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Forum News and Suggestions => Old Advertisers => Admin Board => Aldred Cricket Bats => Topic started by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 08:49:32 AM

Title: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 08:49:32 AM
Anyone else get this letter from a young lad I won't put his name on. You would think that if you are asking for sponsorship that you could be bothered to learn how to put a well constructed letter together that is polite along with some sort of cricketing  cv wouldn't you. Why is it now a days people expect a sponsorship. When I was playing even the seasoned pros felt lucky to have a sponsor at all never mind the young lads on the staff but even average club players expect it now aaaaarrrrrggggg drives me mad, I must be getting old I guess.
Oh he posted a video for me to watch and the sum total of the letter was below.
"This is me batting, I hope you can sponsor me because I believe if you guys give me the sponsorship I can make you guys really famous here by getting all my friends to buy your gear and also get into the Australian team I hope.  And when my friends buy your gear you don't have to pay me any type of commission. I really want to be a part of you guys and if you guys give me a chance you will never regret it I promise. I really hope you guys can sponsor me because i love your gear and would love to be a part of you guys. So what do you guys think?"
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: LEACHY48 on August 21, 2013, 08:50:53 AM
wow....
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: mad_abt_cricket on August 21, 2013, 08:53:29 AM
Cool Stuff :)

More of a demand than an application for sponsorship!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: smilley792 on August 21, 2013, 08:53:42 AM
Is he 8?

Can't fault him for trying, if one guy gives him some kit. He's won.




Do the old con, make him think he's sponsored when he's not, send him a 5% discount code off your gear. (Woodstock did this to one of our 3rd team, and he genuinely believes he's sponsored. Lol)
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Kulli on August 21, 2013, 08:55:49 AM
(http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m40zr5h1Vt1rv6sfeo1_500.jpg)
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Number4 on August 21, 2013, 08:56:22 AM
Can't believe you aren't considering sponsoring him ;)
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 09:07:53 AM
Well I thought about it for a nano second then shook myself and continued to scratch my head in astonishment.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 09:11:03 AM
I did reply to him though just to be polite
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: King pair on August 21, 2013, 09:14:39 AM
PLEASE can we see the reply! haha
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 09:18:35 AM
I was very polite may I add.

Thankyou for your continued enquiry. I am afraid that not only as a business but also as a person I am very old school in the way we look at things. Firstly we like to manage and make things traditionally with a modern tilt to it but keeping the performance and service that I would have expected as a professional cricketer. Secondly I came from an era in the 90s when every professional cricketer felt very privileged to have a sponsor of kit and very lucky to be in that position and was happy even as a seasoned player to have just a couple of bats and gloves and a pair of pads, though I appreciate times have changed. Bearing that in mind we do not give sponsorships out to just anyone and when we sit down to look at them we will always take time over the ones that can put a well constructed letter together along with a playing cv with references from their relevant coaches from their representative teams and not just a few lines telling us what you want and how good you think you are.
  As a word of advise I would think about that when you approach other companies and you may get some consideration
All the best for the future
Paul
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Twelfth Man on August 21, 2013, 09:27:09 AM
That's a very polite reply indeed. I like that you actually replied to the guy and didn't just delete the message and move on!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: cricketbadger on August 21, 2013, 10:19:36 AM
Guys, any chance you can post the video of him in action guys, cheers guys
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on August 21, 2013, 10:25:49 AM
Do the old con, make him think he's sponsored when he's not, send him a 5% discount code off your gear. (Woodstock did this to one of our 3rd team, and he genuinely believes he's sponsored. Lol)

Wait, you mean I'm no sponsored because I got the exact same discount he gives to anyone who asks?!?!  :(
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: petehosk on August 21, 2013, 10:31:35 AM
http://youtu.be/b_UsAfwap1g (http://youtu.be/b_UsAfwap1g)
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Twelfth Man on August 21, 2013, 10:43:33 AM
Looks like he found the middle!!!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: The Palmist on August 21, 2013, 01:11:42 PM
I was very polite may I add.

