Sponsorship success isn’t about sending generic packages or plastering logos on banners. The real results come from asking the right questions, understanding a sponsor’s goals, and crafting opportunities that genuinely connect with their audience.
Over the years, I’ve met with thousands of sponsors — directly, through my consulting team, and through client meetings. Through this experience, I’ve discovered 10 questions that consistently open doors, build trust, and lead to meaningful sponsorships.
Here’s how you can use these questions to elevate your sponsorship strategy.
1. Who is your target audience?
Understanding your sponsor’s audience is the foundation of every successful sponsorship. Ask this question first to demonstrate that you care about connecting the sponsor with the right people, not just selling them logo placements.
Why it matters: – Aligns sponsorship opportunities with audience demographics – Helps tailor activations that resonate with potential customers – Signals to the sponsor that you understand their marketing priorities
Pro Tip: Record the audience details and integrate them into your proposal to show a deep understanding of their needs.
2. What does your target market value?
Once you know the audience, the next step is to understand their interests, psychographics, and purchasing motivations.
Key insights to uncover: – What motivates the audience to take action – Interests, lifestyle preferences, and brand loyalty – Pain points or gaps your sponsor’s offerings can solve
Custom sponsorships that reflect what the audience values stand out from generic packages, which often fail to generate meaningful engagement.
3. What are your sales goals for the coming year?
Sponsorship isn’t just about visibility — it’s about impacting business outcomes. Understanding a sponsor’s sales goals allows you to align your sponsorship activations with measurable results.
Questions to ask: – What products or services are a priority this year? – How do you track conversions or leads from campaigns? – What ROI would make this sponsorship a success?
4. Can you tell me about your latest marketing and sales campaigns?
Instead of diving straight into sponsorship, broaden the conversation to marketing and sales campaigns. Ask about past successes and failures to identify where your sponsorship can fill gaps.
Benefits: – Understand sponsor priorities and spending habits – Spot areas where your sponsorship can outperform traditional marketing channels – Position your opportunity as a cost-effective, high-impact solution
5. How do you normally engage in sponsorship?
Some sponsors treat sponsorship as a side activity, while others integrate it into their marketing strategy. By asking this question, you can:
- Identify gaps in how sponsorship is currently executed
- Educate sponsors on treating sponsorship like marketing
- Introduce case studies that demonstrate measurable ROI
Pro Tip: Follow up with, “Why do you treat sponsorship differently than marketing?” — this often opens the door for meaningful conversations.
6. What are the most important elements of a sponsorship package?
Every sponsor has preferences, but asking why those elements matter allows you to design packages that truly drive results.
Common focus areas: – Logo placement (ask how this contributes to business goals) – Customized activations – Community engagement opportunities
Tip: Drill down on every answer. Two or three follow-up questions often reveal the sponsor’s true priorities.
7. How do you measure success?
Sponsors who don’t measure outcomes may undervalue your work. By understanding how they define success, you can:
- Position sponsorship as a measurable, strategic marketing tool
- Deliver reports that highlight real ROI
- Suggest improvements for future activations
8. Can you tell me about your most and least successful sponsorships?
Learning from the past ensures future sponsorships are better aligned. Ask about:
- Why a sponsorship succeeded
- Why a sponsorship underperformed
- What they wish had been done differently
This insight helps you design programs that outperform previous efforts.
9. What’s your budget?
Many sponsorship professionals avoid the budget conversation, but asking early prevents:
- Proposals that are too low and leave money on the table
- Proposals that are too high and risk rejection
How to ask: – “Can you give me a range for sponsorship outcomes you’re hoping to achieve?” – “What’s your typical budget for marketing campaigns like this?”
10. When should we meet to discuss a proposal?
The final question ensures the sponsorship process keeps moving forward. Book a meeting from the meeting, don’t just leave a proposal with the sponsor.
Tips for success: – Present 2–3 options within their budget range – Focus on outcomes rather than deliverables – Confirm a date and time to review the proposal together
Key Takeaways for Successful Sponsorships
Sponsorship isn’t about leaving proposals on a desk — it’s about building relationships, understanding your sponsors’ goals, and creating measurable results.
Remember: – Ask the right questions in the right order – Drill down to uncover real priorities – Align sponsorship opportunities with business outcomes – Book the next meeting before leaving
By implementing these 10 questions in your meetings, you’ll secure higher-value sponsorships, build stronger partnerships, and deliver measurable ROI.
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Chris Baylis is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Sponsorship Collective.
After spending several years in the field as a sponsorship professional and consultant, Chris now spends his time working with clients to help them understand their audiences, build activations that sponsors want, apply market values to their assets and build strategies that drive sales.
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