Since our first year of marketing RaceCals, we have been searching for the best way to grow our brand while also meeting the needs of the racing community. Recently I found an article (link at the bottom) that puts into words something we realized along the way. Although it is written about the top tier level it can be applied to the local level as well. The main takeaway is in order to maximize the value you may want to spend some time "activating" the campaign through grassroots efforts with the "property". In the article the property is the thing in which you have invested.
While having a banner at the track or a decal on a car will provide exposure, the results can be improved with additional pieces that connect your audience with your brand through the property. It can be an expanded social media campaign that takes advantage of photos and videos to promote the property and your own brand. When done well this ends up being a mutual benefit.
What Zack Jankelson has been doing with Max Schroeder Motorsports is a good example. Max and team always had a decent social media program. But this year Zach has been producing videos after each event. The opportunity of exposure for Zack as a realtor has been much improved than if he just had a sticker on the car. AND - Max has also seen more exposure. Those videos are cool!
Laci Tolar put it best when she said "We rise by lifting others". Each marketing opportunity could be looked at like a mutually benefitting experience. Another example are the tents at Findlay Stadium Stateline Speedway. Findlay just isn't on the track walls. When fans enter at the gate there is usually a tent setup where the Findlay folks are handing out swag and meeting with potential customers. This is a direct connection to potential leads!
We have always taken a hands on approach with our marketing partners. We have seen good synergies after spending time at the track with the teams. It seems very important to get to know the people that you are trying to reach.
Moving forward we all want to continue to see local racing grow whether it is short track racing, autocross, karting or drag racing. And so it is really cool when small businesses step up and contribute. Most likely at this local level these folks are also fans.
We do not mean to discount a banner or decal on the car. We make decals and banners and find a lot of value in them. It could be that someone is really busy and doesn't have time for additional activation efforts. We believe that fans and teams still appreciate their contributions and make a conscious choice to use their services or buy their products. So ultimately make sure to get involved in any way that you can. From personal experience we know that you'll see a net gain.