Successfully Sourcing Sponsorship-based Partnerships

Successfully Sourcing Sponsorship-Based Partnerships

When it comes to community business partnerships, sponsorship arrangements have become a popular and adaptable way to foster a good "give and take" relationship.

Some of the basic principles of sponsorship-based community business partnerships are outlined in the Help Sheet "Sponsorship – not Charity, not a Donation", available at the Community Business Partnerships Brokerage Service section of the Our Community website.

This Help Sheet is designed to give prospective community business partnership participants who are considering a sponsorship-based arrangement some tips on not only finding the right sponsorship arrangement, but negotiating a mutually beneficial sponsorship agreement.

Making sure a Sponsorship is Right for You

The first thing to remember is that sponsorship may not be the best community business partnership option for your group or business – or may even not be a suitable option at all.

A vital first step in considering a sponsorship arrangement is to make sure it reflects a proper "give and take" relationship.

The Help Sheets Finding the Best Partner and Partnership Model for your Community Group – Parts 1 and 2 and Finding the Best Partner and Partnership Model for your Business - Parts 1 and 2 – both available at the partnerships Brokerage Service section of the Our Community website – can help you work out if sponsorship is a form of partnership suitable for your organisation or company.

But as a basic guide, you should ask yourself:

What services, resources, money, goods, abilities or opportunities does your community group/business want or need from a relationship? and,
What can you give in return to make the arrangement attractive to a prospective community group/business partner?

Remember, sponsorship is not for everyone, and it is definitely not just a matter of donating or receiving the time, money, goods, etc, that are on offer. It has to benefit both partners, contribute to both of their operations and make them stronger.

For more guidance on this, refer to the Help Sheet Sponsorship - Not Charity, Not a Donation.

Sourcing a Sponsorship

Once your business or community group has considered these questions and referred to the Help Sheets listed above, you should have gone a long way towards discovering what sort of business or community group is right for you to partner, and whether a sponsorship arrangement is the sort of partnership you are after.

If the answer to the latter question is yes, then the next step is to find an appropriate partner to enter a sponsorship arrangement with.

But before you start looking around for that sponsor, you should ask yourself some further questions:

What local businesses/community groups are available or appropriate for sponsorship?
What companies/groups do you have a good relationship with?
What are you asking for – eg: money, in-kind services or exposure – how much do you want and for what purpose?
What are you in a position to offer – eg: money, good reputation, in-kind support, a strong staff/supporter base – and how much can you offer?

This should help you narrow down the type of business or community group that you believe is ideal to approach for a partnership.

Depending on the type of business or community group that you favour, there may be a number of them that seem suitable for a partnership.

If that is the case, examine each of the options and narrow them down to your most preferred prospective partner. That may involve looking at whether:

You have worked with this group or business before.
Whether a staff member or community group member has some knowledge of the prospective partner, has worked with them before or has some association/involvement with them.
Whether the business or community group is local and "on the same wavelength" as you about what you want to address in your community.

A bit of research on the group or business you are looking at is a good idea as well – visit their office or website, read any brochures of theirs and keep an eye out for any media publicity they may receive.

Finally, once you have gotten to the stage of finalising a prospective partner to approach, consider these points.

If you are a community group - and balancing what you can offer with what you are after - whether you would feel confident going into a business' office and dropping your sponsorship-based partnership submission on their nice mahogany desk? Or do you still have some work to do?
If you are a business – and balancing what you can offer with what you are after – whether you would feel confident that a community group would give serious thought to your proposal, or whether they would say it is beyond their means or does not target initiatives or outcomes they wish to target.

If after this sort of consideration you are confident that your plans stack up well, it is time to approach the community group or business for a sponsorship-based partnership.

Approaching a Prospective Sponsorship Partner

In approaching a prospective community business partner for a sponsorship arrangement, you will follow many of the same steps you would if approaching a business or community group for any type of partnership.

The Help Sheets Approaching a Business and Approaching a Community Group are both available at thepartnerships Brokerage Service section of the Our Community website and contain all the information you need to prepare a professional and thoughtful approach to a prospective partner.

Among the key points to remember when compiling your approach are:

If your approach is by phone, it may be an idea to have a short introduction, a few points or a "script" written down so you are prepared and ready to talk to your prospective partner.
If approaching your partner in writing, your business or community group should include:

An introductory letter and outline of the partnership arrangement you are putting forward, including what you can and will offer your partner.
Some background material – possibly including brochures, reports, press clippings, business cards and other relevant support material.

The inclusion, possibly in the letter as well as the supporting material, of an invitation to contact you by phone, fax or email.

Refer to the Approaching a Business and Approaching a Community Group Help Sheets, as well as the two In Writing Help Sheets (click here for business or here for community group) for examples of these types of letters.

Following Up

Once you have put together your approach and delivered it – either in writing, verbally, or through a combination of both - it is important that you follow it up.

Again, make sure that you include your phone number with your approach and encourage your prospective partner to contact you. When they do, set up a meeting with them.

If they don't, contact them again to ensure they have the information, and leave your contact details with them. Don't make a pest of yourself in following up your approach too quickly, but don't leave it too long either – a week or so is about right.

Successfully Sourcing Sponsorship-Based Partnerships

Making sure a Sponsorship is Right for You

Sourcing a Sponsorship

Approaching a Prospective Sponsorship Partner

Following Up

Communities in Control Conference 2013