How do you get sponsors?

[Tackleberry]

I think it is wise to present to a company all benefits they would get by sponsoring you.
And probably make your request concise and clear. As you do not want yours to end among other requests. In SPAM

[DarthBeavis]

Very good point. Having a professionally looking website really will get you a long way. Add in a small blog, sharing your passion with the world and why you love it so much. Then some nice related pictures (preferably your own), and some cool flashy colors . That'll get their attention .

I was thinking to state you are the expert and then flame all the vendors other than the one you are targeting. At least if you want to get BP as a sponsor, that is a tried and true formula for success

[Church]

BP realy sponsors builds of such bashers of other vendors?
Heck, i thought better of them.

Spazloy:
My 2cents - if you are not contacted for sponsorship despite your current builds there are 2 options:
1) they don't know about them (my guess, seeing your low post count here/no worklog here/no links to any build in your sig)
EDIT (damn, looked up statistics of wrong user profile and missed those two builds )
2) those builds suck compared to those of other gurus' that get sponsorships from time to time.

Somehow asking "how to get sponsorship" seems like some beggar would do. For best modders their work speaks for themselves, they just build, not waiting to get sponsored. If one sponsors - fine, but ask/beg for that? :/

P.S.
I recall seeing such questions/threads here @XS before. Have you tried to use forum search function first?

[Alexandr0s]

I was thinking to state you are the expert and then flame all the vendors other than the one you are targeting. At least if you want to get BP as a sponsor, that is a tried and true formula for success

I think some major sucking up will do just fine .

[NaeKuh]

Some people say "oh they will come to you".... That is what is called "BS"...
Aerosmith - Dream on....

Koolance came to me.
So did Aqua Computers.

And i am very very very thankful for them.

So they do come to you.

If your a big enough star in the sky, and you stand out, they will come.

Problem is trying to get that nuclear fusion going bright enough for them to see it.

Once u get sponsored, it starts flowing.
The hardest part is getting the first sponsorship.

But being a sponsor isnt all thats cut out to be.
You have promises you need to keep, and sometimes, those can be nightmares.

i never approached companies especially not in the beginning......it all came to me and most others.

Totally agree with ya.
The one time i did ask for one, i didnt get it.

LOL...

But yeah, the key thing is, making them think your important enough.
I guess i have a loud enough mouth to be noticed.

[M.Beier]

Koolance came to me.
So did Aqua Computers.

And i am very very very thankful for them.

So they do come to you.

If your a big enough star in the sky, and you stand out, they will come.

Problem is trying to get that nuclear fusion going bright enough for them to see it.

Once u get sponsored, it starts flowing.
The hardest part is getting the first sponsorship.

But being a sponsor isnt all thats cut out to be.
You have promises you need to keep, and sometimes, those can be nightmares.

So what you are saying is that someone from Koolance & Aqua Computers were browing on the web, and spotted you; "omfg, shizzle nizzle dizzle, NaeKuh is a superstar, lets workout a contract with him!!"

Because, that indeed I have a hard time believing...

[NaeKuh]

So what you are saying is that someone from Koolance & Aqua Computers were browing on the web, and spotted you; "omfg, shizzle nizzle dizzle, NaeKuh is a superstar, lets workout a contract with him!!"

Because, that indeed I have a hard time believing...

u wanna ask the entire forum who was the "Experiment" for koolance's new stuff when they started coming out?



Also water bridges that connect two blocks in 1 blocks.

Who do you think invented that concept which most block makers now use on full board blocks?

Shall i show you how bridges got started?

[DarthBeavis]

So what you are saying is that someone from Koolance & Aqua Computers were browing on the web, and spotted you; "omfg, shizzle nizzle dizzle, NaeKuh is a superstar, lets workout a contract with him!!"

Because, that indeed I have a hard time believing...

I got my start by having a build on the cover of CPU Magazine. After that I got Nvidia (knew them from PDXLAN) and the others just came after that. Most of my sponsors I know from LAN events (Nvidia, AMD/ATI, Danger Den, Crucial, Asus, Koolance). It helps to be able to meet people face-to-face. And NaeKuh is right, it is not the land of milk and honey. You have to work hard, produce and produce often which I why I kick out so many builds. I think AMD/ATI is the only vendor who contacted me first and that was at an event when they heard I was doing a project for Nvidia at the time.

[M.Beier]

u wanna ask the entire forum who was the "Experiment" for koolance's new stuff when they started coming out?



Also water bridges that connect two blocks in 1 blocks.

Who do you think invented that concept which most block makers now use on full board blocks?

Shall i show you how bridges got started?

Nope; I am asking you to tell decently to the guy how it really starts, without the BS.... You made something, and got known from it, someone spotted you because of that, or alternatively, someone refered you... That is how it happens in real life..

- Dont pretend that if the guy posts 3 common rigs on a forum, that his phone will ring and its Koolance on the other end of the line..

I got my start by having a build on the cover of CPU Magazine. After that I got Nvidia (knew them from PDXLAN) and the others just came after that. Most of my sponsors I know from LAN events (Nvidia, AMD/ATI, Danger Den, Crucial, Asus, Koolance). It helps to be able to meet people face-to-face. And NaeKuh is right, it is not the land of milk and honey. You have to work hard, produce and produce often which I why I kick out so many builds. I think AMD/ATI is the only vendor who contacted me first and that was at an event when they heard I was doing a project for Nvidia at the time.

See that makes perfect sense...

I myself started by showing up at Cebit, and the Taiwanese hardware icon "Coolaler" recommended me to a vendor.... Vendor recommended me to next vendor after a good relationship vendor, and the ball started rolling...

----

Regarding promises to keep and milk and honey... Play it simple, keep it real, play it fair...