Thankyou for your continued enquiry. I am afraid that not only as a business but also as a person I am very old school in the way we look at things. Firstly we like to manage and make things traditionally with a modern tilt to it but keeping the performance and service that I would have expected as a professional cricketer. Secondly I came from an era in the 90s when every professional cricketer felt very privileged to have a sponsor of kit and very lucky to be in that position and was happy even as a seasoned player to have just a couple of bats and gloves and a pair of pads, though I appreciate times have changed. Bearing that in mind we do not give sponsorships out to just anyone and when we sit down to look at them we will always take time over the ones that can put a well constructed letter together along with a playing cv with references from their relevant coaches from their representative teams and not just a few lines telling us what you want and how good you think you are.
  As a word of advise I would think about that when you approach other companies and you may get some consideration
All the best for the future
Paul

Very well constructed but reading his initial letter to you, I don't think he will get one oz of what you are saying.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 01:23:31 PM
I totally agree
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: trypewriter on August 21, 2013, 01:42:51 PM
I was impressed that he could spell sponsor.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 01:51:11 PM
Lets hope he does make it at cricket  :D
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Vitas Cricket on August 21, 2013, 01:58:52 PM
We have had a few funny sponsorship requests recently. One was from a lad at a fairly local club who to my knowledge has never been into the shop. He was giving all sorts of stats and impressive sounding scores etc. Then almost hidden at the bottom of the email i saw the club he was at, in the same league as my clubs 2's, 4 leagues below the level of cricket i play.
In my league, there is a very small group of guys i would consider throwing some gear at, but certainly not anyone playing below that level.

Another one was 3 or 4 guys in Australia, who i assume were all mates/at the same club telling me that with their help our brand would conquer Australia, everyone at their club would buy our gear, and then it would snowball from there.....
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: mr_wickets on August 21, 2013, 02:15:33 PM
Always makes me laugh a bit how kids feel the need to be 'sponsored'
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 02:21:02 PM
We had guys in our changing room who had played for England as batters and only had a cpl pairs of gloves pair of pads and a cpl of bats. If they wanted anything else they could have it but they weren't greedy and appreciated what they got wasn't cheep. I was lucky I started with nicholls as our keeper for England NCA as he was worked there then I when nicholls got rid of the regular joe county players when the World Cup came over robin smith looked after me when he started chase. At no other point in my cricketing life did I ever expect or ask for sponsorship, I didn't deserve it in my mind as I wasn't a professional cricketer yet. I struggle to give myself kit now days.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: The Palmist on August 21, 2013, 02:42:57 PM
We had guys in our changing room who had played for England as batters and only had a cpl pairs of gloves pair of pads and a cpl of bats. If they wanted anything else they could have it but they weren't greedy and appreciated what they got wasn't cheep. I was lucky I started with nicholls as our keeper for England NCA as he was worked there then I when nicholls got rid of the regular joe county players when the World Cup came over robin smith looked after me when he started chase. At no other point in my cricketing life did I ever expect or ask for sponsorship, I didn't deserve it in my mind as I wasn't a professional cricketer yet. I struggle to give myself kit now days.

Nicolls it is Gray Nicolls !!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 21, 2013, 02:43:56 PM
I do apologise.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: RossViper on August 21, 2013, 04:56:43 PM
Dude, he wants to be part of you.... can you just reach out and make a young man's dreams come true ;-)))))))))))
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: procricket on August 21, 2013, 05:19:44 PM
I liked the last years sponsors post about the guy who described himself as average and would give good coverage.

I remember a guy on here who told me he was sponsored by a Main Street brand even though he was a club 2nd eleven cricketer

Some people hey
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Vitas Cricket on August 21, 2013, 05:35:09 PM
I liked the last years sponsors post about the guy who described himself as average and would give good coverage.

I remember a guy on here who told me he was sponsored by a Main Street brand even though he was a club 2nd eleven cricketer

Some people hey

A lad in my second team got free bat, pads, gloves from Gray Nics as he works for a golf magazine and did an interview with an ex-pro, maybe Ramps, who sorted him out. Something similar could have happened in the case you have described, and the lad now thinks he is sponsored.

Every kid who's hit a boundary wants a deal at the minute. The simple solution that most small/medium brands have come up with is to up their prices and then give a percentage off to anyone who asks, or give a percentage off RRP to those who ask/are deemed good enough. 20% off RRP can still be more expensive than a retailer would sell at.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: procricket on August 21, 2013, 05:41:57 PM
No mate the guy is a forum member on here talked a big game until I quizzed him he then said discounted and seen other lies eminate from this person.

