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I like the concept. You should and could have a major sponsor to supply parts.
Here is one approach to get a sponsor. There are four or five large companies that want more exposure and to sell more parts to the DIY auto repair people and a third party like you can provide that exposure, great credibility, and sell more parts. Your concept EricTheCar Guy delivers. (The name “fixing it forward” is too confusing but the underlying concept of fixing it forward is a big winner)
For DIYers EricTheCar guy takes the mystery out of auto repair and maintenance and SELLS parts. Here are the companies – MOPAR, Autozone, Pepboys, Advance Autoparts, Napaonline, Oreillyauto, Carquest, Autopartswarehouse, Rockauto.
Put together a simple business proposal on what you plan to deliver – viewers, subscribers, minutes of video, how many viewers watch more than 80 percent of each video, parts replaced, sponsor billboards, sponsor scripts, product placement, the growth trajectory of Eric The Car Guy, etc and then ask for their participation in terms of parts only – probably delivered through your local store for simplicity. Contact the head of marketing for the big three first – based on what I have read, Mopar seems to want this exposure bad but that would limit your target fixes. Pitch the concept and with your current track record I am sure one will accept your offer. Give each company you pitch the list of companies you are making this pitch to and that the first company that agrees will have category exclusivity for a period of time.
Once you prove success for the sponsor on the first agreement and that time period has passed, the next agreement will add a fee for your celebrity in addition to free parts.
With this sponsorship you can still deliver your underlying concept of fixing it forward and it will launch Eric The Car Guy into another, higher, orbit. This is a winner.
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Thank you for your input. Truth is, I have a LOT of sponsors willing to contribute parts and tools. In fact, this was a way of working them into some of my productions without the normal push back I get from my tool reviews. That’s the hope anyway. This way, I can do quick shout outs during the video to the contributors, and not have to worry about everyone thinking I’m doing a commercial. As stated in the introductory video, it’s an opportunity for a lot of things to come together for a good cause. Bottom line, I’m not worried about the sponsors or anything like that, more will show up I’m sure, I’m more worried about the increased workload I’m bringing to myself and how I’m going to handle it. That is also a secondary concern to actually helping people, which is the reason I started ETCG in the first place. This is just a more direct way of doing it. As you stated, this will take things to another level.
Thanks again for your input.
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=132805]Thank you for your input. Truth is, I have a LOT of sponsors willing to contribute parts and tools. In fact, this was a way of working them into some of my productions without the normal push back I get from my tool reviews. That’s the hope anyway. This way, I can do quick shout outs during the video to the contributors, and not have to worry about everyone thinking I’m doing a commercial. As stated in the introductory video, it’s an opportunity for a lot of things to come together for a good cause. Bottom line, I’m not worried about the sponsors or anything like that, more will show up I’m sure, I’m more worried about the increased workload I’m bringing to myself and how I’m going to handle it. That is also a secondary concern to actually helping people, which is the reason I started ETCG in the first place. This is just a more direct way of doing it. As you stated, this will take things to another level.
Thanks again for your input.[/quote]
Okay. You are welcome.
As you go forward with your new concept maybe keep this in the back of your mind.
Fewer big sponsors and a simple platform video marketing approach means more time and resources to help more people and more time for yourself to recharge. Building relationships with big sponsors is good for the future. Big sponsors, like Autozone, have very large marketing budgets (Autozone’s is $60 million annual) and would think nothing of paying you several hundred thousand dollars a year to market them in social media after a successful proof of concept.
I can only speak for myself, but as a long time subscriber I would want this kind of success for you. Good luck.
Background article on Autozone:
http://adage.com/article/agency-news/doner-wins-autozone-advertising-account/227498/
Thanks again for all your input. I’ll keep your thoughts in mind. Right now, I have plenty of work to do and a transmission to find for that van. After all, it’s not a show unless I’m working and creating videos. 🙂
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=132872]Thanks again for all your input. I’ll keep your thoughts in mind. Right now, I have plenty of work to do and a transmission to find for that van. After all, it’s not a show unless I’m working and creating videos. :)[/quote]
Your new concept fixing it forward is very powerful, at least for me. I am waiting with great anticipation to see what you are going to do with that minivan. I am checking your channel everyday now. Thank you for the inside clue on the transmission.
Eric,
Your Fix It Forward series is already a winner … Only two shows into the new venture! Congrats and thanks for your efforts. You seem to be communicating more in recent weeks about the burnout you are experiencing with ETCG and the undoubtedly crazy workload. I have no divine information to Impart, but do remember your kids will only be kids once and they deserve your time more than ANY career. One thought I had was to allow you fan base to supply donations to your Fix It Forward efforts. Perhaps you could give us a chance to PayPal it forward to fund some parts, or whatever is needed to help you help others. I am a member of a Car Club that has done this for members that are struggling with financial hardship, but still in their own way contribute to the Club. Maybe it might even reduce your workload just a little to not have to work with sponsorships in this endeavor. Thanks for what you do as ETCG, I thinks it’s beneficial to all parties involved, your get a solid career and 1000s do folks get help repairing vehicles! Do remember though that a career can consume a person and you eventually might need to reduce workload for your own life and health.
