Sponsorship Training -The Model to Get Sponsors

Sponsorship Training — Is it all the same?

Personally, I say no. I base my sponsorship training off the RELATE model I created, which teaches how to get sponsors by building effective and sustainable sponsorship relationships.

Here are the 5 Steps of the RELATE Sponsorship Training Model…

Represent

Sponsorship all starts with knowing who you are as a company or brand, and what your mission and values are. In order to have effective sponsorships we must who we represent. How do you do this? Here are two things to have in mind when starting your sponsorship process

1. What is your vision and mission statement?

2. Who do you serve or who is your target market? (demographics)

When you know this information as a foundation to your sponsorship programs it makes it easier to work with brands that share a similar vision and will compliment your company rather than turn it into something it’s not.

Establish

A common mistake I see in sponsorship is that people don’t know what they what to have sponsored or what their timelines are for that sponsorship.

When establishing your sponsorship program, determine what you want to have sponsored, and plan out appropriate timelines.

Compare this part of the sponsorship process to creating a business plan for what your sponsorship will look like. That way, when you reach out potential brands you are well prepared and informed with the information you need to get the meeting and create win/win sponsorships.

Lay it Down

Peter F. Drucker is quoted as saying “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.”

This is true in every aspect of sponsorship. Those organization and companies with plans are the ones that are seeing the most success in getting sponsored.

Here are a couple things you can do today to start to plan for your own sponsorship success:

1. Make a list of every brand you want to get sponsored by, anyone and everyone.

2. Divide that list into local, regional, National, and global sponsors.

3. See if you have anyone affiliated with those brands within your network. Hint: Social media is a great place to start!

4. Make a list of sponsorship benefits you can offer.

Once you know who you want to be sponsored by and what you want them to sponsor, you can start small and work your way towards it.

Assess

Walt Disney once said “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

It takes the right team to make any dream a reality. When it comes to sponsorship, there are two (but not all) of the things you should assess about your sponsorship.

1. Potential sponsors: Do they serve the same market? Is their brand message congruent with yours? What are their sponsorship timelines and do you fit within them?

2. The Sponsorship Proposal: You’ll want your potential sponsor to benefit from this partnership as well, so think about how they will benefit from working with you. Once you’ve figured this out, create a customized sponsorship proposal. Leave the cookie cutter proposal at home.

Take Stock

As I’ve mentioned in other blogs and in my book, Relationships Raise Money: A Guide to Corporate Sponsorship, you want to over-deliver on promises to the brands that sponsor you. One of the ways to effectively and consistently do this is taking stock of your business to determine any weak spots you can improve on. Consistency and value is one of the keys to building long-lasting relationships with corporate sponsors.

Execute

Ultimately, it all comes down to execution and implementation. If you’ve made it this far and done the work, set a plan to implement it all! Once it is implemented, fine tune as needed until you get the results you’re looking for! Afterwards you can create your own sponsorship training to grow your partnerships even more. 

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