A Sponsorship Plan is a strategic blueprint that helps a club identify, approach, and manage sponsorships effectively.
It outlines how sponsorships can generate revenue, support club activities, and build relationships with businesses and organisations.
For a club committee, having a comprehensive plan in place ensures everyone is aligned, and it provides a clear structure for attracting and retaining sponsors.
Objective Setting:
Revenue Generation: determine how much revenue you aim to generate through sponsorships.
Community Engagement: identify how sponsorships will strengthen your club’s role in the community and its visibility.
Brand Enhancement: ensure sponsors align with your club’s values, vision, and mission, and that the partnership helps enhance both the sponsor’s and the club’s brand.
Revenue Generation: determine how much revenue you aim to generate through sponsorships.
Community Engagement: identify how sponsorships will strengthen your club’s role in the community and its visibility.
Brand Enhancement: ensure sponsors align with your club’s values, vision, and mission, and that the partnership helps enhance both the sponsor’s and the club’s brand.
Potential Sponsor Categories:
Local Businesses: small and medium-sized businesses in your club’s area.
National Brands: large companies interested in reaching a broader audience.
Industry Partners: companies whose products or services align with the club’s activities (e.g., sportswear, health and wellness brands).
Government Organisations: sponsors who want to support local or community-driven initiatives.
Considerations:
Alignment with Audience: ensure the sponsor’s target market aligns with your club’s members and fans.
Industry Fit: identify businesses whose objectives match the values and activities of your club (e.g., sports apparel brands, financial institutions, local restaurants).
Sponsor Capacity: research the sponsor’s ability to provide adequate support based on their marketing and budgets.
Local Businesses: small and medium-sized businesses in your club’s area.
National Brands: large companies interested in reaching a broader audience.
Industry Partners: companies whose products or services align with the club’s activities (e.g., sportswear, health and wellness brands).
Government Organisations: sponsors who want to support local or community-driven initiatives.
Considerations:
Alignment with Audience: ensure the sponsor’s target market aligns with your club’s members and fans.
Industry Fit: identify businesses whose objectives match the values and activities of your club (e.g., sports apparel brands, financial institutions, local restaurants).
Sponsor Capacity: research the sponsor’s ability to provide adequate support based on their marketing and budgets.
What to Include:
1. Advertising Assets:
Signage at events (venue, track-side banners, event trade booths)
Branding on club merchandise
Media exposure: social media, websites, email marketing, newsletters, podcasts
Event sponsorships: naming rights for specific events or competitions
Exclusive rights for premium events (eg., “Official Partner of the Club Championship”)
2. Engagement Opportunities:
Opportunities for sponsors to be featured at events (eg. meet and greets, product displays)
Social media campaigns, including sponsor mentions or hashtags
Member exclusives: discounts, offers, or promotions that sponsors can provide directly to your members.
3. Club Assets:
Membership database for targeted marketing
Media channels: website, social media accounts, email lists
Community reach: eeach through your local community and events.
Why it’s important:
A well-documented asset register allows you to approach sponsors with a clear understanding of what your club can offer and ensures that you don’t miss any potential revenue sources.
1. Advertising Assets:
Signage at events (venue, track-side banners, event trade booths)
Branding on club merchandise
Media exposure: social media, websites, email marketing, newsletters, podcasts
Event sponsorships: naming rights for specific events or competitions
Exclusive rights for premium events (eg., “Official Partner of the Club Championship”)
2. Engagement Opportunities:
Opportunities for sponsors to be featured at events (eg. meet and greets, product displays)
Social media campaigns, including sponsor mentions or hashtags
Member exclusives: discounts, offers, or promotions that sponsors can provide directly to your members.
3. Club Assets:
Membership database for targeted marketing
Media channels: website, social media accounts, email lists
Community reach: eeach through your local community and events.
Why it’s important:
A well-documented asset register allows you to approach sponsors with a clear understanding of what your club can offer and ensures that you don’t miss any potential revenue sources.
Sponsorship Levels:
Title Sponsor (Premier): high-profile sponsorship with significant media exposure and exclusive rights. Includes naming rights to major events and logos prominently displayed.
Gold Sponsor: significant exposure but with fewer exclusive rights than the title sponsor. Includes branding on event materials and digital channels.
Silver Sponsor: mid-level sponsorship, offering branding at events and some media exposure.
Bronze Sponsor: entry-level sponsorship with branding at events or on specific smaller collateral.
In-kind Sponsorship: non-financial support, like product or services in exchange for exposure.
Custom Opportunities:
Tailor packages based on the sponsor’s specific needs and budget. For example, larger sponsors might prefer a bespoke offer, including customised activation opportunities.
Title Sponsor (Premier): high-profile sponsorship with significant media exposure and exclusive rights. Includes naming rights to major events and logos prominently displayed.
Gold Sponsor: significant exposure but with fewer exclusive rights than the title sponsor. Includes branding on event materials and digital channels.
Silver Sponsor: mid-level sponsorship, offering branding at events and some media exposure.
Bronze Sponsor: entry-level sponsorship with branding at events or on specific smaller collateral.
In-kind Sponsorship: non-financial support, like product or services in exchange for exposure.
Custom Opportunities:
Tailor packages based on the sponsor’s specific needs and budget. For example, larger sponsors might prefer a bespoke offer, including customised activation opportunities.
Pitch Document:
Include the value proposition: what does the sponsor get in return? Be specific about exposure, target audience, and potential ROI.
Outline your audience demographics (age, interests, location, purchasing behavior).
Provide examples of previous sponsor success stories (case studies, testimonials, or media coverage).
Share measurable outcomes from past sponsorships if available (eg. increased attendance, social media impressions, sales metrics).
