creative sponsorship sales partnering prospectingpreparing personalizingproblem-solving chapter 8

Creative Sponsorship Sales

Partnering Prospecting PreparingPersonalizing Problem-solving

Chapter 8

PartneringProspectingPreparingPersonalizingProblem-Solving

Sponsorship Partners

• A good way to gain practical insights into building good sponsorship partners is to invite a panel of team or corporate sponsorship executives to class.

• The following slides are designed to lead panel or class discussion.


Activation

1. Activation refers to putting the sponsorship into action.2. Sponsorships are not static (e.g., signs/billboards). Fans’ looking

at signs or ads is not activation. 3. Activation occurs when fans recognize and make the connection

between the sponsor and the property, allowing for fan identification and affinity with the property to transfer to the sponsor. Affinity transfer is key.

4. Activation plays an integral role in the sponsor’s leveraging the sponsorship tie-in within the sponsor’s overall advertising or promotional campaign.

5. The role of the property is to activate the benefits offered by the sponsor in the minds of the property’s customers (the fans).

How is activation the key to successful sponsorship?

Partnering


Sponsorship Selling

Why is it important for properties to approach potential partners with a unique value proposition?


A Partnership Approach

…recognizes the unique need of the sponsor as its starting point for developing a sponsorship package that offers a unique value proposition suited specifically to the sponsor.

A good partnership is based on trust.


Trust

1. Long term commitment

2. Honesty

3. Benevolence (Golden Rule)

How are these three aspects of trust vital in working with sponsorship partners?


Special Benefits of a Relationship

• Confidence benefits—the sponsor has comfort in knowing what to expect from the property and has no anxiety when meeting with you,

• Social benefits—the sponsor becomes emotionally attached to the people working for the property; employees of the sponsor and the property are comfortable and familiar with each other; close friendships are created, and

• Special treatment benefits—the sponsor receives better prices or concessions, faster service, and individualized attention.

Explain how these relational benefits work out for the property & its partners.

Prospecting

After you understand the partnership approach, you can start prospecting…


Prospecting

• Who is prominent in the community?

• In what other ways (besides sponsorships) do they market, advertise, and promote their products?

• How will they use our relationship to sell their products?

Why would these be good guidelines for properties to use when considering possible sponsors?


Prospecting

• Relatedness—the sponsor & property are perceived as belonging together.

• Image—sponsor’s business fits & is appropriate for primary target audience (families)

• Prominence—the sponsor’s brand is prominent and familiar to fans

How does it help for sponsors to have these characteristics? How can good activation make sponsors seem related to the property?


Sponsor SelectivityAn Example of Negative Image

A Higher State Of Hair Care™

Why might this be a poor sponsor

choice for professional sports teams?


Characteristic of Typical Sponsors

• Frequently purchased packaged goods and services, that are

• Mass-marketed to consumers in highly competitive markets, and are

• Frequently consumed at sporting events.

What are some examples of sponsors with these characteristics?

Why are they good sponsorship prospects?


Typical Product/Service Categories of Sponsors

Primary Categories Secondary Categories

AutoBeerCandy/SnacksSodaTelecomHome ImprovementBanks/FinancialSporting Goods & Retailers

Grocery MarketsQuick Service Restaurants (QSR)AirlinesMediaOffice Supplies/Overnight deliveryMass Market RetailersLocal CorporationsInsurance

How is exclusivity managed across these categories? How is exclusivity negotiated?


Preparing

Table 8..1 Sponsorship Components

Visual/Audio Media Product/Business Promotion

Presenting or Naming rights Cross promotions---networked promotions

Signage/venue branding exposure Events-within-events (live marketing)

Licensing/Right to use of trademarks/logos High profile pre-event marketing

ID in promotional materials Customer recruitment (database building)

Program ads Exhibiting

Broadcast Media ads or mentions Trial/Sampling/Product launch

PA announcements or scoreboard zip ads

Client entertainment/hospitality Research

Parties Pre-event research

Lunches Event surveys

Special Dinners (including athletes) Post event research

Private meeting facilities

Skyboxes/seats/tickets

How should properties prepare for their first visit to a prospective property? What do they need to know about their inventory?


Personalizing

• What are typical marketing objectives for sponsors?

• What are some creative examples of how the property has personalized the package to the needs/objectives of the sponsor?

• How & why is communication between the property & the sponsor important in achieving objectives?


Problem Solving

• What kinds of problems crop up in sponsorship agreements?

• How are the problems resolved?

Top 10 Causes of Divorce1.Lack of interdependence2.Premature partnership3.Economic factors4.Poor communication skills5.Ease of legal exit6.Sexual incompatibility7.Role conflicts8.Personal problems (alcoholism and substance abuse) 9.Differences in risk-taking behavior10. Personality/value differences

Note: Not in particular order. Source: Lowenstein, Ludwig F. (2005), “Causes and Associated Features of Divorce as Seen by Recent Research,” Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 42 (3-4), 153-171.

If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will

fail.

~Winston Churchill

creative sponsorship sales partnering prospectingpreparing personalizingproblem-solving chapter 8

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