The 4-Step Guide to Finding a Sponsor for Your Organization

Have a business idea, a start-up organization or perhaps an event you're planning? You might be wondering, how do sponsorships work? so that you can find some support for whatever it is that you're cooking up. 

But perhaps you're looking for a sponsor for your organization, but you're not even exactly sure what a sponsor is, all the ways in which a sponsor can benefit your organization and how you land a sponsor for your organization.

Here's everything you need to know about sponsorship, the perks of sponsorship and how to find sponsorship.

What is a sponsorship?

Sponsorship is a simple concept. A sponsor is, boiled down, just an advertiser (usually a company) that chooses to usually financially support a business, an organization, an event or an individual in exchange for promoting the advertiser's products and/or services. So a sponsorship is essentially an agreement between two parties that exchange benefits — one monetary and the other with regards to exposure and image.

But the difference between a sponsor and an advertiser is key. Sponsorship is more than advertising; rather it's "advertising that seeks to establish a deeper association and integration between an advertiser and a publisher, often involving coordinated beyond-the-banner placements," according to Marketing Terms.

"Sponsorships attempt to deliver more than a 'drive by' impression," according to Marketing Terms. "Whereas much online activity is geared towards direct marketing, sponsorships add the element of brand marketing. Metrics such as CTR may be balanced with brand association, as sponsors seek to tap into the publisher’s goodwill and establish credibility in their target market."

Larry Weil, the Sponsorship Guy puts it this way:

"Most people think of sports sponsorships like McDonald’s and the U.S. Olympic team, or Bud Light and the NFL. There are many easy examples to see in sports and so it is a good place to start, but it really has grown to include, causes, not for profits, non-sporting events, associations, municipalities, airports and all kinds of social media. My formal shot at a definition is: Sponsorship is a form of affinity marketing that provides certain rights and benefits to the buyer or 'sponsor.' It is usually in conjunction with a property, venue, personality, or event. Most often the sponsors may use the images and logo of the partner and call themselves an official sponsor of the property. Sponsorship is particularly effective when the sponsor and the property have similar goals, values and vision. Properly activated this affiliation casts a 'halo' or conveys certain characteristics to the sponsor as a result of the strong recognition or fan base of the property.

"Sponsorship is much more than an outfield sign at a baseball park or a logo on a racecar. Sponsorship provides, business access, connections, hospitality, affinity, audience access, data, and helps to shape public perception in a way that can be hard to achieve using your own marketing and branding efforts alone. Sponsors and properties working together can create a broader reach and shared objectives, multiplying the resources they have and leveraging the combined power of the relationship.

"Sponsorship is much more than advertising. Well-conceived sponsorships include an investment in activation. Activation is a term that is used to describe the specific ways in which the sponsored properties assets will be utilized. This could include, physical space and interaction with fans or followers, direct contact via email or direct mail, special features and offers to brand customers, hospitality, entertainment and many other forms of engagement."

What he means is that sponsorships may vary widely. Often, organizations and events have sponsors as a primary form of financial support. Companies like Mountain Dew, M&Ms, Tostitos, The Sports Network, Monster Cable, Marmot and Heinz, for examples, sponsor the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Airbnb, United Airlines, Chase, ABC7, Wells Fargo, Tiffany & Co., Lfyt, the NBA, Deloitte, Metlife, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Uber and more all sponsor the New York Gay Pride Parade.

The aforementioned examples may summon thoughts of giant billboards plastered with brand names, but most sponsorships go beyond that. Many, for example, have rotating advertisements through a variety of mediums, from billboards to sponsored magazine articles and website posts, apparel branding, fixed ad placements and banners, advertorials, co-branded content and more.

How can sponsorships help your organization?

Sponsorships can help a business, organization, event or individual because they provide financial support to get them off the ground running. In return, the business, organization, event or individual can offer an exchange like exposure. For example, while a car company like Mercedes might pay a website to publish a "sponsored post" about their new car (or at least an organic piece that somehow ties in the new car), that magazine is doing Mercedes a service, as well, by giving Mercedes exposure to the magazine's audience.

Typically, sponsors work with organizations that align well with their own missions and values. This way, the sponsorship seems more seamless and benefits everyone better.

How do you get a company to sponsor you?

1. Really know your own platform.

"In my experience, the real key to success with sponsorship is finding the insights that connect consumers and businesses. The time, the place, the feeling that connects them and creates preference, recognition, learning and buying. When it works we all get it. Sometimes we don’t get it because we aren’t the target. Other times it is off the mark. It is like making a delicious meal, most people can tell if it looks nice and tastes good. But, making the recipe, knowing the ingredients and the proper preparation is something that takes experience and a willingness to develop the insights that separate your deal from the crowd."

2. Offer unique value to potential sponsors.

3. Write a compelling proposal.

4. Follow up with potential leads.

Sponsorships can significantly impact the success of organizations by providing not only financial support but also credibility through the backing of a bigger name. While finding a sponsor may not prove to be a necessarily easy feat, it is doable if you approach potential sponsors the right way. Follow these steps, and you'll find support and, ultimately, success in no time. 

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