I know what you’re thinking: “Why do I need tips to grow my network? I love cold calling!” I’ve heard it thousands of times, sponsorship professionals and fundraisers want to spend all of their time cold calling giant companies and asking them for silent auction items or a CSR grant. Well, I hate bursting bubbles but there are better ways to sell sponsorship than the cold call.
Because it rarely happens that we receive a sponsorship investment without submitting a sponsorship proposal it is too easy to assume that the sponsorship proposal causes the sponsorship dollars. This belief pervades all aspects of sponsorship sales but actually the sponsorship proposal is not where we should be putting our efforts.
When you discover that a sponsorship prospect is clear across the world from you, you might feel disinclined to pursue them further. You’re worried about regional differences that could rear their ugly head, not to mention the annoyance of different time zones. Well, I’m here to tell you that geography does not have to be a major stumbling block when it comes to prospecting and obtaining sponsorship clients. I’ve done it personally and I have clients who do it and I can tell you, it’s absolutely possible! This post will be helpful to those who sell sponsorship in geographies outside of their head office location or aspire to soon begin doing so. Tips for Obtaining Sponsors Regardless of Location Sharpen Your Value Proposition What do you bring to the table? In other words, why should an international sponsor take a bet on you? Remember, it’s enough of a risk for a local sponsor within the same country as you to take a chance on you when you’re green and unproven. There is substantially more risk when seeking international sponsors regarding time, reputation, and money. That’s why your value proposition must be as sharp as a rock and as clear as […]
This week I’ve invited my friend and networking genius Paul Nazareth to share some networking strategies with you! Paul has worked on both sides of the table, for sponsorship seekers and corporate grant makers, and knows what he is talking about.
I was inspired to write this series focused on fundraising event sponsorship after working on an incredibly successful gala last week. It was my organization’s fourteenth annual event and saw double-digit sponsorship revenue growth for the second year in a row.