How To Get Sponsorship In South Africa

What is a Sponsorship?

A sponsorship is when a company commits money or resources to a nonprofit event or program in exchange for specific promotional benefits.

In exchange for supporting the nonprofit, the company gets their name and logo on things like:

  • Banners
  • T-shirts or wearable swag
  • Posters 
  • Brochures 
  • Other marketing and communications collateral

The business objective of sponsorship is to reach a specific target audience and to earn a “halo” for supporting a good cause. By aligning themselves with purpose-based organizations, sponsors give their businesses a competitive edge that goes beyond product and price. It’s marketing, but more socially responsible.

Sponsorship is win-win and work-work. Both the nonprofit and the for-profit benefit from the partnership, but success depends on them working together to ensure the other’s success.

Types of Sponsorships

Depending on your needs, there are several different types of sponsorships that can help you with your next event:

  1. Financial or cash – This is the most common type of sponsorship where cash is exchanged for benefits, perks, or publicity. 
  2. In-kind – Similar to a financial or cash sponsorship, except goods or services are given instead of cash. It can come in the form of:
    • A venue partner 
    • A prize sponsor
    • A food sponsor
    • A digital sponsor (social media filters, apps, media wall, etc)
  3. Media event – Helps provide support for promoting your event. Event sponsorship can be a media outlet giving a free advertisement or they can give money to help fund your advertising.
  4. Promotional partner – Similar to a media event sponsor, except in this case, it’s an individual boosting your event through their own channels. For example, a social media influencer could be a promotional partner. 

An Example of a Sponsorship    

If you’re looking for an example of sponsorship in action, take a look atthe Boston Marathon, which is run by a nonprofit organization, the Boston Athletic Association or BAA. The event has a number of longstanding corporate sponsors, including running shoe maker Adidas.

Like I mentioned, a great sponsorship benefits both the nonprofit and the sponsorship partner. So what does that look like here?

The BAA benefits by:

  • Receiving millions of dollars from Adidas and other corporate sponsors
  • Raising the profile of their event as a world-class marathon by aligning themselves with brands (like Adidas) that are relevant household names

And how does Adidas benefit from the sponsorship? 

  • They get access to avid runners who are the perfect customers for Adidas shoes and gear

Being associated with such an important and famous event gives Adidas a favorable connection with thousands of runners and millions of spectators – both along the course and watching at home on television.

Is the partnership win-win for both partners? Absolutely. Do the BAA and Adidas have to work hard to ensure each other’s success? You bet.

One thing you don’t need to succeed with a sponsorship is a large athletic event like the Boston Marathon or a global shoe company like Adidas. There are many sponsorship opportunities with organizations of all sizes and types. 

How to Get a Sponsorship: 8 Key Tactics  

Before you start securing a sponsorship, keep these 8 key tactics in mind:

  1. Research potential sponsors. Look at your existing supporters. Evaluate each one to see if their goal and interests align with your values and audience—or if they could help you find other new sponsors.
  2. Tell your organization’s story. What makes your organization special? Define your key pitch elements and weave them together to tell a story that will appeal to potential sponsors.
  3. Provide sponsor incentives. Sweeten the deal by communicating what a sponsor will get out of the partnership (and how it’ll boost their visibility). Include examples of their organization will be featured, like: 
    • Marketing and promotional collateral 
    • Branded videos
    • Social media content
    • Event swag and goodies
  4. Reach out to established companies. Partner with established companies that have a positive reputation, have built trust and can boost your organization’s profile.
  5. Use data to legitimize your pitch. Data is everything. Don’t forget to take those important insights from your audience and feature them in the pitch.
  6. Find the right contact. Make sure you know who the right contact is. Often, this can be someone in the marketing department.
  7. Build a connection over time. A good relationship always starts with a strong foundation. Take time to get to know your potential sponsor and build a connection over shared values and concerns. 
  8. Follow up. Whether it’s a problem of timing or funding, sometimes a “no” is just a “no for right now”. It’s worthwhile keeping these contacts on hand to follow up with in the future.

How to Find a Sponsorship With an Asset Analysis

Your first step is to do an asset analysis of your organization, events and programs. Look for assets that would be valuable to a potential business partner.

These may include:

  • A successful fundraiser (e.g., walk, run, gala, etc.).
  • A large donor [or membership] base.
  • A large, engaged following on social-media sites.
  • A targeted group of supporters [or members] that are women, Millennials, moms, parents, men, pet owners, and so forth.
  • A large employee base.
  • A visible, busy, or sought after building or location.
  • A strong, well-recognized brand that people know and respect.
  • Vendors that value their relationship with you.
  • A strong, emotional mission. Do you serve kids? Do you save puppies from the pound? Do you help wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan?

One of the most valuable assets you can have is an existing connection to a company. I like to say that a company in hand is worth two waiting in the bush!

Maybe you have a CEO that personally supports your cause, but hasn’t involved her company. Or perhaps your organization has a long-standing vendor relationship with a company that would be open to a fundraiser.

