Mongolians

Having done quite a bit of research on how to find sponsors for our team in the 2010 Mongol Rally, we thought it might be helpful to write about the process for other folks in the rally, or similar adventures.

Step one – analysis. We read as much information as was possible on the Mongol Rally, including the main demographic, audience, marketability, legality, etc. Once we were confident we could easily explain even the most obscure details of the rally, we moved on. We even purchased and read the only book published by a former rally adventurer.

Step two – organize. We created an excel spreadsheet and brainstormed backwards, thinking about the items our team would need on the rally and then compiling a list of companies that might be interested in sponsoring us. Our spreadsheet was broken down into sectors, like ‘camping equipment’ for example, and then companies, like ‘REI’, and then their contact information so we can keep track of our correspondence with each potential sponsor.

Step three — proposal. We created a snazzy sponsorship proposal that compiled information on the rally, our team, our charity and then listed how sponsors could benefit by helping out our team and charity. Then we sent the proposal to the companies in our spreadsheet from step two.

Step four – press. While contacting sponsors, we also created a spreadsheet for potential press and media coverage, and set about contacting local and international media about our team and the event. After the creation of the proposal, we simply morphed the same document into a mini press kit for interested media affiliates.

Step five—website SEO. While all of this was going on, we maintained the website and blog, and did a bit of much-needed SEO, including some link building and revamping the landing page and Mongol Rally page of our site, gearing them towards the rally and securing sponsorships.

Step six – phone calls. While all of these documents and online work can go a long way towards endearing the team to potential sponsors, nothing is as meaningful as a phone call. We followed up all potential sponsor leads with calls, because in the end it is about people helping people, and the human element is the most essential one.

Good luck with your own fund-raising, and have fun!

A god? Yes!

Bear Gryllls’ show, Man vs. Wild (Born Survivor in the UK) – Man vs. Wild – Season 1 - is a rare TV hit. What I like most about this show, despite the fact that some of his stunts are staged, is that he demonstrates how to survive in life-threatening situations across all types of terrain. This week has been productive for me in that sense, I learned how to make rope out of roots, how to wrestle an alligator, how to make a water purifier out of natural elements, how to skin a sheep then use the skin as a boat, etc. He is like a real life Macgyver!

Having spent time outdoors and traveling in places where you are literally always in danger of being stranded from civilization, this show has been a real breath of fresh, information-filled air, and he reaffirmed some of my thoughts while on the road last year.

Anyone who spends any amount of time outdoors knows that what kind of travel gear and clothing you have is essential. I had to buy two *&#*!%$ cheap bags before I finally spent the money on a nice REI backpack that will withstand rough use, varied terrain and temperatures, and 70+ pounds of rip and tear 24 hours a day. Lesson learned: don’t skimp on essential equipment! In that vain, its easy to see how Bear carefully chooses his clothing and equipment before heading into the wild. He has all quick-dry clothing and a multiple temperature jacket of gore tex. I had no jacket on the last trip (big mistake) and what was worse, I had flimsy shoes I bought at a market in China before leaving. I did have a few other items, but was missing a great deal, including a water purifier, on this last adventure. Lesson learned again: don’t skimp on essential clothing! Before the next trip (Mongol Rally 2010) I’ll be buying expedition-level shoes that breathe and can stand rough wear and tear, a multi-season jacket and more quick-dry clothing. Ah, a girl’s wish list has no end!

Final thought: on the show Bear has a special knife he had built for himself which retails at $700+ dollars. While I think it is an essential element for life on the road, I’m not about to drop close to a grand on a knife! I’ll stick with my little Cold Steel Voyager, which was a gift from my Kuk Sol Wan coach in 2006. I have only sharpened it twice and it is in amazing condition, plus the 2″ blade means its legal to cross borders with. You could literally back a truck over it and it would be fine! Also, Bear goes out into the wild without a flashlight, I keep my Smith & Wesson LED Flashlight on me at all times (no joke, its in my purse). Paranoid- no. Prepared- hopefully.

Winter Wonderland

We hope the New Year brings about lots of good things for all of our readers!  Lauren and I will be in the US for the first quarter / half of 2010.  We will spend our time writing, updating the website, and searching for sponsors while we are preparing for the 2010 Mongol Rally.  We also hope to fit in some travel and sightseeing in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.  Please check back with us frequently and especially during the Rally!

Don’t be shy, if you happen to work for or know a company who might be interested in sponsoring our team, please send us their contact information or feel free to download and pass on our sponsorship proposal to them.  Once again, best wishes for 2010 to everyone and thank you for reading / visiting our site.

~ Mike & Lauren

Mercy Corps Mongolia helps these folks

Last weekend I saw an episode of Conan on Late Night where Ben Stiller wore the stillerstrong.org headband. It made me realize our targets in fundraising have been grossly underscored. While they are ripping off Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong philosophy, it still seems to be raising an astronomical amount of funds. I feel like all I need is one big celebrity to get Mercy Corps Mongolia a crap-load of money for their good deeds back on the old’ Steppe.

