Sponsorship from a car company

Question

Hi Everyone! ***

Been browsing the forums but nothing really suits what I'm looking for so I decided to open up a message thingamabober for myself

Basically what I need to know is the basic format of a letter to a sponsor. Yes yes, I know you have these already but my case is in a sense special.

I'm writing to car companies (well in this particular case, GM) about a project that I am doing with my school. I was inquiring as to whether or not they would provide parts, perhaps travel expenses, the whole shabang in essence. Now I did a lot of calling this morning and talked to the guy who is in charge of the sponsorship claims of GM Canada. He told me to email him the following: size and scope of competition, how it impacts Canada, what the event is, how it works, what exposure are we providing, what do we get in return and what are we asking from them. and of course every & each company only sponsors in interest of themselves so how much media coverage my competition gets should of course be an integral part of my letter to him!!

I was thinking of calling some other companies up that already got sponsored but my Windows was acting up and only got it back working now and it's kind of late. Ive gotta email the guy by tomorrow (20/11/04) so he can get back to me by Monday!! Now I know it's kind of short notice but ppl please?

Oh and if any of you are interested the program I am participating in is www.destinationimagination.org

Please and thank you!

MountainHiker · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Please .

I must warn you that having a very short deadline does not help your case. We all have things to do, people to meet, and places to go--it is the weekend.

You need to post a letter of what you want to do. And then if we have time, we'll look at it and comment.

MountainHiker

Guest · Answer

Hey MountainHiker...yeah I read that post, thanks! I realize it's been a short deadline but I havent sent the email yet, I think I'll have it by tomorrow hopefully (or tonight if you folk are available).

Here's the copy of the email I have thus far:

Mr. Tom Laurie,

This is an email following the conversation we had on Friday November 19th regarding a school project by the name of DestiNation Imagination. Carmen, Diandra, Meghan, Mary, Stephanie, Tessa and myself, Safiah, from [school name], hope that you and General Motors will take an interest in our project and help us in our adventure.

DestiNation Imagination is what is claimed to be the world's largest creativity and problem solving program. There are over fifteen countries participating annually. Last year in Canada alone, there was approximately 135 teams with over 700 members.

The project that my group and I are working on is called Dizzy Derby. We are required to build a vehicle (of any sort) with a technical energy source and be able to race it around a track whilst carrying more than one team member.

DestiNation Imagination is such a big hit with schools because it teaches creativity, brainstorming, problem solving, teamwork, project management, time management, critical thinking and collaboration just to name but a few!

There are four levels for each activity. These include elementary level, middle school level, secondary level, and university level. The Ontario-wide competitions shall take place on April 2nd 2005. The winner of each level for each activity shall move onto the global competitions which take place in Knoxville, Tennessee.

As DestiNation Imagination is a large event with an extensive history, local television stations, newspapers and magazines are almost guaranteed to pick up on it. National coverage depends on the success of our vehicle.

We hope to get GM to sponsor us with regards to materials, facility, travel expenses, tools in order to design, construct and invent our vehicle and perhaps even layout blueprints for our design! We have been budgeted US$175 which is equivalent to approximately CND$209. The cost of our materials cannot exceed this number.

More information about DestiNation Imagination can be found at the DI website: www.destinationimagination.org

You can also contact me directly at (***) ***-*** or e-mail me at @hotmail.com

Thank you!

Regards,

[my name]

MountainHiker · Answer

You've done well. Your writing is quite good. And I like your enthusiasm.

Here are my intial thoughts. You have a bit of work to do, but not much.

MountainHiker

Mr. Tom Laurie:

This email [is a follow-up to our] conversation we had on Friday November 19th regarding a school project by the name of DestiNation Imagination. Carmen, Diandra, Meghan, Mary, Stephanie, Tessa and myself, Safiah, from [school name], hope that you and General Motors will take an [active] interest in our project and help us [with] our adventure. [We are looking for $*** dollars for materials, facility(what facility?), travel expenses, and tools. In return for your sponsorship, GM will be advertised blah blah blah.]

DestiNation Imagination is what is claimed to be the world's largest creativity and problem solving program. There are over fifteen countries participating annually. Last year in Canada alone, there was approximately 135 teams with over 700 members. {So how many worldwide? And does providing sponsorship to you help GM get further recognition worldwide?}

The project that [we] are working on is called Dizzy Derby. We are required to build a vehicle (of any sort) with a technical energy source and be able to race it around a track [while] carrying more than one team member.

