What to look for when you're looking for sponsors

Need some ideas about potential new sponsors? Think opportunities or situations.

Here are 10 ideas on how to jump-start your prospecting. These are situations corporations or businesses may be facing that your sponsorship may address, offering value and improving their situation.

1. Opportunities that align with your goals or the value you offer, for example, if you're trying to reach a new market or expand a capability. One client in the legal arena was in contact with a company trying to reach law students. The client realized that an outreach to this segment would be advantageous to its mission.
2. Low or poor sales. A good reason to read the business media is to stay abreast of which companies need a boast with sales. Probably in today's climate that's about 90 percent of companies that exist!
3. Need to enhance repute. Your organization may have a great opportunity to enhance a company's green reputation, for example, or build their reputation among  a new audience. Avoid companies recently slung through the mud, especially if the situation involves your mission. You don't wan this strategy to backfire.
4. New products/services. Sponsorship is an excellent way for companies to encourage product trial, create an incentive for usage, and to launch new relationships that may result in service development.
5. Expansions into new markets, geographic, demographic, or psychographic. Can your organization help a business reach this new market?
6. Mergers and acquisitions. These economic times have created opportunities for companies to purchase and merge with others. The new companies may have good reason to partner with your organization.
7. New strategies. Volatility is a thread running through today's business climate. Responding – and reacting – to this new condition, companies are developing new strategies. Where do you see a fit?
8. Refreshing old strategies. Besides developing new strategies companies may be update old strategies, including marketing strategies, which may be good news for you.
9. Mission fit. Your mission may be more important than ever, given the flux in the marketplace. Which companies seem to provide a good fit as a partner to help you accomplish your mission?
10. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important piece of shareholders' and senior leadership agendas. Do you offer opportunities for corporations to highlight their best practices?

This list will get you started. What else is inspiring you?