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No More Homeless Pets Forum
July 26, 2004 Getting Support from Local Businesses |
How can you develop relationships with the businesses and corporations in your community? What should you ask for? And how should you ask? Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle of No More Homeless Pets in Utah will offer their advice and answer your questions.
Introduction from Julie Castle:
Do you find the world of sponsorship and relating to businesses intimidating and hard to understand? Do you have a hard time doing the "business-speak" thing? Are you tired of being tossed around the corporate voice mail with no response to your requests? Do you want to get things sponsored by your community's businesses but don't know where to start or how to ask? Well, it's time to start getting what you want from your friends in the business world!Learn how to get your foot in the door with any corporation in your community. Learn why businesses in your community need you more than you think they do. Learn why it's important to ask for a partnership rather than a donation. Learn why the needs of your organization aren't all that different from those of the corporation you're after for support, and finally, learn how to break through the clutter of logo land and create truly memorable sponsorship opportunities.
Questions
What should a sponsorship proposal package look like
What to say in a meeting when presenting a proposal
Recognizing corporate sponsors
Follow up on proposals
How to get big ticket items like trips and airline tickets donated
How to stand out when all businesses are being hit up by many non-profits
Getting donations of food and litter
Getting groups to partner with cause marketing
How much should you ask for?
Defining what is a "sponsor"
How often and how many events can you ask a business to sponsor?
Combining efforts with other non-profits to make sponsorship more attractive
Proposal samples and final thoughts
What a sponsorship proposal package should look like
Question from Jen:
We are ready to start putting together a program for attracting corporate sponsors. We know that we need to put together a basic proposal package to present to potential sponsors, but we're not sure what to include in it. What would you consider to be the basics?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
It sounds like you are off to a good start. You are smart to compile a basic format for your sponsorship proposals before contacting companies. What I have found to work the best is to come up with a template for sponsorship proposals and then customize each individual one for that specific company. This way it won't come across that you have sent out a cookie cutter proposal to several companies. Some basic components of your template proposal should include the following:1. Deck
A deck is a 3 - 4 page professional looking booklet detailing the event or program for which you desire sponsorship. You can print out several of these at one time because you don't need to change them for each proposal. They are a great way to help your proposal stand out and help personalize the event/program through pictures and color. I make these very colorful and load them full of pictures so sponsors can see what the event is all about. Important items to include are the demographics, basic advertising, and event/program features. Submit a deck like this with your customized proposal as a better way to describe what the company can sponsor. It is worth the time and money to get your decks professionally printed in color (Kinko's can do that), and if possible work with a graphics artist to help with the layout. I have had several compliments from sponsors saying how impressed they are with the decks, and how they help to distinguish ours from all the other proposals they receive.
2. Template proposal
- Cover page. Include the company's logo if possible.
- Brief paragraph describing your organization.
- Brief paragraph describing the event/program (cover any features that are new, but keep it short because you are including the deck).
- "How it could Work" is basically describing how a partnership could work with that company.
- "Sponsorship Benefits" can be a bulleted list of everything that your organization can offer that company. Make sure to have the most attractive items at the top.
- "Sponsorship Responsibilities" can also be a bulleted list of what the company's requirements would be to sponsor the event. You may want to detail different levels of cash here if necessary.
What to say in a meeting when presenting a proposal
Question from a member:
Once you get your foot in the door with a business and have a meeting or phone call set up with them, should your initial contact just be to feel them out and pitch a basic concept and see their reaction, or should you have a fully prepared proposal ready to go with what you can offer and what you expect from them? We just got a meeting with a big business in town and don't want to blow it. We want to seem prepared, but don't want to seem like we aren't open to input or their ideas.Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
First of all congratulations for getting a meeting! The hardest part about sponsorship is doing the cold calling and securing a meeting, so you already seem like you are on the right track.Now about the first meeting, you are correct in saying that you want to seem and be prepared. Being prepared meaning that you have come up with a basic plan for how you see the partnership moving forward. It also means that you've done your research and have some idea of what the goals of the company would be in entering into a sponsorship.