Stay Dirty! I so like your tag line![quote=”KnightTime” post=133723]Eric,
Your Fix It Forward series is already a winner … Only two shows into the new venture! Congrats and thanks for your efforts. You seem to be communicating more in recent weeks about the burnout you are experiencing with ETCG and the undoubtedly crazy workload. I have no divine information to Impart, but do remember your kids will only be kids once and they deserve your time more than ANY career. One thought I had was to allow you fan base to supply donations to your Fix It Forward efforts. Perhaps you could give us a chance to PayPal it forward to fund some parts, or whatever is needed to help you help others. I am a member of a Car Club that has done this for members that are struggling with financial hardship, but still in their own way contribute to the Club. Maybe it might even reduce your workload just a little to not have to work with sponsorships in this endeavor. Thanks for what you do as ETCG, I thinks it’s beneficial to all parties involved, your get a solid career and 1000s do folks get help repairing vehicles! Do remember though that a career can consume a person and you eventually might need to reduce workload for your own life and health.
Stay Dirty! I so like your tag line![/quote]Thank you for the suggestion. It is not possible to set up donations to a PayPal account without being able to prove that you’re a nonprofit. If you’re caught accepting donations and you’re not a nonprofit, PayPal will pull your account. Few people know this, but it is a real concern of mine which is why I haven’t set one up.
If FiF starts taking off, I’ll probably turn it into a nonprofit that stands on it’s own. At that time I can set up a mechanism for donations. For now, I have a lot of sponsors that are chipping in for the project. I feel that will be sufficient until things either grow or stay the same. Either way, people are still getting helped which is the core of the project.
If you wish to support ETCG and stuff like FiF, a Premium Membership is a great way to do that. You also get a lot of cool stuff in return. Outside of that, I’m grateful for yours, or anyones viewership.
Thanks again for the suggestion.
OK! I love this idea, a little back story from my own life.
When I was sixteen years old I owned a 1996 Saturn SL1. It burned oil pretty bad (as all 1.9 saturn motors do) and during that year I was involved in a motorvehicle accident (not involving the saturn) and was very severely injured and placed in a medically induced coma due to brain swelling and the amount of physical damage I had endured. While I was in a coma my parents had vehicle troubles (1998 Plymouth van? Some sort of three door van. I believe it was a Plymouth.. I can’t recall)
anyway, the vehicle needed a tune up very bad (it was running on somewhat of two cylinders.)and they constantly were visiting me and staying with me and were traveling long distances to and from the hospital during that time (We live out in the country, about a half hour drive from the hospital I was staying at)
and wouldn’t you know it, they used my car and it was already pretty low on oil (I added about 2/3 qt per fillup) and the engine ran dry(enough) to seize the engine. During that time an anonymous person paid for both vehicles to get fixed (NO MORE OIL BURNING.. IT WAS SO NICE!) and after hearing about the story later on, I vowed to always help anyone in need.
I am pretty mechanically inclined and I do as much as I am able too, to help people out with vehicle repairs. A lot of things I learned here from ETCG’s youtube page!I absolutely love this idea, I think it should spread to others instead of just a youtube thing, HELP PEOPLE! LOVE, BE KIND and PIF!
Greed, Delusion and ignorance will always breed such, only love for each other can smother those three poisons!THANKS ERIC, I wish there was some way I could help! GR, MI is a little to far to be able to lend a hand. haha
[quote=”BeardedWrencher” post=133900]OK! I love this idea, a little back story from my own life.
When I was sixteen years old I owned a 1996 Saturn SL1. It burned oil pretty bad (as all 1.9 saturn motors do) and during that year I was involved in a motorvehicle accident (not involving the saturn) and was very severely injured and placed in a medically induced coma due to brain swelling and the amount of physical damage I had endured. While I was in a coma my parents had vehicle troubles (1998 Plymouth van? Some sort of three door van. I believe it was a Plymouth.. I can’t recall)
anyway, the vehicle needed a tune up very bad (it was running on somewhat of two cylinders.)and they constantly were visiting me and staying with me and were traveling long distances to and from the hospital during that time (We live out in the country, about a half hour drive from the hospital I was staying at)
and wouldn’t you know it, they used my car and it was already pretty low on oil (I added about 2/3 qt per fillup) and the engine ran dry(enough) to seize the engine. During that time an anonymous person paid for both vehicles to get fixed (NO MORE OIL BURNING.. IT WAS SO NICE!) and after hearing about the story later on, I vowed to always help anyone in need.
