Sponsorship Strategist

Register now for a workshop double header (events and sponsorship) with Gail Bower presented by PANO

Dear nonprofit executives and development and event leaders:

Do your events exhaust you just thinking about them? Do you wonder why you even produce events and what they have to do with your mission? Could they at least use some fresh thinking?

How about your corporate sponsorship efforts? Have you engaged great partners for your upcoming events? Or do you feel burned out, working so hard but getting very little in return?

Join me for a double header of workshops, presented by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, on Friday, August 26, 2011.

• Why Events Work & How to Make Yours Better, 9 a.m. to noon
• Partnering with Corporations: 5 Strategies to Increase Sponsorship Income, 1-4 p.m.

This immersion of learning will infuse new ideas, new skills, and inspiration into your efforts.

• To learn more about them and to register, visit PANO's Event page. 
• To hear more about the programs, the top three reasons you'll want to join us, and the great bonuses you'll receive for registering for both, listen to my conversation with James Eirkson, PANO's Director of Education & Community Outreach.

Events and sponsorship are two incredibly powerful media. You owe it to your organization and your own professional development to invest in understanding how to use them effectively.

Hope to see you on August 26!

With respect,

Gail

 

[8/17/11 Note: I've inserted a new link to the conversation with James Eirkson.]

Event & Sponsorship Teleseminar Thursday, July 14, 2011

Tomorrow I'll be the guest of Susan Daffron and the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals for a teleseminar, entitled "Planning Pain-free, Profitable Events." Susan's planning some meaty questions about event strategy and execution, sponsorship, and how to strengthen nonprofit organization's abilities to produce great events that deliver meaningful outcomes. Hope you'll join us.

When you sign up for NAPRP's newsletter, you'll learn more about accessing the organization's teleseminars.

Gail Bower's interview with ANA Magazine continued

Today's post continues with part two of a two-part Q&A with writer Michael J. McDermott for his article on improving the effectiveness of event sponsorship for ANA Magazine, a publication of the Association of National Advertisers. You'll find Part 1 here.

 Michael J. McDermott (MJMcD): How should marketers measure the success of a sponsorship campaign?  What metrics should they be using and how accessible is the data they need?

Gail S. Bower (GSB): Businesses market for only 2 reasons: to build awareness and to generate sales.  So these are the fundamental metrics.

What many marketers become confused about is how to evaluate sponsorship using these metrics and often resort to one of the only measures they know – cost per thousand – which is inappropriate.

Sponsorship is a qualitative medium – not a quantitative one, like advertising. The most important characteristic of sponsorship is that it is experiential. It allows marketers to have face-to-face interactions with customers or clients in a more relaxed setting and in ways that foster higher degrees of emotional resonance and connection.  Think relationship-building, conversations about products or services, and sensory experiences of a product. Or communicating something highly nuanced.

Therefore, marketers must be very clear about what their objectives are from the outset and work with their partners to co-create the sponsorship opportunity so it is designed to meet these metrics. Don’t make the property guess. (Unfortunately many corporations have silly online applications, which prohibit the quality co-development of an opportunity.)

If a company needs sales results, traffic building (either online or to a retail location), or product usage, for example, as a measure for success, the property (sports team, event, cause, festival, etc.) needs to design the opportunity accordingly.

Then it will likely take time to build equity into the effort, refine and evolve the execution, and see truly meaningful results. Marketers should build quality relationships with their partners and intend to grow and evolve the sponsorship over time. Conversely, investing in a one-day or one-weekend event and expecting sales miracles is unrealistic. All internal parties – from the C Suite to the retail level – should be educated about what to expect, how to participate to really bring forth the results, and why being passive is ineffectual.

The marketer should expect the property to have an understanding of its audiences, hopefully based on research; a solid branding and marketing strategy and operation; and competence to assemble its assets in a way that addresses the marketer’s objectives. In addition, the property can provide documentation of how the sponsorship was executed, but it’s really up to the marketer to measure results.

MJMcD: Can you suggest an example of a sponsorship opportunity that has worked well for the sponsoring marketer and discuss why it has been successful?

GSB: Automotive sponsorships are great examples. I’ve worked with Subaru, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Chevrolet, and others over the years, both directly and indirectly. It’s no secret that people can have an aversion to the whole car-buying experience – pushy sales people; big, costly investments for which many people lack sufficient knowledge to make; and it can be stressful (fear of buying a lemon etc.). Most people I know do not relish the idea of going to a car dealership.

However, when an automotive company sponsors an event, if it’s executed well with an onsite experience of the car – ranging from displays to actual test-drives – the dynamic changes entirely. Eventgoers want to sit in the car, look under the hood, touch all the doodads in the car, and even ask the representative questions. The eventgoer may not buy the car on the spot, but the marketer has enhanced its chances for consideration when the big purchase time comes around. It’s very powerful.

