FIRST is missing out

[archiver]

Posted by ChrisH at 04/26/2001 6:45 PM EST


Engineer on team #330, Beach 'Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA JPL, J & F Machine, Raytheon, et al.


In Reply to: Why do we need the media?
Posted by Matt Leese on 04/26/2001 12:34 PM EST:



I don't feel we need to pander to the media, but they sure do help get the word out. They also increase the awareness of potential sponsors.

Here's my paraphrase of a conversation I had a few years ago.

Vendor: So what's new?
Me: I'm going to be working with a high school robotics team next year. (the game that became Ladder Logic)
Vendor: You mean like I saw on TV (ESPN2) at the golf club last weekend? (Torrid Terror)
Me: Yah, I think somebody said it was going to be on TV, I don't have cable so I couldn't watch it.
Sponsor: (notice subtle shift in title) How can I get involved with something like that?

This sponsor has now been with us for four years and continues to be of great support. It is a small machine shop and donates probably far more machine and operator time than they can afford to help us build our 'Bots. Their technical expertise in terms of figuring out how to build what we come up with is no less important.

But that conversation might never have happened if not for that TV spot at the right time.

By the way that sponsor's name is J & F Machine (714) 527-3499. If anybody out there is in the LA area and has some paying machine work they need done please consider them for the job. They do good work on things they do for my "real" job and are reasonably priced too.

Can't have good sponsors going broke on us now can we?

Chris Husmann, PE
Team 330 the Beach'Bots
Who is not particularly sorry for the shameless plug as it is well deserved and the least I can do.