I would eventually go to work with amazing companies and for sure million dollars in sponsorship BUT When I started sponsorship, there were a lot of things I didn’t know.
I remember thinking things like “we only need one more to sponsor to reach our budget” or “what is the fastest way to get a sponsor”. they were not sustainable or renewable sponsorships and that led me to work harder every year to constantly find new sponsors.
Whether you’re learning how to get your first sponsor, how to get sponsored by more brands, how to get sponsors to renew, or how to get a sponsor to say “yes” in the first place…
There are things that I recommend knowing. The first thing I would recommend is to know and understand the values of your organization, profit or non-profit.
When thinking about being sponsored, it can be tempting to appeal to anyone who can sponsor you or your property.
– but before you do, please take a moment to ensure that this sponsorship relationship will last. Don’t be lucky with sponsorships, be smart.
First, consider your organization’s core values. Make a complete list and compare it with the values of the potential sponsor.
You can often find a brand’s values or guiding principles on its website. Once you find them, make sure they match! You know, kind of like a dating profile. You want to see some common interest, right?
For example, don’t ask a major brand (or any) of alcoholic beverages to sponsor a convention for people who want to stop drinking alcohol.
Make sense? This may seem obvious, but it gets more complicated as we learn to realize that a sponsor is primarily interested in your message AND your audience, in addition to the ROI and value they get.
Think of sponsorship like a marriage and build it to last.
Finding a company that shares a common headspace and values with you will help you reach common goals more quickly as a team. Think about the audience you attract. Is it a crowd that would be interested in your sponsor’s product or service? If not, then you have to do some more research and you can probably find a better combination.
Remember, finding the right sponsors means you can count on them supporting you year after year.
The less you have to chase money, the more you can help people and that’s really what it’s all about!