MJMcD: Can you provide an example (real or hypothetical) of a sponsorship campaign that has not (or probably would not, if hypothetical) work out so well and discuss why?

GSB: Sponsorships that don’t work are in one of the following broad categories:

1. Poor alignment of strategy and/or branding. One example that comes to mind is KFC’s recent breast cancer sponsorship, Buckets for the Cure. In this cause marketing effort, consumers were encouraged to buy pink buckets of grilled or fried chicken. Neither is a particularly healthy eating choice, and the benefactor organization had information on its web site stating that midlife weight gain can contribute to higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. I wrote about this on my blog: here and here. [NOTE: Since the interview occurred, a new KFC example has come out: buy a $2.99 "mega jug" of Pepsi at KFC and $1 goes to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Wow!]
2. Confusion about sponsorship. Marketers are inundated with sponsorship requests, thus the online application process. I’ve heard recently about companies sending all such requests to philanthropic/foundation offices, even if the sponsorship is marketing in nature and/or executed by a for profit entity. Marketers need a better understanding of what sponsorship is and how it differs from a corporate gift. If it’s marketing-driven, execute it as I’ve mentioned above and in the previous post; if it’s a gift or strategically philanthropy execute that appropriately.
3. Failure to execute; being passive. Building on what I just said above and earlier, sponsorship or philanthropy can each drive business results in particular ways. Many corporations send off checks, do little else to take advantage of their investments, and then seem confused about ROI.

MJMcD: In brief, what would you say are the four or five (or whatever number) of best practices marketers should keep in mind when considering, executing and evaluating the performance and ROI of a sports/event sponsorship?

GSB: See this PDF of Best Practices for Corporate Sponsorship:  Download Best practices for marketers

 

Gail Bower interviewed for Association of National Advertisers' ANA Magazine, Part 1

If you're responsible for sponsorship decision-making and execution for a corporation, check out this two-part Q&A with writer Michael J. McDermott for his article on improving the effectiveness of event sponsorship for ANA Magazine, a publication of the Association of National Advertisers. Be sure to visit on Wednesday for part 2.

 Michael J. McDermott (MJMcD): What are the most important areas marketers need to focus on when considering whether a sports or event sponsorship opportunity is right for them? 

Gail S. Bower (GSB):

1. Is the sponsorship medium appropriate for our strategy? 
2. Will this opportunity advance our strategy, and is it aligned with our priorities? How do we know?
3. Is this opportunity managed by people who will be good partners for us?
4. Do we have enough time, energy, and resources to take full advantage of the opportunity so that we get results?

MJMcD: How important is resource allocation when it comes to executing a successful sports/event sponsorship campaign?

GSB: Very. One of the biggest mistakes I see on the corporate side of sponsorship is when marketers invest in sponsorship (in other words, pay the sponsorship fee) but then fail to take full advantage of it. That’s like buying a TV schedule and not giving the network or station the spot!

Marketers will derive much better results from their sponsorship investments if they really consider these investments as focal points for broader marketing efforts. Weave in advertising, social media, PR, promotion, and as many other business objectives as possible. These objectives may include engaging consumers, entertaining clients, driving traffic to retail outlets, showcasing CSR or diversity initiatives, attracting or retaining talent, rewarding sales teams, building merchant or vendor relationships, and many others.

MJMcD: and why?

To see business and marketing results, to avoid wasting money, to derive full value of the sponsorship medium.

MJMcD: Same question for operational issues?

GSB: Also very important. If a sponsorship opportunity is appropriate and strategically aligned, it will be aligned across many areas of the business – not just the marketing or PR function. The investment will become more cost effective and have a greater impact for the business if it’s woven into the fabric of the operation. This obviously requires time, strategic fit, and an operation that avoids silos. Teams will need to work together to conceptualize and execute.

MJMcD: And for integration with other communication channels?

GSB: If the opportunity is appropriate, it will work on many levels of the organization and will lend itself well to a transmedia approach. Take the time to develop the communications strategy so that the sponsorship opportunity truly becomes a focal point. Sponsor an event at a critical time for sales. Build the advertising schedule around it to drive traffic and get mileage out of the sponsorship tie. Create in-store promotions. Develop PR messages. Engage social media friends and followers. Create an online experience around the opportunity; Saxo Bank’s sponsorship of the Tour de France is a great example.

Also, with consumer trust in corporations still off as we manage our ways out of the recession, corporations have an opportunity to benefit from being a friendly face in the communities in which they become involved. These may be geographic communities, virtual communities, or people linked by common interests, passions, conditions, and goals. Make sure this interaction is genuine, human, real, transparent, and not shallow.

 

7 ways you may be sabotaging your sponsorship success

If you're feeling frustrated by your organization or event's success rate with sponsorship development, ask whether you or your staff may be sabotaging your own efforts. Here are 7 signs to look for.

