Collision Repair Shops and Youth Sports Sponsorships

For body shops, staying in the public eye is important, because your customers don’t need what you offer – until they do. And when they do need collision repair, you want prospects to think of you first.

One way to stay in the public eye is by sponsoring a youth sports team. Will this get you in front of a massive amount of people? No – but it builds good will in your community, and may expose you to people who might not have heard of your shop otherwise and lends itself to word of mouth advertising.

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Why Should Your Body Shop Sponsor a Team?

Sponsoring a team can build awareness for your shop in several ways. This might include getting your company’s name on jerseys, signage, flyers, tournament programs, and the team or league website. 

If you are sponsoring a team for your own child, this is a fantastic place to meet other parents and get to know them. Once they find out who you are and what you do, they’ll be inclined to come to you for their repairs.

A sponsorship is a great way to give back to your local community while doing something fun.

Choosing a Team to Sponsor 

Sponsoring a team is a no-brainer if it’s your own child, but what if it’s not? Ask your employees if their kids play anything. Beware – you may find that most of them do and now they all want a sponsor!

Most areas have baseball, football, and basketball, but larger cities tend to offer other sports as well. Depending on your location, you might look into soccer, hockey, volleyball, tennis, swimming, or other sports, especially when you have a personal connection to them.

Get Creative

There may be predetermined options or packages for what you get in exchange for your sponsorship. This may include displaying your name and/or logo on jerseys, a sign on the court or field, and maybe a blurb on the league website, with your logo and a link back to your website.

You should look around the home field and see if there’s anything you could do to draw more attention. An obvious spot for a sign is the home run fence, but it stands out more if you place signs at a few of the parking spots right near the ball diamond, saying “Risky Parking Sponsored by Bob’s Auto Body” and have a graphic of a baseball landing on a car. You’ll have to pay for the signs and installation but that will catch peoples’ attention!

At the football field, your sign can say “If your teenager thinks driving is a contact sport, we can help.”

If you happen to live in an area where hockey is popular and draws a crowd, you can do a vehicle wrap on the Zamboni. 

Off the field, court, or rink, host a tour of your facilities. Let your sponsored team meet your shop’s team. A group of teens will certainly find this to be interesting, and this a great way to expose them to your shop.

How to Sponsor

If you know someone involved in the league, that person is a great starting point. They should be able to identify the team or league sponsorship coordinator so you can find out what the availability and investment is, and what you’ll get in return.

Think about what you’re willing to spend, so you’ll know what type of sponsorship best fits your budget. Adding your business name on the team jerseys, or simply running an ad in a tournament program will be on the low end, while custom scoreboard signage or more elaborate advertising will be a more expensive investment. 

Final Thoughts

While there are lots of modern digital marketing and advertising options for your collision repair shop, don’t ignore the classic, tried-and-true relationship-based forms of advertising. If you have children, grandchildren on a team, or know someone who does, sponsoring a team or a league can be a rewarding way to give back to your community. Remember, a team photo showing your logo on the jerseys would look great near your front desk.