How Does Your Team Recruit?

[Alex Dinsmoor]

Originally Posted by TheNotoriousLB

Thanks for all the suggestions! I just have a couple more related questions:

What about the financial aspect? What is the cost for a student to join your team?

How do you go about acquiring sponsors for the team (do you make cold calls, do they call you, etc)?

In order to join the team, we ask for a $100 joining fee; although if you cant pay this, then we will not force you to pay in order to be on the team.
That $100 guaurentees you free transportation and housing for 1-2 travel events (MSC and Traverse, or GLR and BMR were the 09 and 08 events). It also helps offset the costs of Championships, so the cost to the student is only $100-$150. Once again covering travel and lodging down to Atlanta (or St. Louis)
It also covers build season meals on saturdays, and the occasional dinner at a competition.

For acquiring sponsors we do a combination of both things you listed. Our main sponsor GM was acquired many years ago, but I believe that we had to apply for that sponsorship ourselves. We also called and demonstrated at many local businesses in order to get some of our smaller sponsorships.

Fortunately we have also been handed sponsorships. This was due to our performance as a team in and out of competitions. Those come far and wide, so don't expect them to just be handed to you.