Your basic plan should all be detailed out in a professional type proposal such as a power point presentation. Through experience I have found that you have to find the middle ground on having a solid concept of the partnership you would like and be open to changes and ideas that may come up during the meeting. The best way to be in this position is to make sure to stay open for input during your presentation. You can do this through your power point (or other type) of presentation by not being too wordy and using words like "it is suggested…" instead of "it will be…" This way after every point you present there is the opportunity for comment.
The best presentations turn into brainstorming sessions, where both parties are excited about the project and are coming up with new ideas, or variations on your theme. There's no harm in adding ambitious ideas, as long as you don't go over the top. The sponsor can always say, "We like this, but that wouldn't work for us."
Also on the very last page of the presentation you can ask for suggestions or comments by the company. I have found that meetings sometimes become a great think tank of ideas for how to better the proposed partnership.
Recognizing corporate sponsors
Question from Sandy:
I have been told that in order for a local business to support our program, we have to show them what's in it for them. We've been racking our brains to figure out how a small group like ours, with very little name recognition in the community, can do that. What are some of the ways corporate sponsors like to be "recognized"?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
If in fact what you are looking at doing with the company is a sponsorship and not a donation, then yes, the company does need to get something out of the partnership. That is the main difference between a sponsorship and a donation. Let me go into further definition of the two before I continue with the question.A donation from a company is strictly the giving of money or in-kind services/product to the organization. In almost all cases the company is not looking for anything in return, and the money that is allocated usually comes out of their community affairs budgets or like thereof.
A sponsorship is more considered as an investment for the company to achieve a particular goal. The money probably comes out of their marketing budget and is seen as a way to sell more product/services, gain brand recognition, opportunity for the company to be seen as a good corporate citizen, capture names, etc.
Now to answer your question on how a company wants to be recognized, you need to first evaluate your organization and what you have to offer. Some examples of this would be:
1. Website
This is a great place to post the company's logo with a link to their site. You can also put in a little blurb about what the company is doing to support your organization.
2. Advertising or marketing materials
If the company is sponsoring a specific event or program of your organization and you produce any marketing materials for it (poster, flyer, t-shirt, print ad, etc.) the logo of the company can be attached so those who are viewing the material can see that they are sponsors.
3. Newsletter
Feature the company and what they are doing for your organization, and remember to include their logo.
Finally, find out what the "hot buttons" are of the specific company. Meaning do they want to capture names, like a car dealership or bank would to get people in to test-drive or open more checking accounts. Or do they want to sample to a large animal-loving crowd, like a pet food company might for instance. Once you know this you can figure out a way that would appeal to the company and compile a customized proposal for this.
With sponsorship you don't have to be a large, wealthy organization able to tempt sponsors with a lot of radio or TV support for your event. You do however need to be creative on what your organization can offer. You also need to talk to the correct individuals in a company, often the marketing department, so a partnership (even at a low level) can be formed.
Follow up on proposals
Question from Amy:
How do you know what is a good timeframe for following up on a proposal you sent and how often should you contact them without bugging them? I sent a proposal to a company after talking with them on the phone. They sounded very interested, but I hadn't heard back in two weeks. So I called to follow up and left another message. I still haven't heard. I don't want to bug them where they don't want to work with me, but I am worried that maybe they never got the message or the proposal. What is standard protocol?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
Great that you brought up this aspect of selling a sponsorship! You will find that talking to an individual's voicemail is a very common thing when following up with a proposal. Here is the standard protocol that we use for follow up procedure:1. After getting the okay to send off a proposal we will mail it off within two to three days.