DestiNation Imagination is such a big hit with schools because it teaches creativity, brainstorming, problem solving, teamwork, project management, time management, critical thinking and collaboration just to name but a few!

There are four levels for each activity. These include elementary level, middle school level, secondary level, and university level. The Ontario-wide competitions will take place on April 2nd 2005. The winner of each level for each activity will move onto the global competitions which take place in Knoxville, Tennessee. {Which of these categories do you fit in? I trust you are not in the elementary school section?}

As DestiNation Imagination is a large event with an extensive history, local television stations, newspapers and magazines are almost guaranteed to pick up on it. National coverage depends on the success of our vehicle. [Rather than talk about ambiguities, I would talk about prior year's coverage. "Last year, we had coverage from blah blah blah. As part of that coverage, the winning team mentioned the sponsored company and dressed in the sponsored company's clothing etc. Provide GM with concrete examples. Also, are they going to be your only sponsor?"

With GM's sponsorship for materials, facility, travel expenses, and tools totaling approximately $***, we will be well position to design and construct [and invent our vehicle and perhaps even layout blueprints for our design!--if you have constructed your vehicle, then it is invented, no?] We have been budgeted US$175 [for the cost of materials] which is equivalent to approximately CND$209. The cost of our materials cannot exceed this number.

More information about DestiNation Imagination can be found at the DI website: www.destinationimagination.org

You can also contact me directly at (***) ***-*** or e-mail me at @hotmail.com

Thank you!

Regards,

[my name]

Guest · Answer

Hey MountainHiker!!

Thank you! Am at school now and had hoped to have the email out by today but it seems as if I can't login into my email account with the school PCs!!

Just a few questions / comments (as you seem to get back to me right away!!

)

When I previously talked to the GM guy, Tom Laurie, he told me that he was not interested in anything global or any of those frills. He said that he was concerned with Canada ONLY, hence me focussing moreso on that than anything.

Also, I dont reckon Im asking for money, because CND$208 isnt very hard to get, I have my school to provide me with that sum. However, it is the materials I wanted GM to sponsor me with, as well as to help us build the design of the car. I mean, my group and I are just Grade 10 students, how are we supposed to know even where to START when it comes to such [although, I guess, this is a start?

] With the activity that DI is, there is very limited help one can give with regards to the actual constrction of the car. WE, my group members & I, have to build the vehicle totally on our own. We can have people guiding us but the chunk has to be ourself.

Last year there wasn't much coverage at all. I called and talked to the guy in charge for Ontario and he wasn't all to clear about the media coverage. Sort of like "ohh...you know....we had some....". So yeah no use would it be for me to write about that! I CAN get more coverage this year however, as I have hookups. Do you think it'd be a wise idea to list the stations/newspapers/magazines? Of course none of this is certain although I think Ive managed to convice myself that a competiion with this amount of stature is bound to be abounds with media coverage, n'est-ce pas?

My school name has SECONDARY SCHOOL within it, so with that written it'd be kind of given that we're at the secondary level, right? Or do you think it's best I put that in again...?

Do you also think I included all the components that Mr.Laurie asked (listed above, in my first post)?

This is also the first year {I think} a specific team is getting a car company to sponsor them. Every year the activities change, and methinks this is the first year that a vehicle has been included.

GM is the only car company that Ive gotten to take interest in us. Vive le GM

Now at the top, you wrote I write that in return, theyll get advertised? So do I include the paragraph below that as well or is that not being redundant & just expanding?

Sorry for the long one, am very new to this....hehehe MUCH THANKS!

ciao!

MountainHiker · Answer

Hi,

You've gone beyond English help to being a high school counsellor or teacher or something. I just raised a few obvious questions in the past post, so you need to work your way through this using your own local resources. I don't know enough about your situation to provide expert guidance.

Questions you asked:

1) Media coverage: Ask your teacher or whomever. I really can't assist you on this one.

2) Secondary school: Why not just say you are in grade 10, normally at the high school level?

3) "Do you also think I included all the components that Mr.Laurie asked (listed above, in my first post)?" Again, ask your teacher or whomever. I really can't assist you on this one.

4) "Now at the top, you wrote I write that in return, theyll get advertised? So do I include the paragraph below that as well or is that not being redundant & just expanding?"

I always like to state at the very outset of a letter my reason for writing.

So here, you are asking for sponsorship. I would also say what they get in return.

I am asking for this. In return, you get that. It just makes for more effective communication.

I hope this helps.

MountainHiker

Sponsorship from a car company

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