Shine a spotlight on your company

By sponsoring free photos at the events we cover

The racing scene is changing. Competition to attract athletes is growing as the number of events increases. With this comes competition to attract sponsor dollars ... and to provide maximum value to sponsors.

Free branded photos can provide that value.

Consider:

The average race sponsorship package is focused on the day of the event. Race circulars likely will be tossed in the trash as competitors leave. Finish line banners disappear at the end of the race. Special announcements about the generosity of sponsoring businesses last only as long as the announcer’s words hang in the air. So much of what you spend on brand recognition through the event is used up in just a few hours.

But when a business logo is imprinted on the giveaway photos (click for a sample), it stays there forever. People keep these photos for a long time. And with so many people posting favorite photos to their social media sites, images bearing the sponsors’ logos get that much more attention. This is far better than placing your business name on a water bottle that is just like every other water bottle handed out at hundreds of races. People share their photos with friends via social media as they recall special events. That doesn’t happen with typical swag. Make your company name part of these warm-fuzzy moments as your reach and social media impressions grow.

Also, the opening page for the event photo site has space for your company's ad ... linked to your Website (see ad space).

Here is how it works:

— Pat Hendrick Photography will staff the event with photographers to capture the action during the race and the atmosphere surrounding the event (fans, volunteers, awards, etc.)

— The race organization and photo sponsor will have unlimited, no-charge access to the photos we shoot for promotional purposes.

— Racers may download as many print-ready photos as they want … as often as they like. They are not charged for the downloads. What does this mean to the racers? Well, the package price to download all of a competitor's photos from an event we shoot without sponsored photos normally is $69.99, plus tax. When downloads are free via sponsorship, this adds a very nice item to the race swag package. In an increasingly competitive race market, the downloads give events a powerful additional tool to attract athletes.

— We imprint sponsor logos on the corner of the photos. The average race photo shoot produces 5-10 images per participant. Multiply that by the total number of racers. It adds up to a lot of reach for sponsors.

— After event photos have been posted and tagged by bib numbers, athletes receive personalized emails with samples of their photos. Those samples are linked to personal portfolio pages of photos. The announcement emails include mention of the sponsor, plus its logo and Web address.

— Although having the free photo downloads greatly diminishes interest in print products, those still will be offered to accommodate racers who like to keep scrapbooks or frame photos. There is no additional charge for offering this. Under each photo on a page of thumbnails, there are two buttons — one to download for free and one button to purchase conventional photo products. This link will take you to such a page (https://www.backprint.com/pathendrickphoto/139279). You’ll see it’s very easy to use.

— Also, the photos are produced by an experienced crew of shooters. This makes them a significant swag item that enhances what races have to offer. This means greater appeal for the event when competing with similar races.

Important points:

— Your business logo can appear on thousands of photos from the event.

-- The service that handles our download gathers a wealth of participant information to help drive your company's marketing efforts.

— A note calling attention to your sponsorship of the free photo downloads will appear on the opening page of the photo site with your ad, which will be linked to your home page.

-- For a modest design fee, your logo can be made the centerpiece art on the opening photo page and will be added to each athlete's personal photo portfolio page. For an example, see: http://www.backprint.com/pathendrickphoto/131955

-- You have access to the photo downloads, too. So use them for business promos.

-- Photos, the note about your company's photo sponsorship and your logo will remain posted for at least two years.

-- The post-race emailing to all participants that announces that photos are ready will mention your sponsorship and include your logo and Web address.

Check our list to see the events we cover in your area. If you find one that looks attractive, we can help with introductions to the race director. We've never met a race director who was not enthusiastic about offering free photos in the event swag bag. If there is a race we do not cover yet ... and you'd like to get involved via branded photos ... we will do what we can to make it happen.

Payment for photography services is required at the end of the race. Photos often are posted on the night of the event. Rates are all-inclusive — covering photo team expenses and fees to the lab for imprinting and posting the race photos.

To learn more about what our branded/sponsored photo service can offer, please click here.

And these figures illustrate the marketing potential. Click here.

Please contact phendrick7602127@roadrunner.com or call 518-327-3342 for costs for the various options.