Thursday, August 16, 2012

Add Sponsorship to your Marketing Toolbox

As a business owner, you understand that advertising is an investment in your business, not simply an expense that must be paid. Advertising budgets, no matter how robust, do need to stretch a long way – over 52 weeks a year, through a variety of tactics and platforms, and perhaps even across multiple target markets. Small businesses in particular are looking for very efficient uses of their marketing dollars. One of the valuable tactics that I see small businesses regularly overlook is sponsorship.


Sponsorship is often associated with charitable donations. Certainly your business can be a good corporate citizen and support worthy causes in sports, arts and the humanities by becoming a sponsor - in this case, the definition of sponsor really being “donor”. Sponsorship is also associated with big business – for example, McDonald’s sponsoring the London 2012 Olympics. It absolutely works for mega-ventures in the international market, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work in a small business context.

There are appropriate opportunities for small business owners to sponsor activities conducted by organizations with like interests and target markets, for mutual benefit. These are opportunities where your business name/logo will be plastered all over event invitations, signage, programmes etc., essentially advertising your business to all of the (potential) attendees. Many sponsorship opportunities allow you to make a personal appearance at the event with a trade show display, two minutes at the microphone, or simply getting face-to-face to network with their (your soon-to-be) clients. Many offer the flexibility to negotiate terms most suitable to you. Given the right organization, event and target participant, you can build a name for yourself as a business that is a leading expert in your field, personally interested in your customers’ satisfaction, and an active leader in your community. We’re talking here about building your brand. Few paid advertisements can accomplish all that!

Think about the demographics and behaviour of your target market(s). Where do they gather? How can you be in that space? Seek out the organizations that already bring customers together and investigate sponsoring their initiatives. Your industry association, your suppliers, your local networking associations (including The Brampton Board of Trade) etc. will likely have formal or even informal sponsorship opportunities. If they are not blatantly published, pitch your own ideas to those organizations you want to partner with!

If sponsorship is new to you, consider sponsoring SBEC’s “Pledge to Prosper” initiative as a gentle introduction; sponsorships start at the small business price of just $75! Visit www.brampton-business.com for all the details and contact me to discuss.