Friendly and Available

My Keys to Building Long Term Partnerships

In 2013, we decided to take Sprint Car racing to the next level. My Dad and I sat down with a piece of paper and noted all the companies we thought best suited for our program. Having no prior relationship with most of these companies allowed us to objectively assess each one and how we might work together. At the PRI (then it was called IMIS) Show we were able to get face time with each company and began building a framework for what would become not only lasting relationships, but in most cases, great friendships. Now, the PRI show is more of a reunion than actually going to each booth with a proposal in hand!

Many relationships we built during that winter continue to thrive even today. One thing Dad taught me (whether intentional or not) was to always be friendly and available. I know it seems simple, but in our proposals, we always included his email and cell phone number along with mine. By creating constant contact with our partners, we have created lasting relationships. At times, I feel like I can be annoying, but people do really appreciate knowing they can call you. In the beginning, our team had no partners (like anybody else), but we gradually grew. We have grown from 10 to 20 to 25 to as high as 40 at one point. These partners varied from technical partners to primary associate to primary partners.

We choose to use the term partners, instead of sponsors, because we look at our relationship as a partnership; they are partners in our business and we are partners in theirs. We collectively work together to achieve a greater good. Each partner’s success is conditional upon the other’s success.

Our search for new partners is ever-changing. We focus on maintaining our current partners and gradually growing. Our Partners are our biggest advocates and their referrals tend to generate most new partnerships. We regularly have meetings with a new potential partner and a current partner. The referrals we receive overwhelmingly result in new partnerships, but more importantly, indicate we are on the right path.

I am incredibly grateful for the exposure to and the education about all of our partners’ different businesses. The knowledge goes far beyond the motorsports industry, including, extended auto warranties, exterior remodeling, and even car dealerships. As your network grows, so does your knowledge of different ideas, experiences, and plans. You learn what works (and what doesn’t!), and it allows you to make recommendations to future partners for increasingly streamlined activations. In this constantly changing environment we must always be willing to adapt and be flexible to partner needs. We enjoy every unique challenge and know each one makes us stronger.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the current situation we are all facing. After checking in with our partners, I am humbled by their perseverance. Each has their own challenges, and tough decisions are being made daily, but they are all facing this head-on. One partner summed it up well: “I’ve never worked so hard and we are making so many important decisions so quickly I’m just doing as best as I can!”. I had to appreciate his honesty! I know I speak for everyone when I say I can’t wait till we get back to normal!