I sponsor several teams for product in return for flying a banner at the comps they are at. These are people that are already using the product. I've had teams stop using my product or feel like they haven't been cooking enough contests this year, and have stopped flying the banners. Which is totally cool with me. In their shoes, you gotta go with what's working for you instead of who's giving you free product. I don't begrudge anyone that returns a banner. I'm honored that they wanted to do it in the first place.
I just picked up a product sponsor who paid a contest entry for me instead of product. They saw it as giving me free product would take me away as a steady customer of one of their biggest retail outlets. They wanted the relationship without pissing off their distributor. Sounded like a very wise decision to me. It's all money in the end anyway.
As a product looking for people to sponsor, product is much easier to come by for me than cash. Dollar for dollar, product costs me less than cash. For the sponsored team, it is all the same if they are planning to buy product anyway. I provide so much free product and then it is wholesale price beyond that. Some teams end up selling product on the side or at contests to make additional money.
David -I'll fly your colors for five pounds of product and a discount after that. I don't know if you are using my product or not, but I'd be willing to trade sponsorships with you if you are. Fly my banner and I'll fly yours. Beyond that, you can get a logo on my trailer for more than 5 lbs of product. We'd have to talk about that. I haven't decided what my trailer space is worth yet.
Anyone wanting me to buy their meat, gas, entry, and beer... don't bother sending me a PM. You'd have to show me a pretty good return on that investment. I'd have to sell several hundred pounds of rub to make that up and come out better than I am today. You better be winning multiple contests and cooking north of two dozen contests.