2. We do a follow up call exactly one week from when we mailed the proposal. In this call we will ask if they received the proposal, and if they have any initial questions on it. We also will indicate a timeframe for when we can expect to hear back from them, or when we will be checking back in. We like the idea of calling in one week because in most cases the proposal will have arrived, and you will find out if it landed on the correct person's desk, and can give them a reminder to review the proposal.
3. If we have not heard from the company after the one-week call, we follow up the next week. This is only the case if we haven't received a follow-up date. Otherwise, if the company has given you a specific timeframe for getting back to them, then honor that. You can also switch to email if that has proved to be a better way to communicate with the company.
We have found that in most cases we are not bugging them with phone calls, or at least we think we're not! You have to use your best judgment on their demeanor and attitude over the phone to determine this. If they seem to be inundated with proposals, it may be nice to give them reminders so you to stick out in their minds when they are reviewing the numerous prospects. You will find that in most cases you are leaving voicemails, which we have found to be the nature of the business. It can be at times very frustrating to not get an answer on the proposal you worked hard on. This is why it is important to keep following up in a professional manner. In your case, it sounds like they were at one time very interested. So keep on pursuing the opportunity.
How to get big ticket items like trips and airline tickets donated
Question from a member:
How do organizations go about getting the cool things to auction or raffle off that I always see, like trips, airline tickets, cruises, wine country tours, etc.? What can you possibly offer to out of town, or even out of state places, to get them to agree to sponsor an event or donate services?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
It's as simple as putting together a list of companies that you would like to get donations from for your raffle or silent auction, and picking up the phone and asking what their protocol is. A lot of organizations make the mistake of never picking up the phone and just sending out a form letter asking the company for a donation. This in turn gets lost in the numerous requests the company receives and you are most likely to be rejected. We have found that calling the company directly and asking for their community affairs department for a donation and/or their marketing department for a sponsorship, and then following their guidelines for submitting a request seems to work best. You will find at times you speak directly to the correct person at the company, and can discuss first-hand what you are requesting for the raffle or silent auction.As far as a company that is not located in your community and what you can offer them, treat it like a normal sponsorship partnership. Put a value on what they are donating to determine what to offer them. In one of yesterday's forum questions we detailed out how you can evaluate your organization and what you can offer for a sponsorship. These included website mention, logo recognition on advertising materials, newsletter mention, press releases, etc. A company wants to be able to get some PR out of doing a sponsorship with your organization as well as exposure for their name. Their money is coming from their marketing and advertising budgets, so they need to be able to see a return on their investment.
In the sponsorship world there are some sophisticated procedures for calculating the value of your event to a sponsor, but these involve assessing the value of advertising ‘impressions' and other technical measures, which are beyond the scope of small organizations, though very relevant to larger ones.
How to stand out when all businesses are being hit up by many non-profits
Question from Barb:
I live in a rural area with several small towns in the vicinity. We have no large pet stores like PETsMART or PETCO. We do have K-Mart and Wal-Mart as our biggest stores. We also have a farm supply store that sells pet food and supplies. The problem is that all the local businesses get hit over and over for donations for every kind of fundraiser under the sun, to the point where they have given all they can give.We have a dog walk, and a golf tournament, and a dinner-auction. We are fairly new, so this is the first year for all three of them, and we are trying to identify what types of businesses would be the most interested in sponsoring our events. Wal-Mart helps us out by letting us do tabling in front of their store (they won't allow us to have animals there). The farm supply store lets us do an adoption event there twice a month, so we hate to hit them up again for sponsorship. Please give us some suggestions for what types of things we can offer these businesses. How we can approach them so they won't think we're just another group asking for a handout. What can we do to make them want to help our organization?
Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
The first thing to look at is what other types of businesses are in your community that aren't necessarily animal related or the "big ones" that get hit up all the time. Some examples would be insurance, real estate, restaurants, cell phone companies, veterinarians, etc. These types of businesses may like to help out on a small level for your events or may be inclined to donate product or a service for your auction. Another way to go is to look at the companies who may not be present in your community, but their product or service is. The most obvious would be a pet food company. It is almost guaranteed that a rep covers your area and has some money allocated to sponsor an event. The best way to do this is go to the company's website and determine who covers your area. You can also look at other types of pet product companies. A great way to compile a list is to research the Internet looking at pet product companies. Then determine whether they would benefit from exposure in your community.When it comes to the obvious businesses in your community, such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart, and how to distinguish your organization from the many that approach them, think creatively. Instead of going to them and asking for a straight up donation, try to find a way to benefit them through a sponsorship partnership. Research their company and what they are looking at achieving in a community where they do business. Maybe you can present them with an opportunity where they have greater prominence than normal in an event such as your dog walk. Call them the presenting sponsor and set up registration in their store. Come up with ways to involve their employees in volunteering, gathering donations, or representing the company at your event. This may be a very attractive venture for a large company as they are always looking at ways to boost employee morale. You can combine all these efforts so that when you go to them asking for money, service or product for your event/program, you stand out from the crowd of organizations asking them for money.
Getting donations of food and litter
Question from Carol:
I am a volunteer coordinator and foster program coordinator at an open-door shelter. Of course at this time of year, we have a large number of kittens needing to be fostered. We get few donations of kitten food or litter, which discourages some people from fostering. How do I go about requesting donations of food and litter from area stores?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
The best way to get donations for your program is to first come up with a target list of stores in your area that carry the products you wish to have donated. Once you have done this then make the phone call to each one and ask to talk to the store director to set up a meeting to discuss your needs. They may ask you to submit a letter requesting a donation, and at that point it is basically a matter of following that store's protocol. Most of these stores have product that they can no longer sell because the packaging is damaged or something along those lines, and they just haven't taken the time to find an organization to give it to. By your organization taking the initiative, you should discover there is a lot out there to be donated.The second approach is to go directly to the product manufacturers. If you are looking for pet food donations, contact the local rep for your area and discuss with them the possibility of getting food donated every month. If you are seeking cat litter then contact the manufacturer and find out how to get donated product for your area. You may find that in meeting with a local store director, he or she refers you to talk to the vendor directly to get the product. If this is the case, request the contact information from the store director and go from there.
I am pretty confident if you follow both of these routes you should see an increase in your food and litter supply for foster homes.
Getting groups to partner with cause marketing
Question from Mary:
We would like to get businesses and restaurants to start doing things for us like holding a wish list drive, or gather up all their change from employees for a month, or having a special fundraiser for us where they donate proceeds from the sale of a day or something like that. The problem is that we are going in cold to these businesses with no contacts and not sure who to ask (the manager, the owner?) and if we should give them a list of ideas they could do or just center in on one or two ideas. Have you had any luck in partnering like this and what ideas have you done?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
What you are describing sounds like a cause-marketing partnership. This is a great non-traditional way to raise money. It is usually this "out of the box" type thinking that attracts companies the most. So, we commend you on thinking this way and believe you are off to a great start.Now, how to get your foot in the door and who is the correct person to talk to... If it is a restaurant with which you seek a partnership, you need to first determine if it is a chain restaurant. If so, is it franchised or corporate owned? If it just turns out to be locally owned, then the owner would be the main point of contact. If it is part of a chain, and it is franchised you need to find out who owns that specific one, so that you can contact him or her. We have found this is pretty easy to find out by calling the restaurant and speaking with the manager. However, if it is a chain restaurant and corporate owned, then you will need to speak to the marketing department of that specific company. The contact information can easily be found on a company's website. This process can be applied to almost all businesses to find your point of contact.
Once you have determined who the correct contact person is, you can set up a meeting or submit a proposal on your cause-marketing plan. As we detailed out in Monday's forum, it is best to go in with a solid plan so that you appear well prepared. If you have a couple of different ways your idea could work, then present both of them to the company. Remember to always leave room for feedback. This way you create a brainstorming session on how best to accomplish your goals and the company's goals.
