Sponsors

The support of sponsors and partners is key to a successful event.  An event is an incredible opportunity to get their product, company, and brand in front of an audience of young, active professionals. Having options from website exposure to on site signage and tent space, always looking for partners at both local and national levels. 

Events provide ample opportunities to sample, promote, and increase awareness of their business and brand to your competitors, spectators, and newsletter recipients.

What do companies look for:

1. Social Media Coverage: Does the event have a website, facebook page, will it be on Twitter, Instagram, etc? Companies view this as extremely important as this is free advertising that reaches out to a huge amount of contacts. They want to sponsor an event that is social media savvy, especially if they aren’t physically attending. If the company is providing products, they want exposure! 

2. Cross Branding:  Where there is one good brand, there are others.  Companies like to put themselves in the company of brands that are well known in our community.  This also includes the sponsored athletes that may be at your event, the location, media coverage, and other brands.  Companies prefer to not be next to competitive brands (2 energy drink booths or similar supplement products next to each other is not going to work).  Remember they want to benefit from your event.

3.  Cost: What is your event going to cost the sponsor? Companies need to know how they will benefit as in a business marketing point of view.  Is it worth it for them to just send prizes, pay for a booth, or become a monetary sponsor? Have options for everything to be considered as an event they wish to sponsor. 

Considering all of that now what? Write a formal letter to the company, outlining all of the above. Give all the details of your event, capitalizing on number of athletes and spectators you expect. 

Letter to Sponsors:

Give all details of event: Date, Location, Websites, etc

Explain how they will benefit from exposure at your event

Outline price options for their consideration

Delve into why you want to create a mutually benefitting partnership

Send letter at least 6 months out and schedule reminders for follow ups