Working With Local Businesses

Finding businesses to sponsor your organization or event can help connect your community to the companies within it. There are important factors to consider before reaching out for goods or money.

• Seek out companies that have sponsored similar events or organizations in the past.
• Create lists of potential sponsors, and prioritize them. This will give you a focus and starting point.
• Research the businesses on your list. Make sure that their values align with the values of your organization.
• What is in it for the business? Companies use sponsorship opportunities to help with their own marketing. It is important to define what kind of exposure their donations will provide them.
• Who is the target audience, and is it appropriate to the business? This is another factor that companies will take into consideration. They will want to know that their brand will reach the demographic they serve.
• Let companies know what kind of exposure to expect. This may be difficult if you are small organization that is just starting out. Luckily, you can use similar organizations that are already established as examples for success.
•  Create a sponsorship packet. This should be professional-looking and concise. It should outline the overall goals and accomplishments of your organization.
• Establish sponsorship levels that appeal to any sized business. Each level will outline the request and the benefits you are providing at each donation level.
• Follow up with a phone call. A personal connection is always important, and it will help remind companies about requests and deadlines that may be associated with them.