1. Starting too late. Sponsorship development takes time –– 9 to 12 months for an existing event, 12 to 18 months for a new event. It takes time to develop your strategy; find and make contact with the right person; co-create an opportunity; and execute it in ways that are meaningful for sponsors.
2. Mass emailing. You're not looking for lots of sponsors; you're looking for a handful of great partners. Focus. Get personal. Have a strategy for each prospect.
3. Shipping off a proposal too early. If you haven't had a conversation with your sponsor or prospective sponsor about what they'd like to accomplish, you do not have the foundation for a proposal. Slow down.
4. Not having the information you need. Don't confuse introductory meeting success with having a firm understanding of what your potential sponsors need to see happen to be able to call a partnership with you a success. If you can't describe success measures, you're not ready to write a proposal.
5. Not understanding the medium of sponsorship. Slapping a logo on a brochure or invitation is not sponsorship. It is an experiential medium. Period. If you haven't incorporated some experiential component, you have an underwriter, not a sponsor.
6. Confusing corporate giving with sponsorship. Corporations have philanthropic objectives that may be wholly separate from marketing objectives. For example, a pharmaceutical company may support science education, but its marketing department is building awareness and usage of medications among doctors and/or individuals with the health issues that the medications address. Both efforts support the overall corporate strategy. Your event or initiative may support one or the other but may not support both.
7. Giving away the shop. Your event or sponsorship opportunity likely has high value to the right partners. It's incumbent upon you to understand, cultivate, and protect that value. Don't give it away.

This list is by no means exhaustive. I'll bet you've identified and even overcome your own strategic or operational issues that thwarted your progress. I'd love to hear about them and what you did to overcome them. Feel free to comment and share them.

Parting ways, new beginnings

Today's Philadelphia Inquirer reports that PNC Bank will no longer sponsor the Philadelphia International Flower Show, a decision they'd made and informed the Flower Show of two years ago. The bank is looking to sponsor other opportunities, and new leadership at the Flower Show is positive about its ideas to partner with the corporate sector in 2012 and beyond, according to the article.

These will be tough shoes to fill, for both sides. From outward appearances, PNC Bank was a great partner, growing with the event, committed in all the right ways, and taking full advantage of the opportunity. A true partner.

The PA Horticulture Society, producer of the Flower Show, too, are a terrific partner. Its approach to meeting sponsor objectives, by bringing its partners' businesses to life artfully within the context of the event, never losing sight of its mission, set a high standard for future partners. I can imagine through this 20-year partnership, the two organizations learned a great deal about the sponsorship medium and about its own and each other's strengths.

Future corporate partners of the event will benefit from that accumulated knowledge. Rise to the occasion. Be bold. Explore all the possibilities that one of Philadelphia's best events has to offer you. One of the greatest failings I see corporations make is investing in sponsorship and not fully leveraging that investment. It's like paying for TV advertising and not giving the stations the TV spot. Take advantage of the full value of sponsorship.

And to future partners of PNC Bank, you have a sophisticated client. Deepen your understanding and creativity with sponsorship so that you meet the bank's needs and your organization, too, benefits fully.

It's spring, time of renewal, new beginnings, and I, for one, am eager to see what's ahead for both organizations. At the same time, I'm always fascinated by businesses' decisions to end long-term sponsorship, forgoing the brand equity invested over time. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you experienced this type of parting? Corporate readers, have you made these decisions? Please share your thinking and strategizing.

 

Think like a starving artist, and you won't starve

One day last week, I left a meeting with someone who is under a great deal of pressure because of current budget squeezes that impact her nonprofit organization's funding. The physical sensations of stress she described were indelible, and I felt a great deal of empathy as I walked through the City towards my office.

I passed the Merriam Theatre in Philadelphia, and a crowd spilling out onto the sidewalk, hours before showtime, piqued my curiousity. Then I heard drumming. Stomp was in town, and at this very moment, they were conducting a masterclass for high school-aged – and very enthusiastic – kids. 

With nothing more than plastic buckets, wooden sticks, and passion, this drumming circle crackled with energy. If you've ever seen Stomp, you can imagine.

It reminded me of a few things:

• The human spirit is a live wire of creativity, passion, and inspiration. Accessing that energy requires no budget.
• Anyone feeling stressed or pressured can find instant relief through the arts – music, visual art, performance, wonderful writing, beauty in some form. Our own internal creative energies can help us through a challenge.
• Shouldn't arts funding be as critical as human services funding? (Yes, that's rhetorical.)
• We have a mythology about the starving artist. The most creative and artistic people revel in the constraints of their craft. Sure, they spend lots of time fantasizing about what they'd do with piles of money. The best and most innovative push on, transcending the constraints and making the most of their resources.

