A Zooming Market Strategy

Hundreds of fans leap to their feet, their roars reaching a crescendo. The bleachers quake, and the air reeks of high-octane exhaust fumes as powerful vehicles thunder down the track to the checkered flag. This is the NASCAR experience and, last year, Olympia Steel Building Systems became a part of it through an associate sponsorship of the FitzBradshaw Racing Team.

NASCAR is exciting, and the possibilities for us are numerous, says Arnold Davis, Olympia owner. Based in McKees Rocks, Pa., the 30-year-old company provides all-steel structures for commercial, agricultural, industrial and residential applications, specializing in self-storage buildings.

FitzBradshaw Racing is owned by Armando Fitz and his wife, Carolyn Mimi, both NASCAR veterans, and Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer and FOX broadcaster Terry Bradshaw. The team fields three Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Busch Series. Its one of two teams featured on the Speed Channel reality show NBS 24/7, a weekly program about behind-the-scenes activities on and off the track.

We are pleased that Olympia Steel Buildings has joined the FitzBradshaw family, Armando says. The company is an exciting addition to our sponsorship program.

Marketing in the Fast Lane

This year, Olympias sponsorship will span 34 races. On May 5, the company will be featured as the teams primary sponsor at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia. Last year, its sponsorship covered five races. Its signage was featured on the side of FitzBradshaw car No. 14, driven by David Stremme in the Busch Series Dollar General 300 race in Charlotte, N.C.

Davis looks forward to the new season and expects great things from the partnership. NASCAR fans are our demographic, he says. Racing is todays fastest growing sport and enjoys one of the largest audiences in the sports world. What better venue to advertise our company? Olympias involvement also provides opportunities for business-to-business relationships with other sponsors, he says.

Featuring the companys logo on FitzBradshaw cars and uniforms will deliver instant brand recognition for loyal race fans, says Davis. Branding is the name of the game. The added visibility will give us an edge in a very competitive market. We have already enjoyed an increase in our sales leads and product recognition since the announcement of our sponsorship.

In November, Olympia launched a new website, www.olympiaracing.com, through which its customers and other NASCAR fans can access the latest FitzBradshaw race results, press releases, and information about team owners, drivers and pit crew. The site contains special offers and promotions for Olympia customers. For more information, call 800.972.6794, visit www.olympiabuildings.com. 

Good News

Storage Company Sponsors Special Olympics

Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Guardian Self Storage has become an official sponsor of the Special Olympics. As part of its sponsorship, Guardian will donate a portion of each new tenants first-month rent to support Special Olympics programs and activities. In addition, Guardian has established collection containers in the lobbies of its nine properties for those who would like to make donations.

Hurricane Victims Remembered by Storage Industry

Richmond, Va.-based SMARTBOX, a provider of portable moving and storage, collaborated with The Supply Room, a provider of office supplies and furniture, to gather provisions for hurricane relief. SMARTBOX collected approximately 50,000 pounds of bottled water, diapers, toiletries, pet supplies and other necessities at 19 locations around Richmond. These were sorted at Supply Room facilities and transported to Jackson, Miss., for distribution.

A&B Self Storage in Troy, Ala., is helping Hurricane Katrina victims by offering free storage for up to a year. The company donated 10 units for evacuees to store belongings until they can find new residences. Facility owner Blake Webb also offered several of his rental trucks to transport supplies to hurricane-stricken areas.

Several U-Haul companies assisted disaster victims around the country. U-Haul facilities in Texas offered 60 days of free storage to help Hurricane Rita evacuees. U-Haul companies of Florida also donated a month of free storage to Wilma sufferers. A U-Haul center in Lafayette, La., offered 30 days of free storage to Hurricane Katrina victims.