How to Approach Sponsors and Win Sponsorship

Posted on August 18th, 2014 | Author: Allison Doyle | Category: Tournament Tips

Congratulations! You’ve decided to benefit your non-profit, association, or foundation by raising funds through a golf tournament. You have the support of your friends and family for volunteers and donations, but how do you secure those key sponsors that will not only help grow your fundraising profits but provide an extraordinary experience for your players, keeping them coming back year after year to support your cause? This article breaks down how to approach sponsors and win sponsorship.

Create a List of Potential Sponsors:

Develop a list of organizations that you feel are a good fit for your organization or mission or companies you wish to get involved with (e.g., associated corporations, local businesses)

Contact and Propose Sponsorship:

Research is vital. Take the time to inquire around and find the best person within the company or business to approach. Once you have your contact, arrange a lunch meeting to pitch your tournament and the sponsorship opportunity. The key to a successful request is relaying what’s in it for them.

Top Reasons to Sponsor a Non-Profit Golf Tournament:

1. Exposure: Gain low cost exposure to a targeted group of potential customers. Further increase exposure in sponsoring the tournament by appearing on flyers, in print ads, on banners, presentations, and tee signs. Plus, other opportunities include freebies, coupons, or gift certificates in gift bags and sponsored prizes on the course. 2. Good Corporate Citizenship: Customers and potential customers care about image. Is your company seen as a vital part of the community? Sponsoring a golf tournament for a non-profit can help improve a company's image and lead to increased sales and customer loyalty. 3. Help Drive Sales: By associating the company with a non-profit organization, you can help drive overall sales. Take a look at the big players, like when American Express opted to sponsor Small Business Saturday to gain customers and spread word-of-mouth sales. The same can be done with a golf tournament! 4. Solidify Customer Relationships & Networking: Sponsorships often include a foursome for your top executives or sales people to play in the tournament. Non- profit tournaments aren’t only great fundraisers; they are also unbeatable networking events. You never know—the group you play with or the individuals you sit next to at dinner may provide your next big client! 5. Showcase Your Product or Service: Sponsorship can include a display of your product or service. A restaurant, for example, may choose to provide lunch for the golfers. This allows the restaurant to showcase their product to a group of potential customers without seeming like a sales gimmick. Or a graphics company can print customized logos on golf balls, water bottles, golf towels, granola bars, etc.

Secure the Sponsorship Contract:

Once a company or business has decided to become a sponsor, make sure an agreement is signed. An agreement shows the professional level of your organization and your seriousness to provide willing sponsors with the agreed upon incentives agreed, plus the terms (fees, giveaways, products, etc.) they have established to provide. The agreement protects both the non-profit and the sponsors, and can prevent any misunderstandings.

Thank Your Sponsors:

Find creative ways to thank your Sponsors during the tournament to not only encourage them to return again the next year, but to entice potential sponsors who might not have currently participated into possibly donating or sponsoring in the future. If you show how well you treat your sponsors, you'll draw in more year after year. Offer representatives the opportunity to pass out auction times, create a drink special for your sponsor, decorate tables with their swag or name, manage a contest hole for them, or announce winners and remind players of who your sponsors are.

Maintain Contact Throughout the Year:

It is extremely important to maintain positive contact with your sponsors post-tournament. Start with a handwritten 'thank you' note that highlights the tournament's successes and the impact their sponsorship made on the tournament (e.g., your non-profit’s earnings). Also provide event pictures showing their signage. And ask for their feedback! All insider feedback is useful for future improvements and add-ons. Throughout the year, keep in touch with the sponsor. This might mean an occasional phone call or visit, especially on special occasions, like birthdays or if the company appears in the newspaper. You should always remind them how much their continued sponsorship means to your organization and prove you're not just in it for the money. You want to establish a real relationship with them, for future tournaments and events and the long-term growth of your organization and theirs.

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