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這一期，我們暫時把 Project Zero 放一放。別擔心，我們沒有放棄，而是我們想把專注力先放在這個季度一個更重的計劃上。

在這裡先透露一點消息：我們正籌備於 9 月底主辦一場為期兩天的籃球技術訓練營。這將會是一場與眾不同的訓練營，我們透過松井教練的協助，邀請到一位在日本籃球圈頗具名氣的技術教練來馬來西亞授課，敬請期待。

回到書本：一個讓我思考的章節

過去這一週，我抽空繼續閱讀日本 B 聯盟主席島田慎二所寫的書——《最強的職業球團經營聖經》。
其中第二章的一節〈讓決策者點頭答應的三個關鍵〉，讓我印象特別深刻。

他談到：為什麼我們在爭取贊助時，往往會失敗？

答案其實很簡單，也很殘酷：不是你不夠努力，而是對方沒感受到信任。

章節摘要

島田說得很直白：提案失敗，通常不是因為內容不夠好，而是因為「信任感沒建立起來」。

他分享了三個重要的轉念角度，對於經營球隊與尋找贊助商來說，都是長期成功的關鍵。

你可能有理念、有熱情、有故事，但若沒有建立「人與人之間的信任」，合作永遠停留在紙上談兵。

核心觀點整理

— 你推銷的不是提案，而是你這個人。

企業老闆不是在評估球隊，而是在評估「你這個人值不值得信任」。如果他們感覺到「你只是對我們例行公事」，那就沒戲了。所以，不管是你是球團領導層還是業務人員，都必須讓對方感受到，你是用一對一的方式在對待這段關係。

— 快速回覆能贏得信任。

比起完美的內容，快速的回應更重要。

不管是簡訊、電話、Email，回得快，信任感就會升高。即使還沒有答案，也可以先說：「我會在某某日回覆您，這段時間我們正進行哪些準備。」

這是最基本卻最常被忽略的銷售原則。不是效率的問題，是你重不重視對方的問題。

— 搞清楚對方要的是什麼。

這一點，也是一切的關鍵：搞清楚，對方到底是「為什麼」想聽你提案。

品牌曝光？社會影響力？員工參與？每一次點頭背後都有原因。你要做的，是盡快找出那個「為什麼」。

你要能察言觀色，從聊天中感受到對方的想法、個性、價值觀。然後說出對方心裡早就在想，但自己沒說出口的話。這時，交易就會發生。

還有兩個同樣重要的原則

或許做業務或銷售的朋友會覺得，這些其實都是銷售的基本功，不過在島田看來，能確實做到這三點的人，真的不多。

他還認為，在做到以上三點之外，還有兩個同樣重要的原則：

— 不只贏得老闆，更要贏得整家公司。​
談成合作後，重點不是只有「老闆點頭」。
你還要讓企業員工也成為球隊的支持者。

例如：

• 安排球員參加企業活動
• 球團主管主動與員工互動
• 客製化設計讓員工參與的小福利

只要員工越喜歡你們，這家公司就越不會中斷贊助。

— 「防守」同樣重要。

很多球隊在成長階段會不斷開發新贊助商，但這反而可能是風險。因為你如果忽略既有贊助商，很快就會被地區社會反噬。

不要只顧著找新贊助商，也要守住老夥伴。長期合作，才是可持續經營的關鍵。

我的反思

看了這一節內容，其實我自己也有蠻大感觸的。

最近在籌備前面提到的技術訓練營時，也嘗試去找贊助商和合作夥伴，很幸運的，幾位朋友一聽到這個計劃就二話不說用行動支持，在此先跟他們說聲謝謝，非常感激你們對我的信任。

但這個過程中也遇到了一些挫折，我嘗試聯繫一家新的飲料公司，希望他們能為訓練營學員、教練與工作人員提供飲料。

我透過朋友拿到這家公司老闆的聯絡號碼，當我把理念透過簡訊傳給對方時，他叫我聯絡市場部負責人，後者也回覆：「一天大約需要多少罐飲料？」

我報了數字，然後……就沒有然後了。

現在回想起來，或許我沒做到島田所說的三個關鍵中的兩個：

• 第一，對方根本不認識我，我也沒建立信任。
• 第二，我只表達了「我想要什麼」，卻沒搞清楚「對方為什麼要支持這個活動」。

那次經驗讓我深刻體會到：提案失敗，往往不是因為理念不好，而是信任沒建立起來；不是因為沒內容，而是沒對話。

結語

透過島田慎二的分享，加上自己的失敗經驗，我終於意識到：
​贊助，不只是提案技巧，更是關係經營。

真正重要的，是你能不能快速、真誠地建立信任。

無論你是在經營球隊、打造品牌，或是想推動任何一個想法，這都是一項必修的能力。

而未來當我們再次回到 Project Zero 的路上，要讓更多人願意相信我們、支持我們，這些原則，都會是一塊一塊鋪好的地磚。

感謝你抽空閱讀，希望你也喜歡這一期的內容。如有任何回饋，或者你對贊助訓練營感興趣，歡迎直接回信給我。

— Jordan

延伸閱讀

這是我寫的第四篇閱讀筆記。如果你想重溫前面三篇內容，這裡有快速連結：

• ​閱讀筆記 #3 — 如果你沒故事，再多資源也沒用​
• ​閱讀筆記 #2 — 經營球隊，從一個信念開始​
• ​閱讀筆記 #1 — 瀕臨倒閉到票房長紅：千葉噴射機「鹹魚翻生」的秘密​

