Look at any race calendar and compare it with what you recall from several years ago. There are fewer and fewer races of any length. The 5K has become extremely popular. When i was racing, we rarely ran that distance. 10k was far more popular, and many more people ran marathons regularly. The problem with the short races like the 5k is that they just do not generate worthwhile photo sales. It seems that the harder someone has to work to complete a race, the more likely he or she is to buy photos to mark the event. For example, average sales per finisher of the typical 5k race run one-sixth to one-quarter of the sales from longer events.
Sponsored free downloads of photos can change this perspective. Because you, the race director, set the cost of sponsorship, you can ensure a reasonable return for your event and the causes it supports.
Here is what makes sponsorship appealing to businesses:
The average race sponsorship package is very much focused on the day the event happens. 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.
But when a business logo is imprinted on the giveaway photos, it stays there forever. People keep these photos for a long time … For example, I still have the proofs I received after running the Boston Marathon 30 years ago. 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 that a business placing its name on a water bottle that is just like every other water bottle handed out at hundreds of races. People like to pause and look at their photos and share them with friends and family. That doesn’t happen with water bottles and other typical swag.
With the growing availability of cheap digital camera equipment, we are seeing an increase in “poachers,” who shoot races, then post photos for sale via social media outlets like Facebook. They provide no profit-share to the events they shoot, and every sale they make reduces the profit-shares coming from the official event photographers. How best to fight them? Provide the photos for free via sponsored downloads.
Because you set the price of sponsorship, this ensures reasonable returns for the race organizations and the official photographers. No matter how low the poachers take their prices, you can’t beat free. Plus the sponsored photos guarantee the businesses whose logos appear on the photos that they will receive yearlong attention on the downloads pages … and even longer attention when photos bearing those business logos end up being posted to racers’ Facebook pages.
Occasionally, a race director will reject offering sponsored downloads, saying something like: "I don't think our racers would like sponsor logos stuck on their photos." For some athletes, that well may be true. That's why our shopping carts offer the option of purchasing conventional photo products without the logo imprint right alongside the free downloads with logo imprints. With us, you CAN have it both ways.
We shot a race last year. Nice event. Good numbers at 1,000 competitors. But it was one of those problem short races, so sales were poor. The race organization's profit-share based on net photo sales was $38. Looking to try something new, the race organization sought out a photo sponsor for 2014 and found one. After paying our fee from the new sponsor money brought in by our photos, the race organization was left with $500 to contribute to its designated charity. More than a 10x improvement.
— 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 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. There is no charge for the downloads.
— We do charge for the service. However, we are able to imprint sponsor logos on the corner of the photos, thus giving the event an attractive item to bring in sponsors. The logos also appear on the opening page of the photo site with this note: “Free photo downloads are courtesy of:” The average race photo shoot produces 5-20 images per participant.
— One or two logos can be placed in a corner on the photos … increasing sponsorship opportunities. Every sponsor logo that is imprinted on the photos also appears on the downloads opening page. Please check these samples: http://pathendrickphotography.com/SponsorArt.jpg
— If a potential sponsor is working with a tight budget, there is the possibility to place that business’ logo only on the intro page for a lower fee.
— The race organization sets the sponsorship fees, meaning you have greater control of what the photos make for the race than you would if your return were based on a profit-share tied to sales.
— 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 (http://www2.backprint.com/pathendrickphoto/124012). You’ll see it’s very easy to use.
— As people become more and more enamored of electronic devices like cell phones, tablets and computers for viewing their pictures, sales of prints are dropping. The downloads option seeks to keep up with this trend ... to give people what they want.
— 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.
To make soliciting sponsors easier, you will find below a boilerplate sponsor solicitation letter; you just fill in the blanks for things like race name and sponsorship fees. Plus I compose for each race an 8.5x11-inch sign calling racers’ attention to the free photos and who is sponsoring them. Use the jpg file I provide to print out copies and place them at registration, the start and finish and other important places at the event — more attention for the sponsors and the photos.
Payment for photography services is required at the end of the race. Photos will be posted within three business days after the event. Rates are all-inclusive — covering photo team expenses and fees to the lab for imprinting and posting the race photos. Provide me with a registration list that includes bibs, names and email addresses, and I will send personalized emails to the competitors announcing when photos are ready. We do not share registration lists with any outsiders, so your racers will not receive any junk email because of their participation.
We charge a fee per athlete. It goes down as participant numbers go up — a volume discount (email phendrick7602127@roadrunner.com for details). Sell photo sponsorship at a level that covers our fee and brings in a good profit for the event and its causes. Plus you will have a lot of racers talking about how pleased they are with your idea of providing them with free photos.
Dear ….
The … has a new way to provide more bang for your sponsorship buck.
Now you can put your name on the thousands of race photos that will be made available for free download after the event. Your logo will appear in the corner of every photo (click this link to view samples: http://pathendrickphotography.com/SponsorArt.jpg). There are opportunities to be the sole sponsor of the event photos or to share space with another business. The maximum number of logos for placement on the files is two.
These photos are provided free to the racers as part of their event swag, so we expect a lot of traffic on the picture page. Downloads are unlimited. That translates to plenty of exposure and goodwill for your business. Every time someone looks at the photos, he or she will be reminded of whose support helped make the event possible. This year, those photos could carry your business logo. That’s a lot of opportunities to show the community you care. Plus, consider the impact over time. The downloads will be available for the year following the race. Most circulars handed out at races end the day in the trash. Your sign at the start or finish comes down at the end of the day. But these photos are something people will save for years, and your business logo will be on every one of them. And consider this: Many of these photos will wind up on racers’ social media pages; that makes the attention you receive even greater and longer-lasting.
Your logo also will appear on the page that introduces the photo downloads along with a note that says: “Free photo downloads are courtesy of:” In addition, signs
reminding the athletes about the photos and your sponsorship of them will appear around the event site on race day.
There are three levels of sponsorship for the photo downloads:
— Sole sponsor: Only one business logo appears on the corner of the photos and on the photo site intro page. Cost is $…
— Shared sponsor: Two logos appear in a corner of the photos and on the intro page. Cost is $…
— Page sponsor: Your logo appears with other businesses on the intro page to the downloads site with a note saying “Free photo downloads are courtesy:” Your logo does not appear on the photos. Cost is $…
Photos will be provided by professionals from Pat Hendrick Photography, a studio that has covered hundreds of events. They will be posted within three business days after the event.
Sincerely,
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Race director