We take a unique approach to sponsorship, whether working for the corporate side or for a sponsored property. Corporations hire us to help develop new sponsorships and to enhance existing investments, generally on a fee basis; properties retain us to develop new sponsorship programs and to then lead the process of seeking targeted, major sponsors and alliance partners. We are paid a combination of fees and revenue sharing.

While one of our primary meanings is the commonly held definition of sustainability – in the environmental sense – we also subscribe to a line of thought that all parties to a major sponsorship generally look for long-term engagement. In order for sponsorships to be sustainable from a time perspective, they need to be well designed, shrewdly negotiated and professionally activated. In order to be sustainable, sponsorships also need to serve the interests of all parties involved including the parties to the agreement and their respective constituencies. We create sponsorships that take all of this into consideration, and our track record of developing 5-, 10- and 20-year relationships illustrates the success of our approach.

This represents the big question for many who contact us. There is no one way to accurately answer – it all depends on a variety of factors. We have been highly successful at generating a wide variety of sponsorships and have also, at times, been unable to sufficiently develop sponsors for some client organizations due to a number of conditions outside of our control. We are most successful at developing sponsors when we are retained to create a custom program and then set out to pursue major sponsors in a highly targeted form. This requires a commitment in time and money by the property, which also must have a compelling offering to be taken to market.

We do not have a magic rolodex full of people just waiting for us to bring sponsorship proposals forward. However, with a well designed sponsorship offering we can access decision makers in just about any qualified major corporation. We have a wide range of relationships and a network of colleagues involved in the sponsorship business who can help make things happen for valuable and socially viable sponsorship properties.

This can be a complicated process but worthwhile if your organization is successful in its search. First, you need to clarify the value you can provide to sponsors in a manner that will help them address their business objectives. Know your audience and identify tools for connecting them to your sponsors. When you organize your offerings, and establish pricing based on comparable sponsorship packages in your market or sector, begin by approaching companies with which your organization has contacts and those that have a track record of sponsoring similar programs or events.

Of course, there are many variables in this process – that’s why we do what we do! Check out our training courses – Sponsorship 101 and Sponsorship 201. You can be assured that use of the content taught in these programs will lead to sponsorship success – assuming that the user has a legitimate and valuable sponsorship offering.

Because of its multi-layered and relationship-based approach to marketing, sponsorship can be one of the most effective communications platforms for generating new business. When effectively designed, negotiated, planned and implemented, sponsorships can be used to directly develop new accounts, drive product sales and connect to audiences in a more meaningful manner than any other form of marketing (in our humble opinion!). The key is in consciously designing the corporate sponsorship program, selecting the correct platform and properties, and knowing what to ask for in terms of benefits. Then comes implementation and making sure that all benefits are received – including those that deliver business.

Each discipline has its place in the corporate marketing mix and, in fact, can be greatly enhanced in combination. Sponsorships can be effectively leveraged and brought to life through creative use of social media, allowing more people to be aware of and to participate in a given sponsorship. But nothing replaces the personal connection provided by sponsorship or the meaning that emanates from a strong cause marketing program. Sponsorship provides corporate communications professionals with a unique platform for connecting to its intended audience in a form that cuts through the clutter and reflects the social and cultural priorities of the company.

When deployed for generating good publicity, sponsorship can be highly effective, especially if backed up by paid media and supported effectively by the sponsored property. However, sponsorship can accomplish so much more, including driving retail or web traffic, allowing for targeted product demonstrations and sampling, leveraging partnerships and bringing to life other corporate initiatives. Through the creation and use of well-designed sponsorships, employees can be engaged, volunteer programs activated and corporate cultures brought to life. By selecting and designing sponsorships the right way, companies say something about their brand that is more powerful than any other form of marketing communications.

As stated above – it’s all in the design, selection, planning and implementation. When effectively led and conducted by experienced sponsorship professionals, this work can result in the most successful and memorable marketing actions ever undertaken by a corporate communications team. Contact us and we’ll tell you more about our unique process.