Are you struggling to find sponsors for your events? Key partnerships can boost your ability to manage and promote your event, but securing them isn’t always easy. Whether you’re looking to grow your exposure or just increase your bottom line, a stellar lineup of sponsors can make planning easier and add value for your attendees.
Securing a great lineup of sponsors starts with you! Your pitch needs to stand out from others but also needs to be accessible, easy to understand, and captivating for each sponsor you approach. Here are just a few things you can do to help perfect your pitch:
- Choose Your Format Wisely
If someone were approaching you with a packet of material to read through, how would you want to receive it? Gone are the days of Word Docs, PDFs, and PowerPoints. To truly stand out, consider creating a digital pitch or press deck that you can link to online. This empowers your sponsors to access your pitch from any device they’d like and easily share it with members of their own team. - Simplify
Nobody wants to read a novel when all they need are bullet points. If your pitch is too long or has too many pages, sponsors may pass on you without actually digging into your materials because they simply don’t want to mull over 30+ pages of information. When writing your introduction and pitch, keep it short and to the point. Remember, your goal is to engage sponsors so you can foster a dialogue, not to deliver an all-encompassing presentation about your event. Also, make sure you’re upfront about why you’re contacting them- don’t bury the lead 3 pages in. - Do Some Research First
Before sending out any materials, you’ll need to do some due diligence on each potential sponsor. You should have a decent understanding of their business practices and brand, and should identify the correct point of contact for each organization. Make sure you also customize your materials for each business. If they receive a generic proposal addressed to “To Whom It May Concern” or “[ENTER NAME HERE]”, it will immediately come across as impersonal. - Highlight Long Term Value
Most sponsorship pitches focus on short term value, but if you can identify extra opportunities to create long-term value for their business, make sure you let them know. Creating a sponsorship opportunity that lasts long after your event has ended can be the proverbial cherry on top for potential sponsors. - Share Data About Attendees
The more data you have about your event attendees, the easier it will be to sell your event to potential sponsors. Valuable information such as demographic data, anticipated and past attendance numbers, and related interests of your target demographic are all valuable items to include.PROTIP: Adding PeopleCounter to the mobile charging stations at your event can capture valuable metrics like age, emotion, gender, and flow of event attendees in real time.
- Make It Flashy, But Not Too Flashy
Your pitch needs to be eye-catching but still include concise, valuable information. Spending ample time on the design elements of your pitch can add a touch of professionalism and show that you’re truly invested in the event’s success. If you don’t have a graphic designer on your event team, consider finding someone to help overhaul your pitch deck. Its also a great idea to invest in an event photographer for at least one of your events. Having high quality, professional photos you can use in future presentations never hurts and, once again, adds another level of professionalism. - Find Tools To Make Your Life Easier
As you start sending out your proposals, you’ll want to keep tabs on who’s already been contacted, who’s actually read your pitch, and who’s ready for a follow up. Event planners tend to do this manually or track everything in a single spreadsheet. If you want to take a lot of the guesswork out of your sponsorship pitches, try using a tool that tracks the progress of each pitch individually such as Sponseasy. Finding tools that help track your sponsorship pitches will allow you to focus on the connections you’re creating with potential sponsors.
