It takes a lot of time and effort to plan an event. Organizing an event takes skill, preparation, teamwork, and, above all, funding. High-quality events often attract brilliant thinkers and influencers. Event sponsors add value to the event by helping raise money for it or sharing the event’s mission.
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When an organization pays part of the cost of a conference, website, or event in exchange for promotional benefits, it’s called sponsoring. A sponsor can be a person, company, nonprofit organization, or other entity that financially contributes to the event’s success.
If you run a foundation, nonprofit organization, charity or similar, and you need sponsorship for an event, then you must pay attention to the way you present the reasons why you need that sponsorship. In order to be more convincing and professional in your intention, it would be a good idea to use an easily customizable sponsorship proposal template that will clearly and precisely present the needs and reasons for requesting sponsorship from potential sponsors.
In this article, we’ve outlined the most important factors to consider before creating a successful sponsorship proposal for your event.
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Contact a possible sponsor
When writing a sponsorship proposal, it’s a good idea to contact the potential sponsoring organization before writing a word. Learning more about them, their organization, and their goals will help you write a more effective proposal.
While it’s in your best interest to talk business, you don’t want to come on too strong. Instead of talking about how your organization can partner with the company, ask them whether they have any previous experience with sponsoring.
Pay attention to the size of the company
When it comes to sponsoring an event, smaller companies and larger corporations often have different priorities. Small company sponsors typically make the process easier by deciding quickly.
When working with bigger companies, you might have to follow a certain hierarchy for approval. The time it will take for the approval depends on the number of people involved and can vary from a few days to a couple of weeks.
Photo: Pexels
Create a description for the event
In the first section of your sponsorship proposal, introduce your event thoroughly, so that the prospect understands clearly why it’s an investment worth making. Light shed on the event’s purpose increases the chances of securing sponsorship.
A good way to appeal to potential sponsors is to show how your event will benefit them. For example, if you are organizing an event related to technology, you can contact tech companies and offer to advertise their products at the event.
Make a profile of your target audience
In order to attract the attention of a potential sponsor, you’ll need to learn more about their target audience and then compare them to the target audience for your event.
When you have that information, share it with your sponsors. Tell them who they are and what they do, and explain why they attend the event and what they look forward to while they’re there.
Propose different levels of sponsorship
To help potential sponsors understand sponsorship’s value, use various information to explain what the sponsorship entails. Also include details about what your organization can offer in exchange for the sponsor’s funding support, depending on the contribution they make.
When you’re creating a sponsorship plan, step two is to determine exactly what each level offers. For example, you might offer booth space at the conference or simple mentions on social media. You can also use levels of sponsorship to determine how many tickets will go to each sponsor, maybe the highest level sponsors get four tickets, while the lower levels only get two tickets.
Send them the sponsorship proposal
Now that you’ve conducted thorough research and have already begun reaching out to potential sponsors, it is finally time to learn how much (or how little) they are willing to contribute to your event.
Lastly, once you’ve gathered all of the necessary information regarding the sponsor’s requirements and what you can provide them in exchange, it’s time to send them your business proposal. This will make it easier for them to understand what is expected of them and to determine whether or not they wish to participate.
Final words
Event sponsorships are mutually beneficial. For hosts, they provide a way to generate revenue without having to pass the cost on to attendees. Sponsors gain exposure and an opportunity to sell their products or services.
If you plan to get sponsorship for your event, expect a long process of sending proposals, negotiating on details, and being prepared not to get a lot in return.