For Riders

Partner Blog: Don't go build a website! Don't send out a printed portfolio!

Your profile is your Website! Your profile is your interactive portfolio!

12/14/2009 - Candid and personal comments from the managing partner of SponsorBarn.com.

Your profile can accomplish everything you need it to and more. Read below to see the two common mistakes and the information all riders should know.

Two things many riders do and in my opinion is a waste of time, money and effort in their hunt for sponsorships: building a website and creating a printed portfolio.

First, the building of a website. A website does you no good unless you have at least $2,000 dollars a month to put into the marketing of that site through viral efforts, social media, ad words and SEO (search engine optimization) which would mean you have a website business not a rider looking for sponsorship.

Most riders believe that they need a place to showcase their talent, promote themselves, blog, post pictures, update where they will be, and then link their sponsors to their site. And they are RIGHT (SponsorBarn.com lets you do all those things.) However, those things are only important if they can be found and get SEEN. This will not happen with an individual rider site. You will spend cash to build the site, time to get it done right, spend cash again to have someone ad and change every time you want to make an update, only to find out virtually no one is looking.

SponsorBarn.com has made it possible to have your very on virtual website - one that gets seen by thousands of people, brands, media and more every day. You can do everything here that you can on a personal website. You can blog, have a Q&A section, upload pictures, tell where you are going to be, and update all information real time. And you can do it all your self. (Or someone else that types better than you.)

The best thing about it is that you WILL BE SEEN. This means more opportunities to be found by sponsors. It also means your sponsors are going to be much happier because you will be connecting them with many more potential consumers.

Second, don’t create a printed portfolio. Simple truth is Brand/Marketing managers don’t want to see or read them…..and it is Old School. Most printed portfolios hit the trash before anyone sees them and typically never makes it to a desk. Sending a link to your profile shows you are current, relevant and you respect their time.

SponsorBarn.com allows you to have an interactive portfolio. A portfolio that you can keep up to date in real time. The minute you create a printed version of your portfolio it is out of date. The printed version is also not on the web, inside a sponsorship network, easily accessed or can be seen by thousands.

SponsorBarn.com wants you to connect with brands and wants brands to connect with you. We created a network to match you, save you time and money, and gives you the tools to be successful.

Use your profile, keep it up to date, and keep riding.

Find more information in past partner blogs.

More candid comments to come.

Thanks,