Category Archives: Partnership Marketing

One of the biggest mistakes we make in recognizing sponsors is that we don’t thank companies in ways that the audience understands the value that the partnership has brought to the sponsored program or event. To illustrate this, how many times have you ever seen a web page full of sponsor logos or listened to the MC say “I want to thank the following sponsors blah, blah, blah”. What does this approach really do to create a stronger link between the audience and the sponsor?

Sponsors invest in your organization or event because they want to build relationships with your audiences. They know that if they can connect in authentic ways, [...]

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We often get asked a lot what goes into an effective sponsorship proposal. The short answer is that an effective proposal presents a vision that a prospect sees themselves a part of, and a logical conclusion as to how the sponsorship is going to eliminate some level of “pain”, whether it be marketing, community relations, building employee morale, etc.

In my view, the two most important elements of presenting an effective proposal are:

  • Understanding the “pain” or issue you want to address
  • Presenting your case in a manner that the reader finds logical and compelling

The reality is that if you don’t understand your prospect’s specific marketing challenge or pain, the odds of you [...]

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One of the biggest weaknesses I see in organizations recruiting sponsors is their ability to effectively present the opportunity in a way that the prospect views the presentation as a strategic discussion rather than a “sales” pitch. Here are some simple rules to get you started on the right track:

  1. It’s not about you – it’s about them. You may have the best sponsorship opportunity in the world, but if you can’t make it relevant to the personal needs of the prospect and his/her organization, you won’t grab their interest or their dollars. Experienced salespeople, at least initially, spend 80% of their time listening and 20% talking. The fact is the [...]
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