini, VP of Sig Sauer. Not a typed form letter but a personal note from him Thanking me for my letter and he was glad to help us out. Every year at the SHOT Show I make an effort to go see him and thank him again for his support. What a class act. He even gave me his personal cell # to make sure all the SWAG from Sig and Sig Academy made it in time for the match. Bob Novak from Techwear gets a close second. I recieved a phone call from him thanking me for my letter the minute he got it and he expressed his appreciation for that effort. Bob gets second place only because we have spent so much time together and caused so much trouble in our endeavor to make any situation a good time. The firearms community is so small compared to many industy's and without major TV, Soft Drink or Beer sponsorship, many company's get overwhelmed with requests. Form a long term relationship with them-not for just one match. Be respectful, gracious for whatever support they can render and try to treat all shooters with a bit more kindness. I think you'll be amazed at what comes your way. Best of luck..............Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLM Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I probably don't get to them as soon as I should but I try to get thank you emails out to at least the main match sponsor and anybody that I get something in my shooters bag from. I also like to send one to any "off the wall" sponsors like the hockey team that sponsored a stage at last years A6 match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Ever since I was placed in charge of gathering prizes and sponsorship for a match a few years ago, I have been acutely aware of the match sponsors at all the matches that I shoot. I have always taken a few minutes to send each of them a short e-mail or make a phone call in the week after the match. Last weekend, I shot the 2011 Great Lakes Regional IDPA Championship. I sent all of my thank yous out by Monday evening. Out of the 25 notes that I sent, I received 10 replies and they all were surprised, if not shocked to, hear from me. Springfield Armory, which donated (4) XD's to the prize table, thanked me for taking the time to contact them and asked for my shirt size so they might send me a T-shirt. Cool! Anyway, I get home from a local match yesterday and there is a huge box sitting in my front bushes. It is from Springfield Armory and contained the following: (2) T-shirts (1) Polo shirt (3) Hats Mouse Pad Coffee travel cup (3) Large window decals, I'm talking NASCAR size (1) 2'x3' banner (1) Golf towel Holy crap! My intent wasn't to get free stuff by writing these little notes, but it sure was cool to receive all of this great stuff. I guess the lesson is that we should all take some time to personally let the sponsors know that we appreciate their efforts. Sometimes we could get even than we received at the match! Somebody at Springfield misread your note and thought you were asking them to sponsor a match. That's the entry level sponsorship package you received. You should donate it to a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirveyr Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Ever since I was placed in charge of gathering prizes and sponsorship for a match a few years ago, I have been acutely aware of the match sponsors at all the matches that I shoot. I have always taken a few minutes to send each of them a short e-mail or make a phone call in the week after the match. Last weekend, I shot the 2011 Great Lakes Regional IDPA Championship. I sent all of my thank yous out by Monday evening. Out of the 25 notes that I sent, I received 10 replies and they all were surprised, if not shocked to, hear from me. Springfield Armory, which donated (4) XD's to the prize table, thanked me for taking the time to contact them and asked for my shirt size so they might send me a T-shirt. Cool! Anyway, I get home from a local match yesterday and there is a huge box sitting in my front bushes. It is from Springfield Armory and contained the following: (2) T-shirts (1) Polo shirt (3) Hats Mouse Pad Coffee travel cup (3) Large window decals, I'm talking NASCAR size (1) 2'x3' banner (1) Golf towel Holy crap! My intent wasn't to get free stuff by writing these little notes, but it sure was cool to receive all of this great stuff. I guess the lesson is that we should all take some time to personally let the sponsors know that we appreciate their efforts. Sometimes we could get even than we received at the match! Somebody at Springfield misread your note and thought you were asking them to sponsor a match. That's the entry level sponsorship package you received. You should donate it to a match. No, Debbie didn't misread my e-mail. If it makes everyone feel better, I have donated most of the swag to my friends. My wife really loves the hats and I surely don't need any more "gun shirts". Hmmmm, or do I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 After reading this thread, I finally got off my lazy ass and sent thank you notes for two recent matches ( SC, OH ). Sent off 22 emails last night, already got back 9 replies. Couple that looked like form letter responses, some clearly written by an individual. Most common theme on the response "it's a pleasure helping out when we get emails like this". Very easy to see that these sponsors don't get thanked enough. Just because you do business with them, doesn't mean they know that their contribution for a specific match went noticed. Send them a note, takes a few minutes. All I did was use whatever contact info was on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 There is a selfish reason to buy stuff from sponsors - there seems to be a strong correlation between companies that sponsor events and those that provide top notch customer support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastmtnbiker33w Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I put on a big mountain bike race and we always send the sponsors a race t-shirt with a thank you card. It proves to them that we got their logo on the shirt and demonstrates that we want to build a relationship with them. I also email digital copies of any press that the event receives. I've only had a couple sponsors not return to the event and that was due to their own financial problems or changes in ownership/marketing directors. It would be nice if bike sponsors came through like gun sponsors. The amount of product gun sponsors give away makes me think that the wholesale cost or manufacturing cost is ridiculously lower than average retail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Thank yous are essential. And here's one more idea for whenever you deal with supporters of the shooting sports. Next time you place an order with that company, in person by phone or in the comment section on a Web order, thank them for their long-standing support of competitive shooting. Tell 'em you prefer spending your money with people that support the sport. When a sponsor sees concrete some ROI (Return On Investment), it will likely make them even more receptive to the next match director who asks for sponsorship. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Round_Gun_Shooter Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) I have been sending thank you notes after matches for a long time whether I am awarded product or not. It just seems to be the right thing to do. Many sponsors are the reason there is water at a stage or a lunch, or a lot more we seem to forget about. The targets, the pasters, the steel that was loaned all came from somewhere. It is funny that I was having a discussion about this earlier this week with someone that is a very generous sponsor (Not naming) One thing is when you win a certificate for something you really can not use, don't complain about it. It is a little insulting to the sponsor. Give it to a new shooter or a junior that can really use it. Edited June 4, 2011 by Round_Gun_Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmie Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) I've been remiss about sending 'thank you's' to sponsors in the past. In order to make it easier for me to do - I had these postcards made up. Made them myself on one of the on-line sites - cost was very reasonable - and they look great I now have NO excuse not to say thanks. Edited June 4, 2011 by kimmie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Thanks a great idea Donna! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke8401 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 So I decided to send thank you letters to all of the sponsors after the Topton 3 gun. I just received a package from Sheri J. at Noveske with their 3 Gun Outlaw DVD, awesome! While I know my firearms related purchases won't have much effect on a company's bottom line, I will always make Noveske my first stop when looking for new stuff. So thank you again Noveske for your support of our sport! The DVD is great by the way! David E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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