How to Snag an Event Sponsor

The planning stage of any event is vital in the success of its execution.  But no great plan would ever get anywhere without effective promotions.  And a good part of promoting the event is to be able to get sponsors.  Not only will sponsors contribute to the funding of the actual event but also provide additional promotions through their own ad placements.  It would be easy to ride on their advertising while executing your own.  However, it is bringing the company in to write a check to support your event that is more easily said than done.  Here are a few measures that could help you and increase your chances in snagging an event sponsor.

First determine your budget by breaking down every single expense that you will incur so that you will have a vivid picture or your overall costs.  This will help you in determining how much you will need to fund the whole event.

Draft your sponsorship packages by defining sponsorship levels by assigning specific deliverables for each level.  This should be clearly communicated in the proposal so that the prospective company is aware of what they will get from each level.

Third is to create a media kit.  A media kit is an essential part of the proposal because it gives your prospective company information on the cause, organization and people behind the event.  This should be venue to give the company enough positive information to reel them in.

Once these matters are established, write that letter to your prospects.  A good lead-time to start contacting corporations would be three months in advance.  Generally, you will have to go through their marketing department so be sure to do your homework and find out who the proper contact people are like their marketing director so that the letter could be addressed directly to that person.

Lastly, send out the letters and be sure to make a follow up exactly when you say you would do so.  Keep track of the people you talk to and what was communicated during your correspondence with them.  Once the sponsorship is sealed, make sure to make the experience as positive and beneficial to the sponsors.  This will make it so much easier to approach them the next time you need them for your event.