And that's where you might be inspired. Rather than focus on what you don't have, perhaps you might think more creatively and bigger about what you do have. Perhaps you have more to offer than you might imagine, or can focus your sponsorship effort in a new way that yields bolder results.

Today I received a press release about the Blue Cranes, jazz artists from Portland, OR, about to launch a cross country/East Coast tour by train. They rallied their friends and friends' friends on a Kickstart fundraising effort, raising nearly $7,000 to cover their costs. They also sought a rail sponsor and found a promotional partner in the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) which so far has written a blog post about the tour.

Blue Cranes' print publicist Matt Merewitz and the band members developed some great ideas for a rail partner. Blogging along the way. Performances by the quintet at station stops. Mentions to the group's audiences all along the tour. They're all great ideas which hopefully will come to life with a committed partner on the next tour. NARP, for now, is simply a promotional partner, and my hope is that they recognize the value of having an innovative band exemplify NARP's ideals, encouraging people to travel by train, and commit at more appropriate levels in the future. My hunch is that Blue Cranes' fans and audiences share the values of America's railroad passengers but who may not have considered train travel as an option.

"I believe in their mission," alto sax player Reed Wallsmith said about NARP. He looks forward to the collaboration. 

While I wanted to hear reports of a great partnership between the two and cash and/or inkind fees commensurate with the exchange of value, I remain hopeful that that will happen in time. What I am excited about seeing, which is exactly my point, is that the Blue Cranes are making things happen. They set out to accomplish a revenue goal and through lots of ingenuity on their part, they accomplished it. Next time, they'll have stronger ideas and new skills that they can use to secure a substantial sponsor or two. (NARP, you have a great opportunity, so I hope you're thinking big, too!)

If you're struggling with making your fiscal year-end or event budget goals, do what you need to do to shake the anxiety and stress. Shift your energy and reconnect with your own creativity. You need new ideas, fresh thinking, and a way to see your work, your event, your sponsorship offering from a new angle. That's when you'll think big and pursue big partners to leverage big results.

To check out the Blue Cranes and  learn more about their tour, watch their video below or visit their web site for dates near you. Blue Cranes photo credit: Jen Downer

 

Sponsorship Realities: Gail Bower's Predictions for 2011

If you’ve been operating at a frenetic pace, trying to outsmart the economy, you may not have stopped to look around and notice what’s going on in the world around you, the sponsorship world, that is. This special report provides you with five observations I’ve made that absolutely will have an impact on organizations’ abilities to generate revenue through partnerships with the corporate sector. Consider this insider intelligence to help you plan your 2011 sponsorship strategy.

Download Sponsorship Realities 2011

P.S. A day after I wrote the special report, I read this post. To me it's an indicator that my prediction #4 is happening sooner than later.

Ask the right questions when considering events

The accelerated pace at which we live coupled with the prevalence of "glowing rectangles" in our lives (90 percent of our time, according to The Onion, which sometimes seems pretty close, right?) occasionally can cause us to minimize the importance of human connections in our lives. As many of us gathered around dining room tables to give thanks and eat turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, perhaps circuitry shifted a bit. Time with family and friends allows us to reconnect with what's most important in life. To drop down to the human level.

That connection to the human is what makes events so compelling and powerful. Earlier this week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the debate brewing in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, the capitol, about the nature, budget, and appropriate term for a series of events honoring the completion of the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, here in Philadelphia. The debate, as gleaned from the story, misses the point entirely which is why the events are important and what the outcomes and strategy ought to be.

The editors published my opinion of the debate yesterday.

If you're thinking about toning things down, cutting your budget, debating about whether to hold or sponsor an event, start with strategy first. Here are a couple questions to consider: do we need a way to better connect with people (influencers, customers, donors, clients, constituents, members, patients, etc.)? What do we want to have happen as a result?

An event marketing strategy might be the perfect investment to make.

Announcing: 7 teleseminars for nonprofit and event leaders on corporate sponsorship, marketing communications, event topics

Would you benefit from enhancing your skills and knowledge working with corporate sponsors, conceptualizing and producing events, or communicating more powerfully with key audiences of your organization?

Please join me for BowerPower Programs, a series of 6 teleseminars, plus a bonus session, on corporate sponsorship, event, and marketing communications topics, designed to improve your results in these areas for 2010.

Check out the details of all 6 teleseminars. Be sure to register early, before June 25. You'll automatically be registered for the bonus teleseminar, Jump-Start Your 2010 Sponsorship Strategy, on July 7, which will provide an update on what's changed since I published my book one year ago. At the request of readers, this teleseminar will be part session and part Q&A. As an early registrant, you're guaranteed to have your most pressing question answered. You may register safely by credit card through my web site or download a PDF order form and register using a check. Be sure to reserve by June 25, 2010 to hold your spot FREE in the bonus teleseminar!

What's changed in the last year since the book was published?