How Do You Get a Sponsor For Your Blog, Podcast, Videos or Event
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It’s all about the win-win strategy. Always.
Before you ask how to get a sponsor for
your blog, podcast, video channel or event, you may want to take a look
at your offering from the sponsor’s perspective.
Can you offer a sponsor a good
return on their investment in sponsoring your website, event, podcast or
other captured audience method? In other words, if a sponsor
wants to spend money to reach your audience, will they see results? Do
you have a targeted demographic that the sponsor is looking to connect
with? And is the content that you are providing to this audience in
sync with the sponsor’s core values and messaging?
There are a number of different variables
that come into play when looking for a sponsor, so before we get into
the ‘how’, it would benefit you to take a look at your traffic numbers
and demographics to give you a crystal clear picture of the value that
you are bringing to the sponsorship.
If you are seeking a sponsor for your blog, know your stats.
How many unique visitors do you have to your site daily, weekly,
monthly, annually? If you are looking to get your podcast sponsored,
how many listeners does your show generate on average? Does your blog
or podcast inspire active conversations in the comments and /or on
social media? How does your audience break down in terms of age, sex,
marital status, education level, household income, geography, interests
and spending habits?
Once you have a snap shot of your audience
and how consistently they are engaging with the medium that you would
like to have sponsored, it is time to think about who you are going to
target as a potential sponsor and what you would like to propose that
the sponsorship would include. Make a list of your top 10 ideal sponsors
and then research their brand values, mission statement and who they
have sponsored in the past. This information will help you tailor your
presentation for each potential sponsor and give you some key points to
bring up during your initial meeting that will help them know, like and
trust you. In other words… speak THEIR language during any meetings.
Once you have done your research, it’s time to Google the company
and look for marketing directors, brand managers and sponsorship
managers. If you can’t find this information online, don’t be afraid to
simply pick up the phone and make friends with the company
receptionist. Don’t stop until you have at least 5-10 contact names,
phone numbers and emails from your ideal sponsor list.
Remember, if you call with a smile on your face and a win-win attitude, you are more likely to get what you are looking for.
As soon as you have the name, phone number
and email list, it is game time. Draft an introductory email where you
express your desire to connect. Talk about something that the
company is doing well with their messaging, an award or accolade that
that they recently received or something that is making an impact on the
audience in a positive way. Then, include a sentence about an
idea that you have about synergy between your message and theirs and
suggest setting up a time to talk. Give 3 days and times that work for
you and keep it simple. 3 paragraphs maximum. If you don’t hear back,
follow up in 3-5 days with another short email. Set reminder alerts in
your calendar application so you always remember to follow up.
The name of the game is persistence with a smile.
The sponsorship presentation and proposal that you create is not about
your brand as much as it is about the potential sponsor getting what
they need from the sponsorship. Don’t do all of the talking, but ask
questions and LISTEN. Know the value that you bring to the table and
have confidence that the audience you have is of value to a sponsor, you
just have to believe in your offering enough to let your enthusiasm be
contagious. Above all, don’t give up!
Do you have a story about getting a sponsor
for your blog, podcast, videos or event? Do you have any tips to add
to this post or questions about anything that has been said? Please
leave your thoughts in the comments, feel free to pass this post along
on social media and have a wonderful day!
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