No More Homeless Pets in Utah has done several different cause-marketing partnerships and have found these to be a successful way to not only raise money, but also to build relations with a specific company through the partnership. A couple of examples are:
Bone Appetit: We partnered with a few restaurants on a fundraising campaign for the duration of one month. Basically, patrons of the restaurant were given a donation slip with the check in which they could tack on money to their bill as a donation to our organization. By promoting the program and naming the participating restaurants, we drive customers to their restaurants.
Squatters Brewery: We are partnering with a local brewery on a new beer they are launching called ‘Chasing Tail Ale'. For every bottle cap that is returned to Squatters Brewery, 5 cents is donated to us. The bottle labels and six-pack cartons include mention of this, and our logo and mission statement - as well as a nice picture of a Golden Retriever. The brewery values the partnership because the cause appeals to their customers, and No More Homeless Pets in Utah is very popular with their employees. Our staff and supporters also encourage retail outlets we visit to carry the brand, which provides the brewery with a new sales staff and additional sales, and provides No More Homeless Pets in Utah with more funds. It is a good example of a partnership with a variety of benefits for both sides.
How much should you ask for?
Question from a member:
How do you know how much to ask for when asking businesses for donations whether it is just a general donation or for a proposal? I've heard that some chain stores can make smaller donations like up to $500 from their individual stores, but if you want more you need to go to corporate. We certainly don't want to ask for more than a company is willing/able to give and turn them off, but we don't want to under ask for $100 if they could have given $1,000!Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
This is a great question and one with which a lot of people struggle. I think the first thing to consider is if you are asking for a donation, or if you are asking for a sponsorship. You can reference the difference by checking out the responses from the first day of this forum.Let's follow the sponsorship angle since this is what we're covering in this particular forum. You are correct in saying that stores locally have smaller budgets for donations and sponsorships, and if you are looking at a higher amount you need to go to corporate. You will find this out when you meet with the store director.
We go through several steps before designing a sponsorship package:
1. We begin by evaluating what it is we're trying to sell. When evaluating what you're trying to sell, you need to conduct a simple, internal valuation a) how many people are you attracting to your event, number of eyeballs that will see your sponsor; b) what type and amount of media you have behind your event, the reach, frequency and amount of media your sponsor will have by associating with your event; c) the power of the brand in your community and what it means to tie into your brand. Be honest here – are you a "wanted" name in your community, or are people still unaware of what you do?
Basically, we go through a, b and c to come up with a starting price tag that we believe will work in our community and that has a sensible logic and reason that the company can follow.
2. Research the company. A general rule we have used is to always ask for the highest amount from our valuation, within reason, for a sponsorship. From there you can negotiate. However, though we say to ask for the highest amount, this is not just a matter of pulling some number out of the blue. Rather it is after researching the company to see how much they have given in the past, what is their history, whom they sponsor, what types of events they sponsor, and what causes they normally sponsor.
After you have evaluated that data, then you can lean on the higher end of the spectrum for your proposal. For example, if you have learned that the company you are pursuing has sponsored several animal related organizations in the past, and usually gives $1,000 to $2,500 per event or function, then consider asking for around $2,500 on your proposal. If on the other hand, the company has a stated policy of giving principally to health causes, and only occasionally gives small amounts to other charities, then pitch your request much lower, and take what you can get!
If your request is to sponsor an event or program, again you need to evaluate what you have to offer that company. If you are doing very little advertising and your event is quite small and doesn't draw a huge crowd, then you don't want to ask for some unreasonably high number. You don't want to do this because there is the risk of turning off the company, or conveying that you are not savvy in the sponsorship arena.
3. When in doubt, pick up the phone and call the desired company to discuss numbers with them. We have found that this is a great way to get a feel for how much you should request. Throw out a few numbers at them and see how they react. Their honesty may be surprising.
