Event management can be one of the most rewarding tasks that one can do. It involves teamwork, coordinating with external parties, audience control and tons of exposure to a variety of things. An important part of event management is finding a sponsor(s), which needs a very professional and welcoming touch.
Several companies see sponsorship as a preferred form of advertising where both parties can benefit. The process starts with a few important things which includes writing a formal letter to your prospective partnership firm.
The Dos and Don’ts of Seeking Sponsorship
Before writing the letter, there are a few things that you need to get cleared. Doing so helps in targeting a specific sponsor as well as a specific type of sponsorship, increasing your chances of getting it.
Find out the type of audience:
Sponsors will always look for relevancy. You won’t find a baby-care products company sponsoring for a gentleman’s event or an athletic event. So you have to be clear on who your audience is going to be. Not only that, you’ll have to figure out the strength of your audience. Sponsors love large crowds, but if you’re hosting for smaller crowds, make sure the sponsor knows that you’re seeking a very specific audience that is interested in their kind of market.
Set a diverse sponsorship program:
Keep a number of levels of sponsorship, because not all sponsors will be big and willing to dish out a lot of money. Make a detailed program of how much you’re expecting from a sponsor, then tell them about what kind of publicity they will get for specific amounts of money.
Follow-ups after the event:
It is a rookie mistake for many to ignore their sponsor after everything is done. Make sure you send them a thank-you letter, as well as affirming their value to the event. If you’ve played your cards right, they will be happy to provide sponsorship the next time you approach them. This will solidify your standing as an event organizer, making it easier for you to work with people on future projects.
Sample Letter
This letter is written to a cola company, asking them to sponsor a celebrity soccer match.
| To, The Relationships Officer, Cola Company, State, Country. Respected Sir/Madam, We are proud to offer you a wonderful opportunity to sponsor our charity celebrity soccer game to be held on (date). Some of the biggest names from the world of sports and entertainment such as (names) have been confirmed for this event. The event will be held in Los Angeles, and we have already received inquiries for tickets. The 20,000 seat stadium is expected to be full, because we fancy that not too many people would dare miss such an event! We are hosting this event for (state the objective of the event). We have been working in (relevant field of work) for quite a while, and believe that your sponsorship would help us make the event a sure-fire success. We expect a total funding of $(total), of which we hope you will be contributing a part. The more you can fund, the more we can market your name.
(We are open to negotiate any specific kind of promotion that you wish for, when you have provided with more than $XXX.) We have also attached a detailed brochure of the event. So join us by sponsoring this mega-event. We will look forward to your reply by the (date). Thanking You, |
Remember to not give all the details at first contact. If they reply, you can get them more interested for any extra points that you can offer. The premise of seeking sponsorship is to provide something in return for financial help. So being friendly while maintaining a professional attitude can make a huge difference in the kind of sponsorship you get.
