Beginner\’s Guide: Creating your Social Media Game Plan

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First let me recap and remind you about some blog articles I\’ve written regarding how to create Social Media accounts and fan pages.  The link to the individual blog posts is linked to each of the social media channels I have listed below: 

Facebook

YouTube Channel

Instagram

Twitter

PRO-TIP: All these accounts should point back to your Driver\’s Official Website with a custom URL Address.  You should also have a custom email address to give out as a \”contact\” – it can be \”Info@domainname.com\” or one of the parent\’s names.

Do\’s and Don\’ts of Social Media….

The Don\’t List:

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The Do List:

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The entire point of establishing an active Social Media plan, which is a major part of your Marketing Plan, is to establish and grow your Fan Base.  You must have a Fan Base to be a successful race car driver.  Big Track race officials, Potential Sponsors, Driver Development programs (selection committees) and Big Car Race Team Owners will demand this and to show you are a serious driver you need to get started on this as soon as possible in your race career.   

All the followers and likes you get on your Social Media Channels as well as as \”readers\”, or subscribers, on your website are considered your race fans.  They are the ones who will follow your career, buy tickets to come watch you race, purchase your race swag (Driver T-shirts, caps, etc.) and they are the target market that your potential Sponsor will use as a deciding factor to offer you Marketing Partnership Agreement or not. 

They are the ROI (Return on your Investment). The pay off for all your hard work and diligence in posting Race Reports and recaps, Sponsored Blog posts and How To Articles, Driver Appearances and Media Interviews, Videos, and other consistent and fresh content that you post every week. 

As you move up to higher levels of competition you will need more funding to keep your race team operational.  That requires Sponsors.  In fact 75% of Team Revenues come from Sponsors in the big leagues according a motorsports marketing expert.  Drivers who self-promote will enjoy a better chance at earning an income from their racing endeavors than those who do not. 

In fact those who do not self-promote and obtain sponsors usually are not successful for the long term and end up getting out of the sport.  Things that your Fan Base will help you get other than Sponsors when you hit the higher levels in motorsports are commercial endorsements, personal services agreements, souvenir sales (more T-shirts and swag items), and income from licensing agreements.

 Investors that fund up-and-coming drivers, not the same as a sponsor necessarily, are crucial for making the leap into the highest level of the sport and they, like a Sponsor, expect an ROI that will pay off for their investment.  Investors will get a percentage of your earnings, souvenir sales, endorsements,  licensing and race winnings and bonueses  that you will earn, usually after a set period of time has passed or an established income level has been reached.  Driver Development programs and Team Owners typically have a prerequisite that an incoming driver bring with them a major Sponsors or Investor. 

Having the money to race needs to be a huge element in your ongoing and future business plan(s), and SMART objectives with relevant goals to obtain that funding is just as important as driver talent and racing skills.  There are a few programs out here, like Drive 4 Diversity, that seek drivers who are either female or minority – but if you don\’t fall into that category you have to get to the top the old fashioned way – having money to back you up.

This is why your Social Media is so important.  It\’s the first steps, the foundation if you will, to obtaining first the Fan Base, and second the sponsors and/or investors who will only fund those drivers with a significant Fan Base. 

In conclusion, Drivers must be marketing savvy and have good personal PR campaigns (ie: Social Media) to utilize the position he or she is in and pull in their own personal endorsement deals, sponsorships, and personally  grow their Fan Base to insure lucrative souvenir sales.  You are a racer – you have a unique attraction built in to what you are doing, and a potentially very loyal fan base is just out there waiting to join your race team and follow you from your karting career all the way to the professional levels of motorsports.  Remember, Driver ability and talent is just part of the equation. You must be prepared and diligent in starting and growing your Fan Base now so you can be sure to obtain Sponsorship deals in the future if you want to be truly successful in your racing career.  Successful drivers are Marketable Drivers.  

Now it\’s your turn.  

Read some of my other Blog articles on the subject.  Especially Branding and running your team like a business.  Keep good records (use the Driver Spreadsheet Workbook and Race Data Form found on the \”Forms\” section of the KAM website).  Promote your driver and make it your goal to build your Likes on Facebook, Followers on Twitter and Instagram and Subscribers on YouTube and your website.

If you have questions or need help with anything leave a comment and I will get back with you.  

~Kelley

 

Resources:

Driver Notebook_MASTER COPY

Drive Profile Template

Race Data Sheet

Content Calendar Template

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