How to Get a Sponsor for Sound-Offs

Believe it or not, it's possible to construct a state-of-the-art sound system for your car consisting of components donated by the best manufacturers in the field. Companies will donate products if you use the car to promote the company. Expect to do some work, however.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Radios
• Amplifiers
• Car Stereo Cables

Design the System

1. Find a reputable car audio shop to design a sound system for you. The shop you choose should be recognized in the field.
2. Sit down with an installer of the shop who will design your system and discuss with him or her what you want. The installer will then select the best products for each category from the most well-recognized manufacturers.

Do Some Research

3. Take photos of your car, both inside and out.
4. Get an artist to draw a layout of your audio system. You can have a basic layout of the car and then several transparencies over it. The first transparency can show how the wires will be routed in your car. The second transparency can show the locations of the radio, equalizer, crossover and amplifiers. The third transparency can show the location of the speakers.
5. Learn about the manufacturers of the components that have been chosen for your system. Find out the proper model number of each product, and find out who the marketing director is for each manufacturer as well as the address of the headquarters of the manufacturer.
6. Determine the press coverage the vehicle might get and at which shows you intend to exhibit the car. List the magazines that you think might print articles about the vehicle. Gather information about the shows where you intend for the vehicle to appear.
7. Write down your own background. Include how old you are, where you live, what you do, what other projects like this you may have done and what magazines covered those projects (include copies of the articles).
8. Have the artist draw an exterior of the car, with the logos of the manufacturers that you want to sponsor you on the car.

Draft a Proposal

9. Gather all your work and include it in a proposal. The proposal should also include exactly what you want from each company. Do you want it to donate products? Do you want it to pay for the installation of its products? Do you want it to pay for the entire installation? Include in the proposal who designed the system and what shop you intend to approach to do the installation. Offer information about the shop's background, including any magazine or newspaper articles published about it.
10. Draft a short cover letter addressed to the marketing director of the company you intend to send the proposal to. Give a brief description of your background and what is motivating you to do this project, and briefly discuss the project, including where it is at the time you are writing the letter and when you propose to finish it. Also include in the letter the potential exposure the sponsor will get and what you want from the company. Include a deadline for a response. A good time schedule is to request a reply within 15 days after you have sent off the proposal.
11. Submit the proposal to one company in a category at a time. If you are looking for a company to donate amplifiers, don't send the proposal to more than one company that offers amplifiers. If the company turns you down, refine the proposal and send it to the next company.
12. Send the proposal to the company's marketing director using overnight priority shipping.
13. Phone the company on the 15th day after you sent out the proposal as a follow-up.
14. Keep your sponsors informed. Take photographs of the project as it progresses and send frequent heads-up notices to them.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to pay the shop for designing the system.