Defining what is a "sponsor"
Question from Jill:
What exactly do you consider to be a "sponsor"? At our events we often get companies offering different things. Sometimes they give in-kind items, other times they give money, and other times they just send volunteers to help with an event. All are very important to us, but we don't know at what level to make them a sponsor and what level to just thank them for sending volunteers or in-kind donations.Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
If you remember on day one of the Forum, we detailed out the difference between a sponsor and a donor. Here are the main definitions and differences.A donation from a company is strictly the giving of money or in-kind services/product to the organization. In almost all cases the company is not looking for anything in return and the money that is allocated for such a thing usually comes out of their community affairs budgets or similar.
A sponsorship is considered as an investment for the company into your organization by way of an event or specific program. This money comes out of their marketing budget and is seen as a way to sell more product/services, gain brand recognition, opportunity for the company to be seen as a good corporate citizen, capture names, etc.
It sounds like currently the money and in-kind items you are receiving fall more in the donation category. So, what we would suggest is to start approaching those companies to increase the amount or product they are giving, and turn it more into a sponsorship. This can be an attractive offer, because you will begin to present them with something in return for their investment in the event. As far as a company sending volunteers or small in-kind donations, that is not considered a sponsorship. So, if it stays at that level then you may be able to offer them something small in return for the generosity. This can be a banner at your event or a simple thank you card, or a nicely prepared event report. The most important thing is that you don't confuse a donation with a sponsorship because this will limit you on the amount you can ask for, confuse other sponsors, and create confusion with your partnerships.
How often and how many events can you ask a business to sponsor?
Question from a member:
Is there a standard way of thinking on how often to approach a business to sponsor an event? For instance, we have 2 large events a year, a Walk and an Auction. Should we send them proposals for both and give them the option of which one or both they are interested in, or do you just send one that you think they would be suited for? And if a business does sponsor an event do you ask them every year or do you think there is a time limit that they want to be involved like 1-2 years?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
Technically, there is not a set standard on how often to approach a company or for how many events you want to involve them. It is more a decision to be made on a case-by-case basis. But, a lot does depend on whether they are new sponsors and you are selling to them for the first time, or if they are an existing sponsor and you are looking to up-sell. Let's first take the instance of approaching a brand new sponsor. Here are some things to consider:1. With what event will the company fit best (i.e. Walk or Auction)? You can determine this by what product or service they are selling and what audience you attract for the event. Or, you can go the route of deciding what event is a more attractive sell as an easier way to get the desired sponsor in the door.
2. Remember that a new sponsor will be testing the waters to see if the relationship is productive for them. They'll probably want to try one project first, and then build on it if it is successful for them.
3. You don't want to overload a first-time sponsor, especially if the deal is for two totally different events. However, we will sell several events to a new sponsor if they are the same event happening more than once in a year. For example, we hold our Super Adoption event twice a year, and have sold these events as a package deal to a few sponsors. It has worked out nicely, and saves the time by our not needing to approach them again later in the year for the same event.
Now, let's go with the scenario of an existing sponsor and how to up-sell a current sponsorship.
1. If the company has previously sponsored your walk and the time has come to present your next sponsorship package, look at adding in another opportunity for them such as your auction, or have them sponsor a specific program your organization has. Make sure to use wording like "program-wide sponsor" if you are proposing that they do several different events or programs.
2. Package both events/programs together in one proposal. In doing this make sure to be very clear on what they will be offered at each event. Don't muddle the two together. Even though it is one proposal, still be specific.
3. Expand on the idea of how successful the current relationship is and how you are looking at growing the partnership. Use this angle to sell them on the other event and what great things you can offer. Remember, you can never praise a sponsor enough!
As far as how often to ask a sponsor back, I definitely think that asking them back every year for the same event is imperative (as long as you are happy with the relationship). Not asking them back could convey that you were unhappy with the sponsorship and their involvement. By asking a company back to sponsor, you are saying that you were happy with the partnership and want to continue it. Use every year as an opportunity to build on the current relationship, evaluate the good and bad of the partnership, and most of all make changes to better the overall experience.
