How to Create a Sponsorship Package
A sponsorship package must provide strong benefits for both the event, team or individual seeking sponsorship and the organization providing it. The package must meet the sponsoring organization’s own marketing objectives and set out the sponsor’s obligations. A successful package should also include metrics that will enable both parties to measure the results of the sponsorship.
Describe the event, project, team or individual seeking sponsorship. List the sponsorship requirements, which could include financial contributions toward costs or material contributions, such as uniforms or equipment for a sports team. An athlete, for example might seek a financial contribution toward the cost of training and traveling to competitions, plus material contributions in the form of clothing and footwear for training and competition. A business conference might seek financial support for operating costs, payments to speakers, production of brochures or giveaways for conference attendees.
To attract a range of sponsors, offer different packages, such as gold, silver or bronze sponsorship. Set out the cost, timeline and benefits to the sponsor for each package. Sponsorship packages for a single business conference, for example, might range from event naming rights at the top level to small announcements or logos in the event brochure. Sports teams might offer a choice of long-term naming rights for a stadium or sponsor’s name and logo on the team uniform for two years. Smaller sponsors might have the choice of logos within the stadium or ads in the game programs for one year.
Sponsors want to be associated with a successful or high-profile organization or event. The sponsorship package must include information on factors such as the size and profile of a conference audience or the performance and achievements of a sports club or individual player. A sponsorship proposal for an event that receives radio or television coverage should include any audience figures available from broadcasters.
The package must provide benefits in line with sponsors’ marketing objectives. A company sponsoring an event such as a regional or national golf tournament would benefit from increased visibility to an affluent audience, plus association with a high-profile sporting event and opportunities for prime-time television coverage. A company sponsoring a local business event would gain increased networking opportunities with the business community, while a company sponsoring a conference on green issues has the opportunity to enhance its environmental credentials.