Why it’s important:
A professional and compelling pitch shows that your club has thought through the sponsorship process, can deliver on promises, and understands the sponsor’s needs.
Include the value proposition: what does the sponsor get in return? Be specific about exposure, target audience, and potential ROI.
Outline your audience demographics (age, interests, location, purchasing behavior).
Provide examples of previous sponsor success stories (case studies, testimonials, or media coverage).
Share measurable outcomes from past sponsorships if available (eg. increased attendance, social media impressions, sales metrics).
Why it’s important:
A professional and compelling pitch shows that your club has thought through the sponsorship process, can deliver on promises, and understands the sponsor’s needs.
What Sponsors Receive:
Visibility through various media channels (social media, website, in-game signage, print media, email newsletters)
Brand association with the club’s values and community engagement.
Direct engagement with the club’s audience through contests, product promotions, or event activations.
Exclusivity in certain categories, ensuring no direct competitors are sponsoring similar events or activities.
Networking opportunities through exclusive sponsor-only events or VIP access to club activities.
Visibility through various media channels (social media, website, in-game signage, print media, email newsletters)
Brand association with the club’s values and community engagement.
Direct engagement with the club’s audience through contests, product promotions, or event activations.
Exclusivity in certain categories, ensuring no direct competitors are sponsoring similar events or activities.
Networking opportunities through exclusive sponsor-only events or VIP access to club activities.
Determine Pricing:
Set tiered pricing for each sponsorship level based on the value of exposure and the assets offered.
Ensure that the price is competitive yet reflective of the value and outcomes a sponsor can expect (eg. website hits, attendance numbers, social media reach).
Include flexibility in your packages to allow for negotiation, especially for larger or custom sponsors.
Negotiation Tips:
Always start with a higher price point, leaving room for negotiation.
Be prepared to tailor your offer but always ensure that the club’s core value proposition remains intact.
Set tiered pricing for each sponsorship level based on the value of exposure and the assets offered.
Ensure that the price is competitive yet reflective of the value and outcomes a sponsor can expect (eg. website hits, attendance numbers, social media reach).
Include flexibility in your packages to allow for negotiation, especially for larger or custom sponsors.
Negotiation Tips:
Always start with a higher price point, leaving room for negotiation.
Be prepared to tailor your offer but always ensure that the club’s core value proposition remains intact.
Activation Plan:
Pre-activation: promote your sponsors via social media shout-outs, press releases, email marketing, and website features before the event.
During activation: ensure your sponsors get maximum visibility at the event, whether through banners, branded merchandise, or opportunities for direct engagement with the audience.
Post-activation: provide follow-up reports showing key metrics like social media engagement, website traffic, or attendee demographics, and how the sponsor’s brand was positioned.
Pre-activation: promote your sponsors via social media shout-outs, press releases, email marketing, and website features before the event.
During activation: ensure your sponsors get maximum visibility at the event, whether through banners, branded merchandise, or opportunities for direct engagement with the audience.
Post-activation: provide follow-up reports showing key metrics like social media engagement, website traffic, or attendee demographics, and how the sponsor’s brand was positioned.
Sponsor Reporting:
Regular reports on the impact of their sponsorship, showing key performance metrics (KPIs) such as:
Social media reach and impressions
Event attendance or participation
Website and newsletter clicks
Sales or sign-ups attributed to the sponsorship
Ongoing Communication:
Keep sponsors informed about club achievements and upcoming opportunities.
Send thank-you notes, updates on the impact of their sponsorship, and invitations to future events.
Build a long-term relationship with sponsors to encourage renewal and increase their investment over time.
Regular reports on the impact of their sponsorship, showing key performance metrics (KPIs) such as:
Social media reach and impressions
Event attendance or participation
Website and newsletter clicks
Sales or sign-ups attributed to the sponsorship
Ongoing Communication:
Keep sponsors informed about club achievements and upcoming opportunities.
Send thank-you notes, updates on the impact of their sponsorship, and invitations to future events.
Build a long-term relationship with sponsors to encourage renewal and increase their investment over time.
Evaluate the success of each sponsorship program at the end of the year (or after each event).
Seek feedback from sponsors about the activation process and areas for improvement.
Refine your pitch and sponsorship packages based on sponsor feedback and market trends.
Adjust the pricing and sponsorship opportunities based on the effectiveness of previous years’ campaigns.
Seek feedback from sponsors about the activation process and areas for improvement.
Refine your pitch and sponsorship packages based on sponsor feedback and market trends.
Adjust the pricing and sponsorship opportunities based on the effectiveness of previous years’ campaigns.
Sponsorship Plan Summary
|
Step |
Action |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Define Sponsorship Objectives (revenue, engagement, branding) |
|
2 |
Identify Target Sponsors (local businesses, national brands, industry fit) |
|
3 |
Develop Sponsorship Assets Register (assets, rights, visibility) |
|
4 |
Define Sponsorship Tiers and Packages (Title, Gold, Silver, Bronze) |
|
5 |
Develop a Pitch and Proposal (value proposition, audience demographics) |
|
6 |
Define Sponsorship Benefits (visibility, brand association, exclusivity) |
|
7 |
Set Pricing and Negotiation Guidelines (competitive pricing, flexible offers) |
|
8 |
Build a Sponsorship Activation Plan (pre, during, and post-event activities) |
|
9 |
Create Reporting and Relationship Management System (KPIs, follow-up) |
|
10 |
Review and Refine (evaluate success, gather feedback, improve) |
By following this Sponsorship Plan, your club committee will be equipped to attract and retain sponsors, ensuring long-term partnerships that contribute to the financial stability and growth of your club.