Sponsorship is free gear pain and simple
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Vitas Cricket on August 21, 2013, 05:50:08 PM
I agree, the brands are a fault a little bit here though. I know a couple of lads who get discounted deals from Kooka and GN, both brands refer to their price lists for these deals as sponsorship price lists.

To me, if you are sponsored, you are getting free gear, if you are really good you might be getting some cash too. In cricket you a lucky if you get this unless you are an international, but it is more common in other sports than you would think.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: tim2000s on August 21, 2013, 07:10:06 PM
Couldn't agree more Jake. Sponsorship is free gear, plain and simple!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Beachcricket on August 21, 2013, 07:19:50 PM
Paul it's nothing to do with age, people should provide a well constructed letter with P's and Q's.

Sadly I cannot find the email, however I did a sponsorship request from someone who made it sound like they were doing me a favour by offering to allow me to give him free kit.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Tom on August 21, 2013, 07:30:57 PM
Very common these days for the big/medium brand to give out 'sponsorship'. Essentially as a kit deal, maybe 40% off RRP.

The brand sells a full kit, at more than they would do to a shop. And the kid gets discounted gear.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: The Palmist on August 21, 2013, 08:22:27 PM
When players ask for sponsorship and give you assurance that it will increase the sales. Why not offer them all the gear they want, make them pay and when they get you let's say about 10 times the sale, refund the initial cost back? This will give a reality check to most.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Vitas Cricket on August 21, 2013, 08:36:55 PM
When players ask for sponsorship and give you assurance that it will increase the sales. Why not offer them all the gear they want, make them pay and when they get you let's say about 10 times the sale, refund the initial cost back? This will give a reality check to most.

This scheme, and variants of it have worked for a few people i know, both in terms of increasing sales and also discouraging sponsorship applications from people who are just fishing for a deal.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: cricketbadger on August 22, 2013, 08:53:43 AM
When players ask for sponsorship and give you assurance that it will increase the sales. Why not offer them all the gear they want, make them pay and when they get you let's say about 10 times the sale, refund the initial cost back? This will give a reality check to most.

this does sound like a good idea and scheme, would be effective for those players who stand by their word and try to spread the word about the brand, and increase its sales. And would also deter those who are only after a bit of free gear, because they wouldn't be bothered about the hard work involved. I'd definately do some commission based work to help a brand out and spread the word
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Aldred Cricket Bats on August 22, 2013, 08:57:08 AM
I agree good idea keep your eyes open for next year I reckon
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Simmy on August 22, 2013, 09:44:22 AM
i think my best chance of sponsorship is a shirt sponsor as im pretty sure u can see it for space!
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Bats_Entertainment on August 22, 2013, 09:48:35 AM
Off topic, but what's happened to the TK tread that you posted on, Paul?
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Simmy on August 22, 2013, 09:59:07 AM
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=25833.30 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=25833.30)
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: Bats_Entertainment on August 22, 2013, 06:57:11 PM
[url]http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=25833.30[/url] ([url]http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=25833.30[/url])


Oh, yeah. You have to be logged in. Good words from Paul. I would definitely consider buying a bat from him.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: MD2812 on August 23, 2013, 11:08:50 AM
A guy at my village club got speaking to the guy who did out kit and got a full set of kit in return for introducing the captains to the brand each game. Would simply fire an e-mail to the captain after the game CC'ing the brand in.

Think it worked for everyone, the team kit/whites were decent quality so captains were interested, matey got free bat (he wasn't a fan) pads gloves thigh guards and the brand got to boost their mailing list with people who would hopefully be interested.

Bit of a 1 off though.
Title: Re: Sponsor
Post by: PunterPonting on August 23, 2013, 05:44:40 PM
Blenheim Cricket got an email from the same bloke. He wouldn't stop hassling even when told no. To be honest I've had a 'discount' deal with one of the big companies in the past and it was actually good value for me (they would have made a bit on my purchases but I saved plenty compared to buying from stockists), but I realise that most of the 20% off deals are pretty pointless...the other nice perk of the 'discount' deals is often you get to go to the factory to pick out the gear...