The rules of dating have changed a lot over the years, but one constant remains. Sooner or later, you gotta make an ask. Personally, I’m a little old school; I think the only way to ask someone out on a first date is in person. But that is neither here nor there. However you do it, you’ve got to ask at some point. And so it is with sponsorships.
Before you dive in, if you are involved with a charity or a non profit looking for sponsorship, check out these titles in our “sponsorship for causes” series: Cause Marketing versus Corporate Sponsorship Sponsorship Cause Marketing Common Mistakes Definitive Guide to the Sponsorship Proposal The Biggest Problem with Sponsorship and How You Can Fix It Three Things Missing From Every Sponsorship Package Corporate Social Responsibility a Users Guide for Nonprofits How to Start a Sponsorship Program for Your Nonprofit Things Sponsors Say: “We Don’t do Sponsorship” What I Wish I Knew at the Beginning of My Sponsorship Career Cause sponsorship is what we call it when charities, not-for-profits and associations engage in sponsorship (hospitals and education are covered under cause sponsorship, too). We work with tons of causes on their sponsorship programs and have noticed some themes come up repeatedly. Let’s talk about the three most common (perceived) barriers to good cause sponsorship: