Whether they’re large corporations with corporate social responsibility (CSR) priorities, small local businesses, event vendors, media organizations, or healthcare institutions, organizations that are willing to sponsor your nonprofit can make a significant difference to your mission and your beneficiaries.
This is why it’s critical for your nonprofit to learn how to market its sponsorship program effectively. In this quick guide, we’ll help you get started by covering the following tips:
1. Know your audience.
2. Educate prospects about the structure of your sponsorship program.
3. Showcase the benefits of being a sponsor.
4. Provide social proof.
5. Open the door for strong relationships.
Remember, marketing to sponsors is not just about securing funding, in-kind donations, or pro-bono services—it’s about laying the foundation for lasting partnerships that drive your shared goals forward. Keeping this in mind throughout the process will set you up for success!
1. Know your audience.
As with any other marketing push, it’s important to begin your sponsorship marketing efforts by getting to know your audience of potential sponsors. Here are some best practices you can employ, adapted specifically for prospective sponsors:
- Do your research. To identify sponsors who have an interest in your specific mission and who will benefit from being part of your sponsorship program, you need to get to know prospects’ needs, interests, and priorities. To do this, gather information online about each organization and its CSR initiatives and leaders.
- Segment your audience. Segmentation is the process of dividing your target audience into groups based on shared characteristics. You could segment your potential sponsors by industry, size, geographic location, or philanthropic priorities. This will prepare you to personalize your messaging for each group.
- Customize your communications. Go beyond segmentation and prepare to personalize your marketing messages even more. For instance, you may want to introduce your organization and its mission by zooming in on a focus area that matches the organization’s industry, or acknowledge the prospect’s philanthropic priorities and point out how your organization can help them achieve their goals.
After you’ve conducted your research, ask around and see if anyone on your team (like a board member, staff member, or major donor) is connected to anyone in leadership at the potential sponsoring organization and can introduce you.
Connecting over coffee or lunch will allow you to get to know that person and their organization even better so you can give your outreach efforts more of an edge. Plus, if you make a good first impression, they’ll be more likely to champion your nonprofit as one their organization should sponsor!
2. Educate prospects about the structure of your sponsorship program.
Depending on your sponsorship program goals, you may dive straight into sending out sponsorship letters or you might advertise sponsorship opportunities in other ways first. For instance, you might create a “Sponsor Our Work” page on your organization’s website or post about your program on social media.
Whatever route you decide to take, begin by educating them about how your sponsorship program works.
Specifically, you’ll want to highlight the different sponsorship tiers you offer. Here are some reasons to have different tiers or levels of sponsorship:
- By tailoring your sponsorship packages to each sponsor’s needs, you can maximize their contributions.
- Different levels of giving offer organizations flexibility in how much they give, which means they can contribute at levels that align with their priorities and capabilities.
- Creating predetermined giving levels or packages for sponsors simplifies the sponsorship process for your team.
Most organizations prefer to set sponsorship levels based on giving levels. For instance, you might create Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, with each level increasing in price and benefits.
Ensure you’re transparent about the pricing for each level. You may also consider setting a range for each level. For instance, Bronze sponsors may be those who give $500-$1,000, while Silver are those who give $1,100-$1,500 and Gold are those who give $1,500+.
3. Showcase the benefits of being a sponsor.
Next, you’ll need to answer a key question for prospective sponsors: “What’s in it for me?” After all, sponsorship agreements represent a strategic partnership between your nonprofit and another organization that will help further your respective fundraising, philanthropic, and business goals.
Here are a few benefits you might weave into your sponsorship packages:
- Public acknowledgment of the sponsorship agreement on social media, at events, and more
- The opportunity to set up a booth or speak at an upcoming event
- Advertising space or logo placement on your promotional materials
- Branded merchandise or products available at events or your organization’s facility
- VIP access to event tickets, special seating, or other perks
- Inclusion on your website’s “Sponsors and Partners” page
- Special placement on a donor wall
Remember, in addition to helping your sponsoring organizations further their philanthropic priorities, you’re also allowing them to advertise their goods or services to your community. On
top of offering pre-determined benefits that include opportunities to do this, be sure to let prospective sponsors know (especially those likely to sponsor you at the highest level) that you’re open to discussing other benefits they may want to see before committing to a sponsorship agreement.
4. Provide social proof.
Social proof is anything that you can point to as evidence that sponsors see value in your sponsorship program. The social proof you include in your marketing materials may be:
- Testimonials: These are short statements from current sponsors that share their experience with your sponsorship program. For instance, you might include a testimonial from a small business owner who talks about how sponsoring your nonprofit’s summer fundraiser helped them live out one of their core values (give back to the community) and reach more local clients.
- Case studies: These can be case studies that showcase your nonprofit’s impact or the reasons why prospects should sponsor your organization. Either way, make sure you employ storytelling techniques that help convey the role your organization plays in helping its beneficiaries or partners.
- Press coverage: Sometimes it’s nice to let a third-party media outlet do the talking for you. If your organization has caught the eye of the press for its advocacy efforts, for example, use quotes from the article or news clip to illustrate what your nonprofit does to further its cause and that your work is highly visible.
You may also want to ask a few of your existing sponsors to serve as references for your organization. You can refer your prospects to these organizations if they have additional questions or concerns about your sponsorship program.
5. Open the door for strong relationships.
Your marketing materials should also be poised to help you build and strengthen relationships with your prospective sponsors and current sponsors. After all, your sponsorship program will be more successful in the long run if you can retain your sponsors, and your organization’s brand image will be enhanced in the community by having strong partnerships with the organizations that support you.
Here are some ways to open the door for strong relationships:
- Personalize your communications. Use first names when addressing your points of contact at sponsoring organizations and refer back to past interactions to let them know you remember them and care about your relationship with them.
- Have regular meetings. Whether it’s a quarterly lunch date or a monthly email, keep in touch with your prospects and current sponsors. Let them know what your organization has been up to, especially if they recently sponsored a particular project or event. You should also show interest in their organization and its operations.
- Be transparent. Let your sponsors know how you plan to use their money, services, or in-kind donations, and report back to them about the impact they’ve had on your cause. And, if any issues arise that may affect your relationship with your sponsors, be proactive in letting them know about the issue and how your organization will address it.
Go the extra mile by consistently thanking your sponsors for their support. Of course, they’ll be receiving the benefits outlined in their sponsorship package agreements, but thanking them with a handwritten letter or occasional gift basket will help your organization stand out as one they’re proud to partner with.
Whether you need support for your upcoming golf tournament or you just want to generally build relationships with local organizations, setting up a sponsorship program can be a great way to
achieve these goals. Use the tips above to connect with your prospective and current sponsors through your marketing efforts, and remember to prioritize relationship building as you do!