Combining efforts with other non-profits to make sponsorship more attractive
Question from Jane:
What do you think about the idea of combining groups to get sponsorships from companies? We are a really small group and don't feel like we have a lot to offer businesses, but if we were to work with another shelter or rescue we could then offer them the opportunity to be featured on our website and the other group's site and in both newsletters. Do you think businesses would ever be agreeable to sponsoring two or more groups who combine one sponsorship request?Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
This is a great idea and it is exciting that you are thinking of ways to make sponsorship work for your organization even if you are small! But, in order for this to be a compelling offer to a company, what you propose to them needs to be a combined effort. And what that means is that it needs to be some event that your organization and a shelter are putting on together or a program that you are partnering up with to execute. Just going to a company as a team to ask for a general sponsorship with no specific tie-in between your organizations will be difficult.I do think that teaming up with another organization so you have more to offer a company and with the hopes of getting a larger dollar amount for a sponsorship is a way to get around the stigma of being too small for a sponsorship partnership. Some ideas of an event or programs for which you can try to get a combined sponsorship are:
1. Adoption festival
Partner up with a shelter or rescue organization for a weekend long event.
2. Spay and Neuter campaign
Team up to promote spaying/neutering for a month.
3. Walk
Get several organizations in your area to partner up and make it a larger more attractive event for sponsors.
Last of all, it doesn't hurt to try to get some sponsorships on your own. Combining efforts could be effective, but you could also end up getting some individually too. Keep in mind that by partnering up you are splitting the money you get for the sponsorship, so take that in consideration when weighing the results.
Proposal samples and final thoughts
Question from a member:
I read your email about making a 4-page proposal to partner with businesses. I was wondering if your organization had a sample of one you could post. I just don't know how to get started on making a 4-page proposal.Response from Sunee Geddes and Julie Castle:
Yes, a great way to start creating a proposal is to view some samples and form some ideas. Currently, our graphic designer who is responsible for putting together our proposals is in Europe. But, in the meantime we will be working on adding a link to the No More Homeless Pets in Utah website, www.utahpets.org. So that when she returns we can post samples of several different proposals for you to review. The timeline for this to be up and running should be within a week or so. Hopefully, these samples will help you to create your first proposal or to fine-tune an existing one.Finally, we want to add that we were very impressed by the questions that were posted regarding sponsorship and corporate relations. We feel you were all right on target with your inquiries, and it sounds like most of you want to go in this direction for raising more money. Some of the key points to keep in mind when tackling sponsorship or any corporate partnerships are:
1. Sponsorship vs. donation
Once you can distinguish between the two, you are on your way to building up a solid partnership.
- Sponsorship is a partnership where they company is investing money in your event/program and they are looking for a return on their investment. The money most likely comes out of their marketing budget.
- Donation is strictly the giving of money, product or services and the company is not looking at anything in return. This is mostly all done through the community affairs department.
2. Professional proposal:
Take the time to customize a neatly, creative, well researched proposal for any sponsorship inquiry. Remember this is the first impression that the company will have of your organization, so it is worth making it stand out.
3. Meeting etiquette
If you have secured a meeting make sure you have a prepared presentation of your proposed sponsorship partnership. Always come into the meeting with one or two solid ideas, but be open to feedback and suggestions the company may throw your way.
4. Make that phone call
As you noticed, on most of our responses, we always suggested calling the company directly. This is the case when you are doing your initial cold call to set up a meeting, creating the proposal or are unsure of an amount to request, looking at getting some product donated, trying to find out who is the decision maker, determining the protocol for submitting a proposal, and so on.
Keep in mind that forming a partnership with a company is not an easy task, especially for an animal welfare organization. But as long as you remain persistent, professional, creative, flexible and educated, you will be amazed at the relationships you are able to build.
Good luck with your sponsorships!
