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4 tips to manage event sponsorships

Posted February 23, 2023 by Virginia Davidson

It takes a lot of work to manage an event, so it’s important to have systems in place to handle details like event sponsorships. Follow these four suggestions to create a system to manage event sponsorships that can work well for you and your sponsors:

1.  Plan ahead and pay attention to eligibility

Many companies require sponsorship requests to be submitted at least 60 to 90 days prior to the event date. Seek out sponsorships well in advance of your event so that you aren’t missing out on opportunities. When researching companies to solicit, be on the lookout for any eligibility guidelines and take those seriously. If a company won’t sponsor golf tournaments, for example, they won’t make an exception for your organization.

2.  Be sure you can fulfill sponsorship benefits

Review the benefits you’re promising at each sponsorship level. Make a plan for how you’ll fulfill those benefits. If you’ve promised sponsors that their logos will appear in your newsletter or event program, you need to allocate space for those well in advance of a deadline.

3.  Make it easy to collect commitments

Some companies have an online application system you’ll use to submit sponsorship requests. But in other cases, you’ll need to put together your own solicitation materials to send to your prospective sponsors. For the latter scenario, create an online form that companies can use to submit their sponsorship. This will make the process more convenient for sponsors and for you. Obtain the sponsorship’s logo at the time that they submit their sponsorship form and specify the logo file types that you need. (Tip: If you’re using LGL forms, you can add a “File Upload” field to the form to allow the companies to submit their logo file/s.)

4.  Create an acknowledgment template specifically for sponsorships

The language in a sponsorship letter differs from the language used for a charitable contribution. But, it’s still important to express appreciation and provide accurate details of the financial support. Create an acknowledgment template specifically for sponsors so you can appropriately thank and steward these supporters.

For more ideas on making your fundraising event a success and how Little Green Light can help you manage your event, check out this resource.

 

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