I am pretty mechanically inclined and I do as much as I am able too, to help people out with vehicle repairs. A lot of things I learned here from ETCG’s youtube page!I absolutely love this idea, I think it should spread to others instead of just a youtube thing, HELP PEOPLE! LOVE, BE KIND and PIF!
Greed, Delusion and ignorance will always breed such, only love for each other can smother those three poisons!THANKS ERIC, I wish there was some way I could help! GR, MI is a little to far to be able to lend a hand. haha[/quote]
That’s quite a story. Glad you made it through and someone was able to help your parents. Thanks also for your input. Know that I’m just getting started with FiF and that I’m working to make it into something that may very well outlast me if I can.
Thanks again
I like the concept of what you are doing Eric. Just make sure you have a process for vetting the candidates that get the help. I know you know the type of people who are in a situation because they get themselves into it. Would be a shame to see laziness rewarded with undeserved charity when truly deserving ones go without. Something that you’ll have to look at case by case for sure, but I would look behind the scenes and not blindly believe the story from them. Verify elements of it to ensure that the story you are getting is actually true.
I help a few people now and again when I can, but there are a whole lot more than that who try to sell me a sob story to take advantage of my generosity. The word free brings the moochers out of the hills in droves.
[quote=”nickwarner” post=133954]I like the concept of what you are doing Eric. Just make sure you have a process for vetting the candidates that get the help. I know you know the type of people who are in a situation because they get themselves into it. Would be a shame to see laziness rewarded with undeserved charity when truly deserving ones go without. Something that you’ll have to look at case by case for sure, but I would look behind the scenes and not blindly believe the story from them. Verify elements of it to ensure that the story you are getting is actually true.
I help a few people now and again when I can, but there are a whole lot more than that who try to sell me a sob story to take advantage of my generosity. The word free brings the moochers out of the hills in droves.[/quote]
Noted. I’ll be going to the VA to find my next candidate so pardon my pun about ‘vetting’ the next recipient of FiF.
Eric, are you accepting any new FiF projects? A shop has spun a bearing in my car, and of course it isn’t their fault they say, but the mech was just beating the unholy crap out of my car. I could smell hot brakes when he got back. Now, I just did the timing chains 2 months ago, and I had the oil pan off, so I made darn sure I checked the rods, and there was exactly zero movement, no metal in the oil, nothing. I’m in school to be an aircraft mechanic driving 100 miles a day. It brings me to tears to think I may have to drop out over this. I hate asking for help, I hate whining, and I hate sounding like a complainer or sounding like a victim, because that’s not me, but I honestly feel like this shop has stolen my future from me.
[quote=”red00jetta” post=157409]Eric, are you accepting any new FiF projects? A shop has spun a bearing in my car, and of course it isn’t their fault they say, but the mech was just beating the unholy crap out of my car. I could smell hot brakes when he got back. Now, I just did the timing chains 2 months ago, and I had the oil pan off, so I made darn sure I checked the rods, and there was exactly zero movement, no metal in the oil, nothing. I’m in school to be an aircraft mechanic driving 100 miles a day. It brings me to tears to think I may have to drop out over this. I hate asking for help, I hate whining, and I hate sounding like a complainer or sounding like a victim, because that’s not me, but I honestly feel like this shop has stolen my future from me.[/quote]
I’m very sorry to hear about your situation. At this time I’m not taking in any FiF projects. Brian is on hiatus and I’m editing the stock of videos I have to cover the time I’m going to be traveling in the next 2 months. After that I’m building the Fairmont. It’ll be some time before I bring in another FiF project.
If you’ve gone so far as to replace all those parts on your engine, perhaps you would be able to replace the bad bearings and keep it going for a few more months. Outside of that, I’d recommend a salvage yard engine. Even better if you could pull it yourself. It can save you a substantial amount.
No matter what I hope it works out and I wish you the best.
I found a crank kit online, BUT I’m afraid I’m gonna have to replace the rods as well, and the aftermarkets are more expensive than the OEM which are absolutely ridiculously priced already. The rabbit hole gets deeper as you say. I’m still unsure on it because the bearings were just starting to spin, and there was only slight movement on the journal.
[quote=”red00jetta” post=157436]I found a crank kit online, BUT I’m afraid I’m gonna have to replace the rods as well, and the aftermarkets are more expensive than the OEM which are absolutely ridiculously priced already. The rabbit hole gets deeper as you say. I’m still unsure on it because the bearings were just starting to spin, and there was only slight movement on the journal.[/quote]
I honestly think salvage is your best option. If you try to rebuild and fail, you’re out a vehicle.
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