We want to raise a ton of money for our charity and for our team, and if any celebrity out there still has the balls to take on Ben Stiller and Lance Armstrong to fight for the greatest charity (and the coolest team in the Mongol Rally), then don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m more than willing (and capable) of standing up to these Hollywood giants to fight the celebrity charity stand-off this Christmas season to win it all for Mercy Mongolia and for the Mongol Rally and Abandon the Cube. Bring it on, Hollywood!

Mongol Rally Logo

Planing for the 2010 Mongol Rally is in full swing at Abandon the Cube. We’ve set up a page on our website: Mongol Rally to enlighten folks on our team’s progress, how to donate online, and more about Mercy Mongolia, our official charity. We have also created a nifty Sponsorship Proposal to help y’all donate with ease. While our primary aim is to find and secure corporate sponsors, we are always looking for friends of ATC to help in the form of assistance in marketing and fund-raising as well as donating their time and talent.

Below is a more information on the specifics for the team’s needs this summer. For more information, check out the website for the latest news and updates.

________________________

Our budget has been calculated at the following costs:

For charity: $1,580 USD

2 cars, fully decked out: $2,500 USD

Equipment for 40 days, 8 people: $2,000 USD

Visas for 8 team members: $1,500 USD

Registration fees for cars and members: $1,500 USD

Food and Gas allowance: $2,000 USD

Emergency fund: $1,000 USD

Total:$12,080 USD

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Meanwhile, we have set up a list of needed supplies and equipment, as follows:

• Car
• Collapsable, compact grill
• Small cooler
• Car rack
• Sat phone *
• Extra Tires
• Oil
• Gas cans
• Flashlights*
• Cooking Equipment
• Cleaning supplies
• Tents
• Sleeping bags
• GPS*
• Sleeping pads
• Emergency gear
• Medicine
• Shovel/ hatchet*
• Uniforms
• Car registrations and legal documentation
• Boots*
• Road maps
• Border tolls or fees
• Water purifier
• Storage equipment
• Travel Insurance
• Spare car parts
• Gas allowance
• Food allowance
• Auto Insurance
• Visa costs
• Travel allowance
• accommodation allowance

___________________________

If you think of a corporation that might be interested in sponsoring ATC, please let us know or send them our official Sponsorship Proposal and direct them to our website.

Thanks,

Abandon the Cube

Mongol Rally Logo

Lauren and Mike landed a team in the Mongol Rally 2010! We’re in the process of picking a few team members, looking for sponsors, and planning our route. You can follow all of our progress via the blog, but we’ll also be creating a Mongol Rally page on our website soon with updates and more information.

The Mongol Rally is a charity event wherein each team (500 total) take a 1 liter car from Europe to Mongolia to donate the car to charity along with $1500 for Mercy Corps. We’re overwhelmed with glee that we get to participate in the event this year, having witnessed several teams from the 2009 rally while in Turkmenistan. It is a once-in-a-lifetime, crazy event and it’s for a good cause.

Our team, the Abandon the Cube team, is conjoined with the Not Cubists team from Yelm, Washington. We’re busy with the preliminary aspects of putting together two winning cars with one winning strategy to make it to Mongolia in our perfectly unsuitable, tiny little cars.

More information on the Mongol Rally .

To sponsor us, or if you have ideas for sponsors please send us an email at lauren (at) abandonthecube.com or mike (at) abandonthecube.com

In typical fashion, Mike and I had an impulse one afternoon and decided to see if we could go up to Mongolia to renew our visas. In China on our tourist visas we could only stay in the country for 90 days at a time, and had to vacate the country every 90 days in order to stay legal. Our legal time was running out on our current stay and we needed to exit the country fast. Usually our companies sent us to Hong Kong, which is a cheap trip with a quick turn around so we can be back in the office, exhausted or not, in less than two days.

Our impulse was to see if we could convince our companies to send us to Mongolia instead. It was a bit of a reach, but somehow– it worked! It would be slightly cheaper to go to Mongolia than Hong Kong, so we sold them on that idea. Once I had the okay from my boss I had my company secretary book our flights and called Mike. He agreed, told his boss he would be in a yurt in the north, and would try to be back Monday morning. We rushed home, threw a few shirts in a bag and headed outside. after a quick stop to buy hiking boots we were at the airport, maneuvering through security. We knew virtually nothing about Mongolia, nor did we have a guide of any sort.

The flight to Ulan Bator, the capital, was tumultuous and terrifying and I felt exhausted when the plane finally touched down on a sand-covered runway. The Genghis Khan airport had one entrance for planes and one exit for passengers, we exchanged a bit of Chinese currency for Tughriks and grabbed a cab to the city center to hunt for a hostel. Our cab driver had gold teeth and tried to swindle us for almost triple what the fare should have been. We paid a reasonable amount amid loud, crow-drawing complaints and entered a hostel.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Ulan Bator, sucking in the worst pollution imaginable and starring at broken down factories and dejected, sad looking locals. It was truly the most depressing city we have ever encountered. Vowing to get out as soon as possible we returned to the hostel, packed out bags and headed to the bus station.

-posted by Lauren.