And to make some clear statements;
If you live in Europe, no way nvidia will ever consider contacting you, I dont even know if they have a marketing division over here? Ineffective never the less...
Crucial sure as hell wont contact you neither...
ASUS doesnt understand "innovation", the word simply doesnt excist for them, so, you'd have to do some lame review cloned from first 20 other pages, then you're good to go,...

ATI has no interest neither.... AMD on the other hand is actually scouting for people to interact with...

[DarthBeavis]

Nope; I am asking you to tell decently to the guy how it really starts, without the BS.... You made something, and got known from it, someone spotted you because of that, or alternatively, someone refered you... That is how it happens in real life..

- Dont pretend that if the guy posts 3 common rigs on a forum, that his phone will ring and its Koolance on the other end of the line..


See that makes perfect sense...

I myself started by showing up at Cebit, and the Taiwanese hardware icon "Coolaler" recommended me to a vendor.... Vendor recommended me to next vendor after a good relationship vendor, and the ball started rolling...

----

Regarding promises to keep and milk and honey... Play it simple, keep it real, play it fair...

And to make some clear statements;
If you live in Europe, no way nvidia will ever consider contacting you, I dont even know if they have a marketing division over here? Ineffective never the less...
Crucial sure as hell wont contact you neither...
ASUS doesnt understand "innovation", the word simply doesnt excist for them, so, you'd have to do some lame review cloned from first 20 other pages, then you're good to go,...

ATI has no interest neither.... AMD on the other hand is actually scouting for people to interact with...

Brian Jang and JJ at Asus DO understand innovation. Can't speak for the rest of Asus. ATI = AMD (AMD just bought our ATI when I did their project - was in interesting time).

I agree companies will NOT come to you generally unless you are a tester like Skinnee (he has people like me advocating for him to my contacts as well so it is sort of a multiplier effect).

If you want sponsors have a portfolio, understand their lingo (I have a business degree which helps in that regard) including being able to forecast a realistic ROI, and make sure you produce.

[NaeKuh]

- Dont pretend that if the guy posts 3 common rigs on a forum, that his phone will ring and its Koolance on the other end of the line..

if you look back at DB's first starts.

he was doing that exact thing at lan parties.

Im sure DB can explain his entire biography with you if he wishes to.

But DB started showcase style, and went mainstream.

I went concept wise, and took off from there.


The key thing is you need to stand out.
You need to pick an area and try to launch from there.
Also it helps to know people who know people.
AS DB said, you need someone to introduce you, and then from there you start as well.
But you dont ask the guy to give you free stuff when you meet them.

Basically if someone was to ask you any question relating to our field, you should be able to answer with a good enough reason to convince the person your explaining to.
They wont give you stuff, if you dont know stuff.
They also wont sponsor you in testing, if your testing methodology blows.

[DarthBeavis]

and be willing to socialize and get out there. as much as I hate a certain person I do give him credit for being willing to travel to Computex with his biggest sponsor and be in the thick of things (I am sure that was WAY out of his comfort zone so it took courage to do that - one time which he has my respect).

[UrbanSmooth]

So, you guys are millionaires now, right?

[DarthBeavis]

So, you guys are millionaires now, right?

on food stamps

[UrbanSmooth]

I get it, you spend all of that hard-earned cash on the next build, and the next build, and the next build!

Woooooh!

[NaeKuh]

I get it, you spend all of that hard-earned cash on the next build, and the next build, and the next build!

isnt that everyone on this forum?

doesnt that also apply to you as well?

[UrbanSmooth]

But of course.

[Philwong]

u wanna ask the entire forum who was the "Experiment" for koolance's new stuff when they started coming out?



Also water bridges that connect two blocks in 1 blocks.

Who do you think invented that concept which most block makers now use on full board blocks?

Shall i show you how bridges got started?

Wow.. interesting.

Love to find out more.

Phil

[Brian@ASUS]

actually the people i have picked up before is purely scouting the community, meeting people face to face, meeting people at events, or our overclocking events. winners losers it really doesn't matter to me. It all starts with 1 interaction. some may become an acquaintance, some may become friends, some may become partners, some just become annoying asking for free . Its just the right place, right time, and a bit of luck. After that it is nothing but hard work, dedication, and your passion for the sport.

[LinusTech]

Honestly it's more work than it's worth 90% of the time.

Unless you have a TRUE passion for this stuff, you'd probably be better off to just get a second job doing some casual work and buy the stuff you want...

[dingdong555]

Very hard to get sponsors over here in AUS

ATM looking for hardware sponsors for a new build, virtually impossible though!

[Brian@ASUS]

i agree with linus, the guys i sponsor work 100x more than what its actually worth. it literally is hard work and probably not worth it to 99% of the people our there.

[Brian@ASUS]

heres is a great tip though. people i have picked up have usually participated in one of our activities in some way or another. LAN event or online contests and tournaments. and its not like we only pick up the winners, again just right place right time, but its a good way to get your feet in the door for some connections in the industry. we currently have an overclocking competition going on which you can find in the extreme competition category and we will have a hybrid overclock/case mod contest coming up mid august for Blizzcon! so there are some opportunities for yah =]

[Erklat]

Definitely seems like a job many would wish not to have rather than otherwise.

At the end, you build, you spend hours with sleeving and wrestling with tubing to get what, $100 worth of BP fittings?

I'd rather do some other job for say 10 hours and then buy it myself. At least you don't have a commitment to anyone that way.
This goes for the sponsorship. For the other opportunities which a lot of contacts might produce, I would not elaborate about
that at this time.

My .2c

[Alexandr0s]

Most people see it as an easy way to get cheap stuff, but if they would realise how much work is needed to make it viable, many wouldn't even try getting a sponsor.

All in all, a lot of dedication and passion is needed to get a sponsor, or for a sponsor to notice you.