It can feel awkward asking a business to sponsor your event — or it can just be a challenge to find a business you feel confident approaching. But it’s crucial that you give yourself and your events the best chance to attract the right sponsors. Find out how to deliver the value your sponsors are searching for!
The Proposition
Your selling proposition should be unique and concise. It should outline your event’s mission or cause, what you offer that is of value to sponsors, what sets your event apart, what defines your event’s audience, and how the sponsor will benefit. Make sure this isn’t more than a few sentences!
Be Personal
The sponsor will be able to tell if you’re sending them the same email you just sent to 10 other companies, and it’ll cause any interest to fade away. Make your email personal, and explain why you chose to reach out to them specifically.
Be Honest
Don’t overhype your event or the audience you’re expecting. Your sponsor wants to connect with the target audience, and if you’re hoping to attract and retain partnerships, you need to be honest about what your event will look like. Send out a quick questionnaire to attendees after they register to learn about their industry and influence.
Get Marketing
Be transparent about your marketing efforts too; the last thing sponsors want to do is get attached to an event with no support. Talk about your advertising and marketing campaigns, and attach a dollar amount to every item. Convince the sponsor of your value.
Investigate Yourself
The first thing a potential sponsor is going to do is verify your legitimacy via Google. If your website is outdated, filled with broken links, or headlined with your old logo, they won’t be proud to align their brand with yours, and you can say goodbye to that sponsor. Spend time on your site and social media to guarantee that you deliver a polished, professional first impression.
Don’t Do It
You might have read the above paragraph and thought, “I’ll just call them instead of emailing them; that way I have some extra time to do finalize my site.” Don’t do that! Sponsors prefer the first contact to be via email or social media so they have time to vet you and conduct appropriate research before making a decision.
“What Can You Offer Me?”
You want to make sure they understand that you care about supporting their key objectives and giving them what they need to be successful. Highlight what you offer that’s valuable to them. Do you have speaking opportunities, opportunities for logo placements, social media mentions, or any type of VIP passes? Customize each sponsorship to the sponsor’s needs, and be flexible.
Getting sponsors for Orlando event planning doesn’t have to be a terrifying challenge. With these steps, you’ll be on your way to effective partnerships in no time! Talk to Fun Planners about how we can help you plan every aspect of your next event so you can wow your sponsors. Contact us today at 407-955-4949.
