I love legal dramas. I can’t get enough of them. I find the sheer artistry and maneuvering skills of lawyers arguing their cases to be highly entertaining and educational.
Educational? That’s right. A persuasive argument is key to winning your own case in the competitive world of sponsorship recruitment.
Think about a legal drama and the power of the opening statement given by the defense or prosecution.
Delivered well, it sets the tone and the right emotion for the case.
Step 1– Eliminate Love-itis
In the hundreds of sponsorship opportunities I have had to review for corporate clients, nine times out of 10, the opening pitch is delivered by an organization with a severe case of love-itis.
What is love-itis? Love-itis is when the seller is blindly in love with their property to the extent that they ignore the needs of the sponsors they want to recruit.
Don’t get me wrong – seller passion is totally commendable! Perhaps, even essential for the sincerity of a sales pitch. But passion can also be counterproductive because it can dilute or mitigate the passion that ought to be directed toward the sponsor. In sponsorship sales, the focus should be squarely on the sponsor and its brand.
Make no mistake – Whether you have a face-to-face meeting or are limited to a proposal exchange, you only have a few seconds to truly connect with the sponsor.
Step 2 – Research Research Research
Your prospect plan must include dedicated research specifically focused toward each individual company you have identified in your recruitment targets.
Step 3 – Law & Order it!
Once you have determined a company’s organizational pillars, marketing and CSR strategic priorities, L & O it by creating a strong case that connects the dots between your 
opportunity and the prospect’s strategic interests.
With tens of hundreds of sellers competing in the marketplace, “It’s a good cause!” is not a strong enough reason for corporate participation.
And the truth of the matter is that everything is a good cause. Your sponsorship case must drive home why your property is a good opportunity for the brand you are pitching.
Step 4 – Repeat Steps 1-3
Sponsorship is work.
Each company manages its own unique and individual set of strategic priorities. That means each pitch you make must be adapted to speak directly to each individual company’s area of business interest. Always tailor your approach, language and pitch to each individual brand.
Best practices sales and recruitment methods are among the many topics discussed in my one or two-day workshops.
