Sponsorship Strategist

10 Sponsorship Resolutions for the New Fiscal Year

As you’re plotting out how the rest of 2019 or fiscal year 2020 will be a fantastic year, don’t forget to take a look at your sponsorship-selling habits.  Here are ten to get you started. Read more →

Spark Sponsorship Joy: Tidying Up Your Sponsorship Program

Time for some sponsorship spring cleaning. Follow Marie Kondo's process, which I adapted, to spark joy in your sponsorship program. Read more →

The Riff Raff Rule

If you represent a company that invests in sponsorship and has a clear strategy—in other words you appreciate the value of sponsorship and how to best leverage it to achieve your business goals—this article is not for you. This article is for companies that dabble with sponsorship. And want to get better. I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Sponsorship sellers are looking out for you. Read more →

A Sponsorship Relationship Mantra

If you can adopt this intention for your sponsorship relationship building, you’ll attract great partners and have some fun, too. Read more →

The Value Gauge

Think back to this time last year and consider your sponsorship program. Have you created more value? Or have you lost value? Read more →

The Bad Deal

You have three choices when you’re presented with a bad deal. Read more →

What you can control

When you’re selling sponsorship — or anything for that matter — there is much you cannot control. But there is plenty you can.  Why not take control of these things to tip the odds ever in your favor. Read more →

Don't become a sponsorship commodity

The single biggest mistake I see sponsorship sellers make is offering bland, generic sponsorship offerings that have no value. Every organization and event has something unique to offer each sponsor. I have never failed to recognize this truism in all the years I sold sponsorship and all the years I’ve advised thousands of sponsorship sellers. It is your job to draw out this uniqueness and highlight it in alignment with the sponsor’s measurable objectives. But too many people strip out of the offering the creativity, the spark, the uniqueness. That’s how they become a commodity. Read more →

Sponsorship fantasies

Last month Philadelphia Magazine published an article on the apparent demise of a beloved and significant bicycle race in Philadelphia that had been on international calendars. The story recounted in the magazine is problematic for several reasons, but here's the main one. Read more →

You know that hope is not a (sponsorship) strategy, right?

You had a great conversation with a prospective sponsor. They’re super excited about the ideas you proposed, and you spend a couple days writing a rockin’ proposal. Your colleagues add more suggestions. You finalize the document and want to pinch yourself—the ideas here are fantastic, and the dollar signs will take your event or organization to a new level. You hit send and count the days till you get to discuss the proposal with the sponsor contact. You just know they’re going to love it and that this is the start of a long-lasting partnership between your organizations. Did I mention all the money your organization is going to generate? Whew! Might as well kick back and wait for the money to flow in, right? Read more →