connecting people,opportunities and ideas

Here is the Tuesday Morning briefing e-newsletter from my friend Brent Barootes and his take on sponsorship management.

I once heard the term (and have since used it on many occasions) that sponsorship is like babysitting. As a property (someone who sells sponsorship) you really become a “babysitter” for your sponsors. The longer I am in this business, the more I agree. But recently I have felt the term may better be “mentor” or “consultant”.

I do believe it is the role of the property to educate, to advise and to work with a sponsor to truly understand sponsorship. No one knows the property better than the property owner. The property must hold the hand of the sponsor and walk them through, show them what they can provide within their organization to help the sponsor achieve their goals. (Or for those of you that read this commentary last week, to ‘take away the hurt’.) Sponsors are busy. On average according to the 2009 Canadian Sponsorship Landscape Study, sponsors have investments in 12 properties and receive hundreds of submissions. The property that can “help” the sponsor to better understand how they can assist; who can hold their hand to give them ideas on activation; show them unique opportunities that will WOW their target audience and watch over their budgets for them will be successful.

Perhaps when we start out with a property we need to babysit our sponsors. But as we grow our role changes from babysitter to mentor or consultant. Properties are not there to “sell” product to sponsor. In the best of all worlds, they are there to consult, mentor and advise sponsors and prospective sponsors on how to “take away the hurt” and gain results that matter.

This is one person’s thoughts. Yours are welcomed as well so email me at brent@partnershipgroup.ca or visit our web site for more information by clicking on Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists and thank you for reading.

Brent Barootes
President
Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists

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I developed a sponsorship program for a real estate developer who provided “aspirational luxury” stores at his retail properties for consumers who “aspired” to a luxury lifestyle.

It worked in retail as consumers shop to feel better, using consumption as therapy.  We sold sponsorships leveraging access to the consumers when their guard was down (while shopping) from being inundated by brand messages that were sent through traditional media channels.

I found an interesting organization that is offering partnerships by rewarding future behavior – and inspiring that behavior.

What is an X PRIZE?

An X PRIZE is a $10 million+ award given to the first team to achieve a specific goal, set by the X PRIZE Foundation, which has the potential to benefit humanity. Rather than awarding money to honor past achievements or directly funding research, an X PRIZE incites innovation by tapping into our competitive and entrepreneurial spirits.

How enlightened.  Why be aspirational if you can be inspirational?

Lesa Ukman recently blogged about the importance of activating sponsorships with meaning and delivering value for the consumer.  As usual, she has her pulse on the beat of the industry.  Here is a link to the blog

Lesa’s Blog