1) Club Atmosphere - Making a People Plan

Approaching and Looking After Sponsors

Part I - Understanding and Approaching Potential Sponsors

Step 1 - Make a List of Potential Sponsors. Contact the sponsorship manager or marketing manager and check on the approach they prefer. Aim to meet if possible.

Step 2 - Understand Your Sponsors Needs – what sort of people do they want to reach and what are their motives. Make business contacts, advertise, charitable, just love the sport, keen to give product etc.

Step 3 – Develop Sponsorship Options You Can Offer – ask your members for ideas and see the list below

Step 4 - Have Different Levels of Sponsorship with Different Benefits and Costs.

E.g lowest level is logo on the newsletter, highest is a permanent stand, logo on website and newsletter, access to 20 people for 10 hours during the year, discounted club membership and exposure at the annual 3 club tournament.

Step 5 - Make a Proper Proposal – write out a list of benefits and what you expect. The key here is to present a very

professional image – it’s the CV that your club will be judged by. Put yourself in the sponsors shoes and find things about your offer that you think will appeal to them. Make it in colour if possible.

Step 6 – Build the Relationship - if a sponsor knows you, you are halfway there.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Remember it’s a numbers game - so be ready for some “no”s before you get a “yes”

Know Your Value – be wary of caving in to the first sponsor you meet if you feel you are underselling the value. Keep options open until you have a feel for the market.

Be very wary of sponsor request for Membership lists especially as there will be privacy matters you would have to address with your members first and could lead to unwanted or illegal spam to your members.

Avoid Sponsorship Clashes – avoid two sponsors in the same market unless they are forewarned and are ok with that.

Approaching and Looking After Sponsors

Part II - Benefits You Can Offer

Some of the Benefits You Can Offer

1) Signage at the hall – if ok with the owners

2) Inclusion of a free ad or logo on the newsletter

3) Sponsor Presentation to members - be careful with this one that it is a product members would want to have paraded to them and keep it short and not interfering with games

4) Permanent promotion stand in the club – watch out for the workload here

5) Player Profiles – see below

6) Logo on the website – if you have one or if the association will allow you to do this on the club section of their site. Note the association will have it’s own sponsor commitments so don’t be surprised if you can’t

7) Discounted club memberships - to sponsorship employees and invitation to prizegiving at year end. This can work well if you are part of a multiple club or gym and the sponsor is a large or sporty company.

8) Free Extras - some sports suppliers – e.g. racquets and shuttles etc can be very open to sponsoring gear as part of a supply arrangement or for a key tournament.

9) Tournaments / Events Profile - involving large clubs in your area even from other associations these could also be run in conjunction with other clubs to share the workload and rewards.

10) Manpower – be careful with this one but if say 10 or 20 club members are keen for certain types of work this could be attractive to certain sponsors. (e.g. leaflet drops, stock takes, manning promotion stands, taste testing some of them can be fun)

11) Business Contacts – check out the business contacts at your club who may be willing to advertise services of a sponsor to their company or do business with a potential sponsor. More of a long shot but you’d be surprised at what contacts your club members could generate.

12) List your members’ interests to some sponsors – for example if many of your members play other sports that may be of more interest to retailers wanting to hit multiple sports markets.

13) Naming Rights – be careful here and seek general club support for this one. But can be very rewarding especially if a big club or have your own building on a busy part of town.

14) Profile as a Sports Supporter – this carries weight in the community and can lead to them getting informal news coverage if the club is able to get articles in the local paper mentioning their supporting sponsor(s).

Pitfalls to Avoid

Providing the Sponsor Club Membership Lists – would tend to avoid this as you have to check with every club member re: privacy and can lead to a lot of junk mail and spam which would be out of your control.

Player Sponsorships – What You and the Player Can Offer

Profile the Player and Sponsor on the website.

Website on the Player Shirt – this can be attractive if playing overseas for companies wanting to enter overseas markets or if entering schools.

Have a Media Promotions Plan - promote the player in local media and have a plan for this before approaching the sponsor. Aim to profile the player, your organisation and the sponsor.

Exhibitions – to the sponsors clients, customers, general audience they wish to market to – e.g. kids fairs

Likeness of the Player for Advertising – less likely in our sport but depends on the media profile – could work for example of associated with a televised tournament or if the market is very niche.

The Player Should be Involved - in discussions and be comfortable with the sponsor and what is being asked for.

Exposure into Schools - especially if the player is also a development officer or coach with regular school contact and the sponsor has a key market there.

Know the Value – ask around other similar sports to check on value before you start.

Discounted Tickets - and tables to events the player is playing in – especially if a key international or event you are hosting.

Patron – you could have a non paying sponsor or patron who is influential in the local or national business community and who agrees to turn up to say 2 key events per year. This may help attract other paying sponsors on board as a chance to meet them, if they are the right person.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Don’t Overburden the Player - with commitments keep in mind performance first. Keep them fully involved in the process and fully informed.

Approaching and Looking After Sponsors

Part III Looking After Your Sponsor

Keep them Informed – Once sponsors are on board honour the commitment. List them on the newsletter etc and send them one every time you produce one aim to give them more than they expect.

Invite them to unctions - to at least two key functions a year and introduce them to club members. Get to know whether they prefer formal or informal functions.

Know their Passions - E.g if they really love the sport make sure you do things to allow them to take a more active part in the club. E.g watching or playing or getting a supporters badge etc.

Keep in Regular Contact – at least once every 3 months depending on what works for both of you. It can just be phone call to make sure they are happy with how things are progressing and feel respected and appreciated.

Be Aware of Tax Incentives – be aware of their needs for letters for donations or charity tax reductions or other paperwork.

Promote them to the Organisation - Encourage people in the club to use their services regularly not just when the sponsor is there. Honouring the agreement is crucial.

Keep an Eye out for Extra Promotion Opportunities – look for ways to always promote your sponsor and keep it at the forefront of those in charge of advertising the club. E.g. if doing an article in a paper, billboard – depending on the agreement. Also look for ways that the sponsor can promote your club - either in their organisation or to others (e.g. website links etc.)

Recognition – honour sponsors and give recognition at prizegiving awards.