Many organizations view their corporate sponsorship programs
as a static set of “benefits,” usually very low-level stuff, that they might
update once a year.
A better way to regard your corporate sponsorship program is
as a renewable resource, a constant source of ideas, innovation, visibility and,
ultimately, revenue.
Four Sources for
Sponsorship Innovation
Four sources fuel your ability to innovate your sponsorship
program.
-
Current
offerings. Your sponsorship opportunity —
event, program, initiative, etc. — has
inherent value and offerings presently, plus new easy-to-develop ideas you
could offer now. - Future
offerings. Your organization has ideas for the future — ways that you’ll
expand your event or initiative, plans to build your audiences and enhance
visibility. Add these assets to the mix, and they provide new opportunities for
existing sponsors and even new industry categories.
- Sponsor
ideas. Your sponsors and prospects bring to your discussions ideas of their
own. These ideas have either worked for them in the past, represent their
current sponsorship priorities, or reflect needs and objectives that, when
combined with your opportunity, generate new ideas that can be executed now.
- Sponsor’s
future opportunities. Corporations are looking into the future, planning
expansions, new strategies, new products/services, and new marketing
strategies. These future needs will drive ideas that your leadership must help
cultivate and co-mingle with your present and future offerings.
Your sponsorship team must juggle the present, the near
future, and the distant future, paying attention to your organization and your
sponsors’.
If your sponsorship offerings feel stale and static, explore
these time horizons for your own and your sponsors’
business and marketing objectives. You’ll
find new value, new revenue opportunities, and keep things fresh.
