Maybe you are trying to improve your charity’s fundraising, or maybe you have just started a CIC; you could just be fundraising for a single-issue cause. Whichever category you fit into, the key factor is that you need to raise money. Finding a sponsor or sponsors can be the answer to your prayers but be aware that with corporate sponsorship comes responsibility.
After working in PR and marketing for a number of years, I have become increasingly aware of the pitfalls that can come from poor CSR Marketing. Most of us happily donate to causes that connect to our aspirations and ethos; the same goes for businesses.
Below are my top tips for finding a sponsor and achieving sponsorship success.
Offer a range of sponsorship packages.
Businesses have varying marketing budgets and will always want to find something that is tailored to them. Think about how you are going to pull them in to support your cause. What will you offer them in return for their cash or resources? For larger sponsors, the package will need to be as lucrative as the money that you are expecting from them.
Think about exclusivity
We all like to receive offers of money, but in business, sometimes there has to be a level of exclusivity. For example, it would be difficult to ethically do the marketing for a building firm and also market their competitor just up the road. The same needs to be said for sponsorship. While it is fantastic to receive as many donations as possible, think about how your sponsors may feel if another company offering the same service is listed next to them on your website. By offering exclusivity within your sponsorship package, you can ensure that you keep your donors happy and maintain a long-lasting relationship with them.
Be fair
This works along the same lines as exclusivity. The last thing you need is to have donors talking amongst themselves and discovering that each has received different packages for less money. It doesn’t look good for your cause, and it may stop you from receiving other donations and sponsorship.
Be organised
Showing donors that you are organised and that you can successfully run an event/cause is vital if you want to receive good funding. By sponsoring you, those businesses are publicly stating that they believe that their money will be spent wisely. They are also allowing their brand to be tied to yours. If you aren’t organised, are late in updating them or can’t show them how and where their money has been spent, you will be at risk of losing their support in the future.
Check your marketing with your sponsors
As you are undoubtedly aware, building a brand is a difficult and time-consuming process. Legally, branding is usually copyrighted and in, many cases, brand names are the intellectual property of the directors of a company. Despite having the best intentions at publicising a donor, it is vital that you check with them before you use their name or their logo. The best-laid plans can always backfire and the last thing you want to do is upset or annoy a donor. For any content on your website, print literature or social media platforms, make sure that the businesses mentioned are happy and have signed it off.
Make sure that your sponsors fit with your brand
“We are judged by the company that we keep” is very much the case in business. Think about who is offering to sponsor you and whether their ethos reflects your cause. Are they simply donating because they can see a good marketing opportunity, or are they genuinely a caring organisation?
Similarly, are their staff happy? Do they have a good local reputation? If they don’t, then you may want to avoid them politely.
If you are a CIC, charity, or good cause and need advice on how to attract and retain sponsors get in touch.
