Man, I was gonna write this a few days ago. I thought of it right before I fell asleep the other night, I was to tired/lazy to write it down, so I just said it about 20 times in my head so I will remember it the next morning. Well that didn’t work, but the idea did come back to me today while I was walking into Walmart, not sure how I remembered it…but I did.
This is one of those ideas that I know none of you 500 plus blog readers are going to take advantage of. But its a very good idea. The title should have already gave it away, but what I’m talking about is sponsoring skateboarders for marketing exposure. I used to be one of them skateboarders, In fact I used to be sponsored by my local skateboard shop and a local clothing company. For being sponsored and giving them exposure, I would get free skateboards and clothes every once in a while. In return I would talk about my sponsors a lot and they would get exposure in all the skateboarding contest I would go to.
I look back on it and they got a lot more out of the deal than I did. A skateboard deck would cost them about 25$ (they sell in skateboards for about 50$) and I only got a few of those. A shirt costs like 15$ to make, and I would only get a few of those aswell. I did get a bunch of stickers, but those a dirt cheap to make.
Sounds like a good deal? Well this wont work for all websites out there, it would definably would work for a skateboarding related website, and even a socal website like myspace. It would even work for a arcade, myspace site, or video websites. Anything that targets teens.
Say I want to get FunnyLoser.Com some offline exposure. I would go and get like 10 tee shirt made for like $150, then I would have thousands of stickers made for like 300$. Then I would go to the next local skateboarding contest and watch for the best skateboarders there. After they do there contest, I would go and talk to about 5 different skateboarders and offer them a sponsorship. I would cut a deal with them, they ride for FunnyLoser.Com in exchange for some free t-shirts every once in a while, and all the stickers they could ever want. You would give them the stickers and they would take them and stick them everywhere.
They would be very very happy and proud to be sponsored, they would brag all the time and mention FunnyLoser.com in every other sentence they said, trust me, I used to be one of them. And all I would have to do is sent them t-shirts and stickers every once in a while. They would get all their friends to that website, along with their friends, along with their friends… its the ultimate word of mouth marketing!
It wouldnt even cost me that much, maybe $150 a month for shirts and stickers for 5 skateboarders. I know that I pay up to 300$ a month for some of the text links hat I buy. What a great deal.
With all that being said, I know that NONE of you readers are going to do this. NONE of you will! Maybe its because you think its a bad deal? Maybe you dont have enough social skills to talk to people out of the blue? Or maybe you too god damn lazy? Whatever it is, I know that you guys will just sit back and say “Hey, thats a good idea, why didnt I think of that?”
I would love if someone did try this out however, I might even try this out. I think that this is a hell of an idea! If anyone does take advantage of this, post a comment here and tell us about your experience 
Well anyways… Good luck with your earnings!
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I want to try this out. For the simple fact that I run an arcade, it could really work. I just need to see if there are any skate shops in my area. I never really thought about it. Maybe you’re right, maybe I won’t do it. But, I might as well try, you know?
Jacob - An arcade site would work great, as long is its unquie from all the other sites. A video site would work great aswell. I have been talking to a buddie that gets his t-shirts made for 3.60 each, but he order 50 of them, so thats 180. But that is still cheaper than a lot of text link ads.
Best bet is to call your local skate shop, maybe make a deal with them, see if you can co-sponsor…
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It’s a great idea, Most online marketers don’t even think about marketing offline. Though I don’t think it would work for every market.
I read somewhere ages ago that someone was paying people $50 a month to put their URL on the back window of peoples cars and was coming out in front.
You’d have to have the right URL and offer but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Especially if you start out with family and friends cars to test the market
Im sure you would get more visitors for $150 online than offline. $150 on PPC would go further than the 5 or 10 people who actually go home from the skateboard comp and open their browser and try to remember the name.
Jon,
Even if it wasn’t that unique, if there is enough offered to people for them to do, it’ll be enough for them to want to go there. Maybe I’ll call up my local skateshop and see if there are any people that want to get sponsored. It does sound like a really good idea.
-Jacob
I promote my Audi website: http://www.turbofsi.net offline using stickers on member cars. Its pretty effective.
It definitely can work but depends wholly on the type of website. If you have a clothing website - yes. If you have a punk rock music website - yes. If you have a generic blog - no. etc.
It’s gotta be cool. It has to be something that a skater wouldn’t mind wearing on a shirt.
Weird…I run a skateboarding resource site so this will be perfect! I’ll look into getting the shirts made today.
http://www.skatewire.com
What about postcards?
for $300 you can get 1000 postcards printed… Just find on the internet an interesting image related to your website (amusing images or funny lines have great success). Then go into bars & restaurants, you always have some place with free postcards to pick, just put yours… At least you can be sure that people will remember your website as it’s written on the postcard!
Hey, thats a good idea, why didnt I think of that?
Did you start this yet? What ever happened with the newspaper ads? Did that generate any revenue?
Hmm.. this gives me some ideas….
I’ve thought of doing this, but i dont think it would work for my niche blog.
My company, Fairfax Surf Shop, just did this. We hosted a huge skate competition and concert. It was a lot of work but we came out of it with 4 or 5 of the best skaters in NoVa. Now that we are sponsoring them we are kind of in need of a contract or agreement to make with the skaters, any ideas?