Like selling refrigerators to eskimos

James Boyd talks yachting sponsorship and the Swedish Match Tour with Scott MacLeod, of sports marketeers Octagon

So what of the future of the Swedish Match Tour? "Basically we're going to see bigger events with new sponsors. We had ADT (division of Tyco) in to sponsor Bermuda and there is the new UBS Challenge event. We had HT Cronet in Croatia and AT Kernies for the Danish event. So we want big prize money, events at the same level as the Swedish Match Cup here. And we want to see people seeing the tour as a good marketing platform.

"We have strong links with the America's Cup teams, so there's a lot of cross markrting that can be done there. We're seeing team sponsors buying into events."
MacLeod and his team are also looking to improve and create more even standards between events. This is likely to include a 'Swedish Match Tour One Design' and a Volvo Ocean Race style travelling circus that will go with the boats from event to event.

"We want a tour fleet that will go to all the events. That is an exciting opportunity for the tour and a manufacturer. For the manfuacturer their boat is going to be sailed by America's Cup teams." AC teams could buy boats to campaign on the Tour as well as for their own training purposes when not sailing their ACC boats. Alternatively the Tour would own the boats and rent them out. "That would give us flexibility to go to new markets, to bring the circus to town."

MacLeod is envisaging such a boat to be a 38-40footer with long overhangs and a long open cockpit, something like a Mini-ACC boat. "It has to have a wheel. TV people love wheels..." 4-5 crew. Mainsail with a big roach. Finally it has to be able to break down and roll into a 40ft container. "We've been speaking to a couple of manufacturers and been looking at design concepts. Gavin (Brady) said Prada's design team would knock one up in a morning!"

So finally for young or budding sailors looking to get sponsorship what are Scott's top tips?

"First of all - look at who you know and who your parents know or who anyone you know knows.

"Second put together a package of benefits. Think about what they're going to get, how it's going to make their business better. What can I do to make their business better to sell more stuff."

He adds that you shouldn't send huge proposals, as companies tend not to have time to read them. "Two page overviews - what you're trying to achieve and what the benefits are is perfect."

Then it is all about effort. "Expect a lot of rejections. It is discouraging to sell anything, but to sell sponsorship is very difficut. Imagine selling refrigerators to eskimos and go from there."