WNiF Magazine - Summer 2014 Edition | Page 33

GETTING STARTED I always recommend starting with companies you are either a loyal customer of or already have some kind of personal or professional relationship with (it’s via a family member or friend). When you look at a company that you want to engage sponsorship from, look first at what you can give back to them, and try to be creative! Find out about the company before you contact them. Check out their previous or current sponsorships and event participation, sense where and how they advertise, and get a good feel for what they’re all about. Social media and media activity are valuable benefits you can offer to sponsors, so it’s important to get really active in these before you start engaging sponsorship. Show your sponsors that you’re able to offer them a wider and potentially new audience, but make sure that this is relevant to their business. Local and national radio shows and magazines are always looking for content! SPONSORSHIP PROPOSALS So many people make the mistake of creating sponsorship proposals before they’ve done any research or planning, and focus on creating this pretty looking document that tell potential sponsors how good they are at their sport. Big mistake! I would urge anyone reading this article not to start preparing a sponsorship proposal before you know who your potential sponsors are and what you’ve got to offer them in return. For more information visit www.thesponsorshipconsultants.com.au TOP 10 TIPS FOR SPONSORSHIP SEEKERS 1. Give yourself plenty of time to engage sponsors, at least 3 months! 2. Treat sponsorship as a business relationship 3. Spend time figuring out exactly what you need sponsorship for 4. Research potential sponsors and only align with brands that are a good fit 5. Find out what your sponsors want by asking them 6. Offer great benefits to your sponsors and make sure you can deliver them 7. Create a team of people who want to support your goals (friends, family, other athletes) 8. Get organised and stay organised 9. Maintain communication with your sponsors and seek feedback at least once a year 10. Always look for opportunities to offer more benefits to your sponsors as this will benefit you too! WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SUMMER 2014 33