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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Sponsorship levels: Love 'em or leave 'em? Part 3

In the first two parts of this series, I've outlined ten reasons why using generic levels of "sponsorship," typically referred to as Gold, Silver & Bronze packages, is not a favorable approach to nonprofit partnerships with corporations. (If you want to catch up on the series before reading further, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.)

I promised you two reasons to keep the generic Gold, Silver & Bronze packages, and today I make good on the promise. 

  1. Contribution. Gold, Silver & Bronze or some other generic designation is really a contribution by a company or smaller business that wishes simply to make a donation to your cause or organization and prefers only a modicum of recognition. That’s legitimate. And here's the good news. It also means you need not provide all that stuff that these generic packages usually include. Rather, it means it’s a contribution and you need to sell the business owner or leader on your cause and mission. Don’t give away the shop.
  2. Pipeline. I presented a keynote speech recently for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and then moderated a panel discussion with several others, including my friend and colleague Pat Feeley, a leading national nonprofit fundraiser based here in Philadelphia. He noted that one reason he keeps Gold, Silver, & Bronze packages in his arsenal of fundraising approaches is to build a pipeline of interested corporations. If a company makes a contribution via the Gold, Silver & Bronze package, he and his team pay attention, build the relationship, and explore other ways to engage the company.

As I mentioned in Part 2, value is a thread that runs through my 10 reasons why generic packages should be jettisoned — because there simply is not enough value. Even these two reasons to keep the generic approach maintain the value principle. Taking a fundraising approach, you still want to focus on value to make sure that your corporate contributor is connected to your cause.

I’d love to hear your comments. Do you have any other reasons, pro or con, based on your experiences?

 

 

Posted by on Thursday, May 23, 2013 |

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Sponsorship Strategist Gail Bower

  • Organizations hire Gail Bower as their revenue strategist. She works with nonprofit organizations to put more money in their missions and with mid-market and larger firms to put more mission in their money. An expert on nonprofit-corporate partnerships, she is the author of "How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times." Gail is a a professional consultant, coach, writer, and speaker, with more than 25 years’ experience in marketing and managing some of the country’s most important events, festivals, and sponsorships. A trusted media source, Gail’s been interviewed about her work for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Marketplace, and Time magazine. For more information, visit GailBower.com.

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How to Jump-Start Your Sponsorship Strategy

  • Gail Bower's Guidebook: How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times
    Does the recent economic upheaval that sent seismic shifts through our culture have you wondering what to do next with your sponsorship development efforts? Marketing and sponsorship strategist Gail Bower wrote this short guidebook for you. Get the confidence, perspective, and techniques you need to jump-start your sponsorship strategy today. “A professional GPS system to keep you on a successful track.” - Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President & CEO International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World)

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