🇬🇧 ENGLISH VERSION

Reading note #4 — How to Get the Decision Maker to Say “Yes”

We’re pressing pause on Project Zero — Not because we’re giving up, but because something even more urgent and meaningful is taking shape this quarter.

Here’s a small teaser:

At the end of September, we’re planning to host a 2-day basketball skill training camp — led by a well-known skills development coach from Japan, invited through Coach Matsui.

It’ll be unlike anything we’ve done before. Stay tuned.

Back to the Book

Over the past week, I continued reading Best Text of Sports Club Management, written by Japan B.League Chairman Shinji Shimada.

One section in Chapter 2 caught my eye:

“Three Keys to Getting the Decision Maker to Say Yes.”

It made me pause and reflect — not just as a reader, but as someone actively trying to build partnerships right now.

The Core Idea

Shimada puts it bluntly:

He lays out 3 key mindset shifts that every club, manager, or entrepreneur needs to internalize.

Even if you have the best philosophy, the strongest story, and real passion — if you can’t build trust as a person, your deck means nothing.

The 3 Keys to Getting a “Yes”

— You’re not pitching a proposal, you’re pitching yourself.

The sponsor isn’t evaluating your club.

They’re evaluating you — your energy, your intent, your sincerity.

If you treat the meeting like a routine pitch, they’ll feel it and walk away.

— Fast replies build trust faster than perfect decks.

The most underrated principle in sponsorship sales.

It’s not about being efficient — it’s about showing you care.

Even if you don’t have the answer, a quick reply like “I’ll get back to you by Thursday, and here’s what we’re working on” makes all the difference.

— Know what the sponsor actually wants.

Brand visibility? Social impact? Employee morale?

There’s always a deeper “why” behind a sponsorship.

Your job is to feel it, ask the right questions, and speak to what they haven’t yet said out loud.

Two More Underrated Rules

For those in sales or business development, these may sound like basic fundamentals. But from Shimada’s perspective, very few people truly execute all three points well.

Beyond the three core elements, he believes there are two more principles that are just as important:

— Don’t just win over the CEO, win the whole company.

Getting the CEO’s approval is just the beginning.

The goal is to make the company’s employees genuine supporters of the team as well.

For example:

• Arrange for players to join company events
• Have club executives proactively engage with staff
• Offer small, customized perks that employees can enjoy

The more employees love your team, the less likely the company is to cut sponsorship.

— Playing “defense” matters too.

Many teams in growth mode focus heavily on acquiring new sponsors. But ironically, that’s also risky.

If you neglect your existing sponsors, you’ll quickly lose trust in the local community.

Don’t just chase new partners — protect your long-time allies too.

Long-term partnerships are the foundation of sustainable club management.

A Personal Reflection

This chapter hit home harder than I expected — because I just lived through one of its lessons.

While organizing the upcoming skills camp, I’ve been looking for sponsors and partners.

Thankfully, a few friends responded right away — no questions asked — and supported the idea. I’m incredibly grateful for their trust.

But not every attempt went smoothly.

I reached out to a beverage brand, hoping they could supply drinks for our players, coaches, and staff during the camp.

I shared the camp’s concept via text, and the marketing rep asked:

I replied with a number.

Then… silence.

No reply. No follow-up. Just a quiet fade.

Looking back now, I realized something painful:

I didn’t build trust.

I didn’t understand what they wanted.

I simply told them what I needed.

That’s exactly what Shimada warns us about.

Closing Thoughts

Sponsorship isn’t about selling ad space.

It’s about building human trust — quickly, sincerely, and intentionally.

Whether you’re running a club, building a brand, or launching something new, this is a skill worth practicing.

As Project Zero moves forward, we’ll need more sponsors, more partners, and more believers. And when that time comes, I want to show up not with a perfect pitch — but with real presence.

Thanks for reading.

If you have any feedback, or if you're interested in sponsoring the training camp, feel free to reach out to me.

— Jordan

Missed the previous issues?

Here are the first 3 reading notes in this series:

• ​Reading Notes #3 — If You Don’t Have a Story, Even Resources Won’t Save You​
• ​Reading Notes #2 — Managing a Club Starts with a Single Belief​
• ​Reading Notes #1 — From Bankruptcy to Sellout Crowds: The Chiba Jets Turnaround​