Sponsorship Training – A Model to Get Sponsors Sooner & Common Mistakes You Should Avoid

Represent

Understanding your brand and mission is the first step to sponsorship. Effective sponsorships require that we know who we are. How can you do this?

These are two things you should keep in mind when beginning your sponsorship process.

1. What is your vision?

2. Who are you serving, or who is your target audience? (demographics).

This information can be used as a basis for your sponsorship programs. It will make it easier to work alongside brands with a similar vision.

Establish

One of the most common mistakes I see in sponsorship is people not knowing what they want to sponsor or their timelines for this sponsorship.

Establishing your sponsorship program is a time-consuming process.

This part of sponsorship is similar to creating a business plan that outlines the structure of your support. Potential brands will be more prepared and knowledgeable with the information they need. It is easier to establish your sponsorship program and get sponsorships that work for everyone.

Place it down

Peter F. Drucker is quoted saying, “Unless commitments are made, there is only promises and hope; but no plans.”

This is true for all aspects of sponsorship. Companies and organizations with plans have the best chance of being sponsored.

These are some things you can do right now to help plan for your sponsorship success.

1. You can make a list of all brands you would like to be sponsored by.

2. This list can be divided into regional, national, and global sponsors.

3. Check to see if there are any people in your network who are associated with these brands. Tip: Use social media to get started!

4. Create a list of benefits that sponsorship can provide.

Once you have decided who and what you want to be sponsored, you can begin small and work your way up.

Assess

Walt Disney once stated, “You can design, create, and build a most beautiful place in the entire world.” Making a dream come true takes people.

To make any dream come true, it takes the right team. There are two things that you need to consider when it comes to sponsorship.

1. Potential sponsors: Are they serving the same market as you? Are their messages consistent with yours? How do they structure their sponsorships? Do you align with them?

2. The Sponsorship Proposal. You want your potential sponsor also to reap the benefits of this partnership. So think about what they can gain from working with you. After you have figured out this, create a custom sponsorship proposal. Don’t use a cookie-cutter proposal.

Take stock

You must exceed the expectations of sponsors if you are to keep your promises. To do this effectively and consistently, you need to take stock of your company to identify any weaknesses. Building long-lasting relationships are possible by being consistent and providing value.

Execute

It all boils down to execution. Once you have done all the hard work and are satisfied with your results, create a plan for how to implement them all. After the program is in place, you can tweak it as necessary until you achieve the desired results. To further grow your partnership, you can also create your own sponsorship training.