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Sponsorship proposal – Take 2

A while ago I published my first sponsorship proposal and detailed some of the elements that worked and some that didn’t.

To recap, here’s a list of the areas that needed attention before approaching potential sponsors with an updated proposal:

Make sure to build rapport with the sponsor before sending the proposal
The proposal must address the sponsor’s marketing objectives, measures of success and ultimately the return on investment
Research, research, research. The more you know about the sponsor and their market the more successful you’ll be
Focus on the sponsor – what’s in it for them (not what’s in it for you)
Keep your sponsorship proposal succinct and to the point
Don’t include too many options as you run the risk of confusing the sponsor

So I’ve created a new sponsorship proposal based on what I’ve learnt previously. The aim is to address the issues above and provide a framework for future proposal development.

Unique insights to help you get sponsored – Part 1

Today it’s my pleasure to introduce Frank Pudarich, owner of bespoke automotive marketing company Octane Garage.

Frank has a long history in the automotive industry, from managing Frank’s Paint and Panel, a hugely successful business which specialised in custom car restorations to consulting with Turtle Wax to build their brand in Australia. While working at Frank’s Paint and Panel, Frank graduated from university with a marketing degree and is also a licensed tradesman.

One of Frank’s roles as a marketing consultant is to review sponsorship proposals and determine how they could work with a businesses marketing programs. Having also been on the other side of the table, preparing sponsorship proposals for his own businesses, Frank is uniquely positioned to give us some great insights into the sponsorship process.

What’s the one thing sponsorship seekers have too little of (apart from money)?

It’s not passion and it’s not motivation.

It’s time; time to find and research sponsors, time to prepare sponsorship proposals and time to create unique marketing opportunities.

As a sponsorship seeker you can spend a heap of time finding and researching potential sponsors, creating spreadsheets, recording contact details and analysing the data.

I know from personal experience that sponsorship research can take days and days of your time. Research is a necessary step in the process of preparing and delivering targeted sponsorship proposals that have the best chance of success.

So what are the alternatives? Can we save time and reach better qualified leads?

Interview with a guru, a sponsorship guru

When someone’s twitter name is @SponsorshipGuru expectations are going to be high. And Julian Moore certainly lived up to my expectations.

Truth be told, I’m not really a fan of the term guru but in this case it’s an accurate description, Julian truly is “Australia’s no.1 nonprofit sponsorship specialist”.

A few months ago I was fortunate enough to attend one of Julian’s sponsorship breakfasts (organised by Strategic Membership Solutions, the consulting services company Julian and Belinda Moore own and operate), where I was able to corner him for a few minutes and fire off questions in rapid succession (something I’m known for).

I was even able to sneak my sponsorship proposal into the conversation. Julian obliged by flicking though it and pointing out a number areas that needed work and some thoughtful tips.

Anatomy of a sponsorship proposal – what worked and what didn’t

Back in 2011 I decided to investigate sponsorship opportunities for my drag racing team. I looked around the internet for resources, found some information and put together my first sponsorship proposal.

Long story short, it failed to get a response. Not because I didn’t put in the effort. But because I was selective in my approach and didn’t follow through on some of the fundamental aspects what goes into a successful sponsorship proposal.

Since then I’ve put together Practical Sponsorship Ideas to help me (and you) learn about how to get sponsored.

Part of that journey is to look back at what worked and what didn’t with my first sponsorship proposal. I blazed away assuming what a sponsor would want without ever asking, building rapport (to get to know, like and trust you) and doing the detailed research.

I hope you can learn from my mistakes and save yourself some time and effort when creating your sponsorship proposals.

Motorsport, TV and Sponsorship – Interview Summary

A while back I had the pleasure of interviewing Nathan Prendergast of Ignition Productions.

Nathan knows a thing or two about motorsport, sponsorship and TV with his role as broadcast director for the V8 Supercar telecasts.

To read the full interview use the links below or continue reading to check out Nathan’s top sponsorship tips…

Top Fuel champion Darren Morgan speaks about sponsorship

Motorsport is expensive, very expensive. Without sponsorship many forms of motorsport simply wouldn’t exist at the levels they do today.

Recently I caught up with Darren Morgan of Darren Morgan Racing; the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) Top Fuel Champion.

Affectionately known as Morgs, Darren is one of a handful of professional drag racers whose racing operation is completely funded by sponsorship and local investors. In Australia, the norm is for sponsorship to fund part of the racing program, with a significant portion often coming from a racer’s business interests.

Darren was introduced to Top Fuel in the 90s while crewing for drag racing legend Graeme Cowin, both here in Australia and in the US. In 2004 Darren joined the Lamattina Top Fuel Racing team, putting together the total race package including training the crew, building the transporter, preparing the tooling AND taking on the driving duties, winning the 2005 Top Fuel Championship in the process.

10 essential steps to create a winning sponsorship proposal

One of the fundamental keys to getting sponsored is your ability to create a winning sponsorship proposal. It’s an important document in the process of going from sponsorship seeker to marketing partner. It can literally make or break the deal.

Creating an effective sponsorship proposal is probably one of the most asked for yet misunderstood facets of the whole sponsorship process. The worst thing you can do when it comes to sponsorship is send a proposal before you’ve done your homework.

Through personal experience, research and similarities to business proposals in general, I’ve come up with 10 essential steps to create a winning sponsorship proposal.

It’s easy to follow, methodical and will greatly improve your chances of getting sponsored. And to help organise your ideas I’ve included a Sponsorship Proposal Worksheet for you to download.

So let’s get started…

Motorsport, TV and Sponsorship – part 3

Welcome to part 3 of my interview with Nathan Prendergast of Ignition Productions.

In part 2 of the interview we covered:

Keep your eyes open for opportunities
The importance of creating a personal brand
Forget the camera and be natural

Provide value and don’t overrate your worth

Kym: What common mistakes do you see sponsorship seekers make?

Nathan: I would be guessing. But I would think that overrating their worth would be one of them. People can be a little bit arrogant about the way they approach things. Again, potentially, depending on who’s evaluating their worth.

Kym: Does that come back to how you value a sponsorship? It’s not about cost. It doesn’t matter what you think you’re worth. It’s actually about how much value you can return to the sponsor?

How to create an online audience and get sponsored

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a strong believer in building rapport with a potential sponsor before you attempt to talk about a sponsorship proposal or investment options etc.

I learnt this the hard (and time consuming) way.

One of the ways you build rapport with a potential sponsor is to have a recognisable brand and an audience of your own.

Apart from creating a potential market ready to go for your sponsor, having a recognisable brand gives you instant and independent credibility. You’re not telling a potential sponsor how good (professional, articulate, affable) you are, you’re showing them by the way you interact with your audience.

But, as an independent sponsorship seeker how can you cost effectively:

Create your brand
Build an audience and;
Compete for sponsors with organisations much larger than yourself?

By creating your brand online using the tools that best serve you and your target audience.