Racing for an amateur rider is tough — especially with a crappy economy. The list of expenses mounts up quickly if you’re racing every weekend, or thinking about jumping in. Keeping your bike up to snuff with tires, oil, filters, lubes, etc. is expensive enough… then add the cost of entry fees, travel costs, gas, hotel, meals, gear… you get the idea. Riders need all the help they can get.
Enter www.hookit.com — Hookit.com is Sponsorhouse with a facelift. It’s a platform for riders to shake hands with industry companies, as well as an advertising opportunity for new companies to increase exposure and get riders using their products. It’s really a win-win for both sides.
I created a profile on Hookit a couple of months ago, and so far it’s worked out great. I’ve received several sponsorship offers from companies I probably wouldn’t have gotten to notice me using the old “mail us your resume” technique.
Now, don’t just think you can create a profile, and sponsors will come beating down your door. That’s not how it works. You still have to do some work on your end—create a profile, upload photos/videos, post your results and search for companies you’re interested in. It’s kinda cool because it forces you to look at your accomplishments and see how a sponsor can benefit by having you on their list of supported riders.
Also, don’t expect to get product handed to you. Most entry-level sponsorship is just discounted product. Sometimes it’s not even really worth it to apply—your discount isn’t going to be any better than what you might receive from a decent online resource. So it’s important to find a company that you really want to represent. That may mean not going with the coolest, or most popular. Yes, the big companies have a lot of money, and a lot of products… but they also have thousands of applications and hundreds of riders to support. So, unless you’re the next Eli Tomac, you’re probably not going to get much from the bigger companies—they just don’t have much to gain by giving you their product.
My approach has been to send requests to some of the “smaller” companies out there that know they aren’t going to get Bubba to support their products, they’re just trying to do what they love and make a modest living—just like me. They still have awesome goods, they may just be trying to get their company on it’s feet, and good way to do that is by getting riders to use and endorse their products.
I was recently offered a sponsorship by Torc1 Racing through Hookit.com, and to be honest, I’d never heard of them. But after checking out their products and getting a feel for the company, I decided to accept the offer and start using their goods. Cool stuff and cool guys… what more can you ask for? Same with Factory Backing Graphics. Awesome company with an awesome product.
So, who can you expect to find on Hookit.com? Pretty much every company from every genre of sports. Just select what type of sports you’re interested in and Hookit will keep you in the loop of who’s out there, and who’s just starting up.
Let’s face it… with the poochy economy, every little bit helps. If you’re looking for a leg up, check out Hookit.com and see if you can find a fit. You could end up not only getting some of the help you need, but also helping a great company get their name out.
- Happy trails – Chris
