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philly_crankster_CJ
I'm in the middle of doing some Cranks-related wrapping up so I figured I should post here. How does everyone go about thanking sponsors?
In the first couple of years, I used to send an 'official' write-up that would get blasted out to sponsors, blogs, etc..... anyone that had posted about Cranksgiving Philly pre-event. Links with pictures and such, too. Now, I've gotten a bit more casual with it, especially because after 5 years, a lot of the sponsors are ones that return year after year. Something like, 'Hey! Just wanted to drop a quick note that we really appreciated your donation of (bags/lights/certificates/whatever). We had (# of riders) raise (x amount of food), and everyone had a great time. Here's a link to some pictures for you to enjoy. Thanks again, and see you soon.'
One thing I have always done since our first year, is to make a sponsor-run of spokecards. Basically, they're just spokecards but with the sponsor logo in place of the rider number. I print, laminate, hole-punch at the top, and wrap ribbon/twine/yarn through it, so as to make a spokecard ornament for the sponsor's office tree, or the contact's desk, whatever. A post-it with a quick handwritten note, and send it out in the mail. I have to admit, I've never gotten acknowledgment from sponsors for doing them (I think end of year, everyone is busy with the holidays and such), but I keep telling myself that it's super important to keep a good relationship. After all, they're giving us hundreds of dollars in merchandise, and some of them have never even met me.... I also like to think that it's another reason why they keep coming back and are willing to sponsor the next year, and the next, and the next.