Nonprofits don’t usually know where to start when it comes to selling sponsorships to businesses. That’s because they have their sights set too high and miss the low-hanging fruit!

Read More: Everything you Need to Know About Virtual Sponsorship for Nonprofits

How to Get a Sponsorship: Defining Your Audience    

As I mentioned, a winning sponsorship benefits both the sponsor and the nonprofit. But there’s another part of that equation: a great sponsorship also rewards your audience. And knowing your audience is key to snagging that perfect sponsor and delivering a successful event.

For your sponsors, your audience is your most valuable asset. All you need to do is frame your audience in the right way. By doing so, you’re showing your sponsor the breadth and depth of exposure their brand can get from the partnership. I recommend reviewing your data to draw out information that can qualitate what makes your audience so special. 

You can investigate areas like your:

  • Social media analytics: Metrics like impressions, engagement, and reach are important here. If you have a strong social following or high engagement with your content, show this to your sponsors. 
  • Demographic information: Use information like age, location, occupation, education, etc. to segment your audience into valuable groups.
  • Membership engagement surveys: Engagement surveys can be a great source of data. They can reveal your audience’s interests, needs, and wants. Use this information to position your sponsorship pitch and show how a sponsorship would be a great match.
  • Google Analytics: Page visits, website traffic, and popular pages are all examples of the kind of information you can find through Google Analytics that can sculpt the profile of your audience.
  •  Post-event surveys: Another kind of survey, but this hones in on what has made your past events a success. Use this information to understand what your audience likes and how your sponsor can provide value.

Sponsorship Pitches: Everything You Need to Know   

Consider this your crash course in delivering a successful sponsorship pitch. Armed with the right knowhow and tools, your pitch will have you well on your way to securing a great sponsorship! 

I’ve broken down the process to make it digestible. In this section, I’ll cover:

  • Key Components to Include
  • Who to Pitch to
  • Tips and Tricks for Pitching

Without further ado, let’s get started. 

Key Components of a Sponsorship Pitch

A good sponsorship pitch is about helping your prospect understand your organization in a way that resonates with them. Include essential information, but with the angle of how a partnership will benefit them and align with their values. 

I recommend including these elements: 

  • Your programs and services
  • Your mission statement and values
  • Data about your following/supporters/donor base including demographics
  • Stories of organizational wins:
    • People or vendors who support you
    • Events from years before
    • Stories about your impact, etc.
  • Information about your event or what is getting sponsored
  • What you need from your sponsor (ie the type of sponsorship you’re looking for)
  • Benefits for your potential sponsor
  • Your sponsorship tiers
  • History of sponsorship (past and present) 

Who to Pitch to

To successfully pitch a sponsorship opportunity, you have to know who you’re dealing with. I’ve found that decision makers can be lumped into one of these three groups: Thinkers, Feeler and Deferrers. Most people are a combination of all three, but one style usually dominates.

Thinkers

Thinkers are my favorites because they are most like me! They want to hear the rationale, the logic behind a sponsorship and why it makes sense for their business. They like facts, figures, research, statistics, data and any other analytical information to drive their decision.

If you’re pitching a Thinker on an event sponsorship: Talk about how many people attended the event, the split between men and women and their favorability toward sponsors.

Feelers

Feelers are moved more by narrative and emotional appeals and will respond better to appeals centered around the mission of your organization, how the consumer experience will be enhanced and how employees will derive more meaning and fulfillment from their jobs.

If you’re pitching a Feeler on an event sponsorship: Talk about the emotional connection people have to the event and how it will tangibly impact your mission.

Deferrers

Deferrers follow the lead of others.  Show them what the companies they admire or compete with are doing and how they can join the “cool kids.” Credibility and reputation are important to a lot of people. But for these prospects, it means a whole lot more.

If you’re pitching a Deferrer on an event sponsorship: Talk about the other companies that are sponsoring the event and the high profile leaders that will be attending.

Tips and Tricks for Pitching

Whether you’re dealing with a Thinker, Feeler or Deferrer, there are certain tips and tricks that are important to keep in mind: 

  • Your #1 goal is to be prospect-centric. Always be prepared to adjust your messaging with prospects to meet their needs, interests and goals. Not all sponsors commit because of the marketing benefits. Stay focused but flexible.
  • Stand out from your competition. Do a deep dive to understand your sponsors, and their needs, and then make your case by:
    • Asking your prospect about his business. 
    • Offering incentives
    • Covering sponsorship benefits like: 
      • Giving their company a competitive edge by raising its social good profile
      • Increasing brand exposure through event publicity and reaching a new audience with your event attendees
      • Boosting employee morale through philanthropic involvement
  • Don’t give them an excuse to say no. Only mail your prospects crucial information. Call them back in a timely manner. Design your sponsorship packages with creativity and flexibility. Make it so your prospects completely forget that final, irrevocable word.
  • Make a plan with a timeline. Your sponsorship won’t happen with one call, or one email, or one meeting. You need to plan for sponsorship success and how each interaction will bring you closer to your goal. Even better: keep track of how long it takes to secure a sponsorship, so when you go after your next one you know what it takes.