Networking Tips for Race Drivers

Networking tips for race drivers are the focus in this week’s Business of Being a Race Driver Roundup.

Networking as I have mentioned numerous times, can be the difference between landing sponsors or spending the season on the sidelines and its importance, both virtually and in real life, cannot be underestimated.

In addition to networking tips, you will find scholarship opportunities for Canadian drivers, explaining the difference between reach and engagement and more.

All this in this week’s Business of Being a Race Driver on Motorsport Prospects.

The Business of Racing

From the Driver’s Point of View

In The LinkedIn Disconnect: How People Get it Wrong and Why it Matters in Motorsport, Formula Careers has some valuable advice on the best way to use LinkedIn. “If you’re one of the millions of people who have a LinkedIn profile but are struggling to make it work for you or know what to do with it, you’re not alone. There are a few common mistakes that people make on LinkedIn that can hold them back in their motorsport career – the motorsport community is extremely active on the LinkedIn platform so it’s important to get it right.”

---

Megan Meyer explains Sponsor Networking Strategies for Landing Deals with Ease. “Finding new sponsors is likely the hardest part of the path to sponsorship. Building relationships is always a long game, but your patience will only pay off if you can connect with the right people first. Sponsor networking might seem intimidating at first, but remember that before you’re talking to them brand-to-brand, you’re just talking to them person-to-person.”

---

In my 2019 article The Importance of Networking, I give you 10 tips on how to improve your networking skills. “In business, networking can often be the difference between success or failure since knowing the right people can often be the springboard to being at the right place at the right time. As we all know, motorsport is as much about business as sport with the search for sponsorship taking up such a large part of a driver’s time and energy. It is therefore only logical that you would want to cast your net wide as part of your sponsorship search and network with as many people as possible.”

---

Canadian driver development program Road to Racing now has a website at https://road2racing.com/ where you can find out more about the program and apply for one of their scholarships. If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution you can also do so through the site.

---

From the Sponsors Point of View

Sport Dimensions have a great post on the importance of Helping Yourself with Expertise. “When you enter into something as specific as a motorsports sponsorship to promote your product, service or technology, it is going to pay off to consult experts before you invest any resources. It is hard to know for sure which way is the way forward when this environment functions so much different than other platforms.”

---

Power Sponsorship looks at Sponsorship and Emerging/Improving Technology: The Rules of Engagement. “I’m a nerd, and I love technology. My office, home, and travel is peppered with ridiculously-specced gear, and I don’t know what I’d do without it. I’m the first to admit that the emerging/improving tech available to sponsors is staggering – and oh so tempting – but is it all a good idea? Short answer: No, it’s not all a good idea for leveraging sponsorship. But all too often, the jaw-dropping coolness of the tech seems to outweigh the actual effectiveness.”

---

General Motorsport Marketing Advice & Resources

What is the difference Reach and Engagement? Sport Dimensions explains. “Providing memorable experiences to fans and customers makes your brand genuine to engage with. Those experiences don’t have to be all in person, but they don’t have to be all virtual either. Here’s how you can build out experiential programs as a major piece of your overall marketing strategy. The successful marketing focus in the long run will be built sustainably and thoughtfully.”

---