This document discusses strategies for gaining new sponsors and winning deals in new markets for an ice hockey analytics company. It emphasizes doing research on potential sponsors through online networks and existing customer contacts. Building long-term relationships is key, starting by understanding what motivates sponsors and finding advocates within their organization. Over time, demonstrating value through product innovations and high-quality support helps earn new business and move to higher levels of support within organizations. Maintaining connections across opportunities helps expand partnerships to new teams and sports over many years.
1. Ice HockeyIce Hockey
New markets...New thinking - RESEARCHNew markets...New thinking - RESEARCH
AND RELATIONSHIPSAND RELATIONSHIPS
2. New Markets and Winning DealsNew Markets and Winning Deals
Who is and how toWho is and how to
find thefind the
sponsor/driver?sponsor/driver?
How to getHow to get
sponsor/driver onsponsor/driver on
your side?your side?
RESEARCH!RESEARCH!
How to get to the nextHow to get to the next
level?level?
What does the solution lookWhat does the solution look
like?like?
What finally gets the deal?What finally gets the deal?
3. Research - Help - FindResearch - Help - Find
Help yourself - Google, LinkedIn, Facebook,Help yourself - Google, LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter, etcTwitter, etc
Can anyone help at SportstecCan anyone help at Sportstec
Existing customersExisting customers
ContactsContacts
4. New Markets and Winning DealsNew Markets and Winning Deals
Who’s theWho’s the
sponsor/driver?sponsor/driver?
Person on the inside that is the Advocate for Sportstec, need access toPerson on the inside that is the Advocate for Sportstec, need access to
decision makerdecision maker
Video/Analyst/Coach?Video/Analyst/Coach?
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Mid LevelMid Level
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C-LevelC-Level
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5. How to get sponsor on your side...How to get sponsor on your side...
What motivatesWhat motivates
them?them?
What works???What works???
Saving Money/ROI?Saving Money/ROI? Better features?Better features? Mac based product?Mac based product?
Better service?Better service?
Alignment with a Global company who work withAlignment with a Global company who work with
all sports?all sports?
Use your personal styleUse your personal style
ReferralsReferrals Coaching MovementCoaching Movement PersistencePersistence
AppleApple SPORTSTEC - Product/Features/Support/PriceSPORTSTEC - Product/Features/Support/Price
6. Next Level...RELATIONSHIPNext Level...RELATIONSHIP
Motivation - Why are you? Why do you wantMotivation - Why are you? Why do you want
to?to?
Privileged and specific information - pains,Privileged and specific information - pains,
cost, “insider” infocost, “insider” info
How to ‘beat’ his specific competitor.How to ‘beat’ his specific competitor.
Help with new customers, referralsHelp with new customers, referrals
7. The LoooonnnngggThe Loooonnnnggg
RoadRoad
2004- Relationship started2004- Relationship started
2006- Relationship continued at new jobs2006- Relationship continued at new jobs
2009-10- Relationship with United Center, Bulls and IT2009-10- Relationship with United Center, Bulls and IT
2008- Sportstec starts to gain market share in NBA and2008- Sportstec starts to gain market share in NBA and
Basketball, sell to BullsBasketball, sell to Bulls
2010 - Advocate takes us to power and shows2010 - Advocate takes us to power and shows
powerful editing, analysis and presentation tools inpowerful editing, analysis and presentation tools in
Sportscode V8. DEAL DONE!Sportscode V8. DEAL DONE!
2012+ - Coaches/GM moved onto new organization.2012+ - Coaches/GM moved onto new organization.
How can experience with Blackhawks help with otherHow can experience with Blackhawks help with other
teamsteams
8. Timeline and ConnectionsTimeline and Connections
Chicago Blackhawks:Chicago Blackhawks:
Anatomy of a DealAnatomy of a Deal
Keep in contactKeep in contact
when we bothwhen we both
got college jobsgot college jobs
Built relationship withBuilt relationship with
organization and ITorganization and IT
group, that overseesgroup, that oversees
Bulls and BlackhawksBulls and Blackhawks
Sold to Blackhawks,Sold to Blackhawks,
one of biggest teamsone of biggest teams
in NHLin NHL
Worked at aWorked at a
basketball campbasketball camp
as undergradsas undergrads
20042004
Hired byHired by
Sportstec, soldSportstec, sold
to Bullsto Bulls20062006
20082008
2009-2009-
20102010
20102010
9. The BlackhawksThe Blackhawks
MotivatorsMotivators
Cutting edge?Cutting edge?
Better features?Better features?
HDHD
Mac?Mac?
Better service?Better service?
Global company who work with allGlobal company who work with all
sports? Feature developmentsports? Feature development
Update andUpdate and
upgradesupgrades
CUTTING EDGE: Fall behind if theyCUTTING EDGE: Fall behind if they
didn’t changedidn’t change
10. Why they loved us!!Why they loved us!!
Liking the people - Mike, Reid, and myself.Liking the people - Mike, Reid, and myself.
Support - One callSupport - One call
HD captureHD capture
Live capture/codeLive capture/code
Customize own code input (output) windowsCustomize own code input (output) windows
Cutting edge - iPad, sharing content, AppleCutting edge - iPad, sharing content, Apple
11. What Finally gets theWhat Finally gets the
deal?deal?
Cutting edge?Cutting edge? Better features?Better features?
Mac basedMac based
product?product?
Better service?Better service?
Alignment with a Global companyAlignment with a Global company
who work with all sports? Featurewho work with all sports? Feature
developmentdevelopment
BetterBetter
developmentdevelopment
PathwayPathway
Fall behind if they didn’t changeFall behind if they didn’t change
12. Take Away messagesTake Away messages
Research. Expert. Resources.Research. Expert. Resources.
Use your existing networks and connect with allUse your existing networks and connect with all
people. Not just one person, surround thempeople. Not just one person, surround them
with friends, customers, etc.with friends, customers, etc.
Prepare for the long haul. 34 minutes to 34Prepare for the long haul. 34 minutes to 34
months.months.
Providing vision and value in a real way throughProviding vision and value in a real way through
a genuine RELATIONSHIP.a genuine RELATIONSHIP.
Notes de l'éditeur
Ask your contacts for their contacts. Never know who knows who and who is willing to help. They might not help, they might not know anyone, but ASK!!! Have to read people, within leagues and conference teams might not get along. If they turn cold when you bring something up, change the subject ASAP!
What drives them? Saving money?, better features, mac based product, better service, alignment with a global company who work with all sports? We know that we can meet all these drivers but some will be irrelevant to the driver. Play to the relevant ones and emphasize them. People might not even realize some benefits, it just adds more ammo to your sale.
I can’t stress how important the client relationship is. Relationship building allows us to ask the hard questions. How much they were paying and how much they were prepared to pay- would we be affordable? What they wanted to achieve? Could we meet those requirements? What do I need to do for the “higher ups”? Sometimes it can be really hard to develop client relationships.
2004 I wasn’t even thinking about relationship building for the future, but having contacts for years from all over the country (continent/world) can be so valuable.
These are old features now, and we can often take them for granted but of huge importance to this solution is SportsCode’s ability to capture and code live and customize your own windows. In comparison, XOS told them how they had to work.
Lots of little things add up to a lot. Apple, save 5 minutes, iPad, thunderbolt, camtwist, elgato, save three minutes, matrix, customization, save 3 minutes, easy to use, save 3 minutes. EVERY DAY!!!