Budget/Sponsoring
Secondly - the budget
Fund raising is a very broad subject. If you cannot afford the trip, seek sponsorship. Have plenty of patience and prepare yourself for hundreds of phone calls (and high bills), countless trips, contacting the media, etc. Certainly, this is the type of situation you may expect when you want to visit some far-flung corner of the world and do not have enough money. Usually, a sponsor is not keen on being promoted abroad. It is much easier to find someone who will finance a local event. However, a trip to some jerkwater town is not that thrilling, unless you are in for some spectacular feat.
You have to offer sponsors such forms of advertising that will win their support. Be determined and do not give up. I was relentless and hence managed to cycle around Japan, although a month before departure I was in serious doubt whether it could be accomplished. If you cannot find a sponsor at one place, go to another. The best way to succeed is through face-to-face conversation. Remember that although clothes do not make the man, it is worth dressing up appropriately. Do not bother sending sponsorship letters by post – usually they will not get through to the right person, eventually being thrown away by a secretary. No wonder – every big company receives hundreds of such letters each year. Try to use your contacts; there is nothing more helpful than a bit of backing and a meeting arranged by a friend. But above all, rely on yourself and your own credit rating.
Media coverage is crucial when it comes to any sponsorship talks. Contact some local newspaper (a national daily newspaper is rather out of the question) and some bicycle periodical.
And, of course, TV and radio stations, the former being especially important. I would like to reiterate that media coverage plays a vital role in finding a sponsor.
Certainly, it is a little easier to attract a sponsor when you already have some achievements or recognition, but it is really a vicious circle because it is hard to accomplish anything substantial without financial assistance.
Fund raising is a very broad subject. If you cannot afford the trip, seek sponsorship. Have plenty of patience and prepare yourself for hundreds of phone calls (and high bills), countless trips, contacting the media, etc. Certainly, this is the type of situation you may expect when you want to visit some far-flung corner of the world and do not have enough money. Usually, a sponsor is not keen on being promoted abroad. It is much easier to find someone who will finance a local event. However, a trip to some jerkwater town is not that thrilling, unless you are in for some spectacular feat.
You have to offer sponsors such forms of advertising that will win their support. Be determined and do not give up. I was relentless and hence managed to cycle around Japan, although a month before departure I was in serious doubt whether it could be accomplished. If you cannot find a sponsor at one place, go to another. The best way to succeed is through face-to-face conversation. Remember that although clothes do not make the man, it is worth dressing up appropriately. Do not bother sending sponsorship letters by post – usually they will not get through to the right person, eventually being thrown away by a secretary. No wonder – every big company receives hundreds of such letters each year. Try to use your contacts; there is nothing more helpful than a bit of backing and a meeting arranged by a friend. But above all, rely on yourself and your own credit rating.
Media coverage is crucial when it comes to any sponsorship talks. Contact some local newspaper (a national daily newspaper is rather out of the question) and some bicycle periodical.
And, of course, TV and radio stations, the former being especially important. I would like to reiterate that media coverage plays a vital role in finding a sponsor.
Certainly, it is a little easier to attract a sponsor when you already have some achievements or recognition, but it is really a vicious circle because it is hard to accomplish anything substantial without financial assistance.
