Should you sponsor someone?

This blog is all about whether or not sponsorship is a good idea for you and your business. In my business group, Small and Supercharged, many people talk about sponsorship and it’s a subject that I think many business owners think about. Many feel it’s a ‘no brainer’ or something that they must do, but I’m here to tell you it isn’t. This is something that I am passionate about, actually, I’ve written about it before and produced some videos too…here’s a link to my previous blogs, videos and even a podcast!

You have to make sure everyone wins from the arrangement

You might think I’m anti sponsorship. I’m not. I’m against the wrong kind of sponsorship where nobody really wins long term. The sponsor feels they have no return on their investment, and the person who is sponsored gets support cut very quickly, because they haven’t delivered. Who wins here? The person who secured the sponsorship received some product, maybe even a bit of money, but not for long. And now they have a bitter taste about the business they were working with, and the sponsor has a very bitter taste about them and, often, sponsoring anyone else. No one wins. This is why sponsorship isn’t always good. However, I’m here to give you some food for thought on sponsorship – here are my top 10 things to think about…

• It’s not a no brainer. You don’t HAVE to sponsor anyone, so take your time and make sure you’re comfortable with what you’re doing and you’ve worked out a way that it can benefit you and them.
• Pick carefully. If you’re in business, you will get a LOT of people asking for your money and products. Don’t feel pressured. Pick carefully.
• Work out what you want from the deal. Do you want social media content? Blogs? Vlogs? Videos? Would you like your sponsored person to come to events and maybe your shop? Would you like them to wear your logo when they’re out and about? Have a list of what you’d like.
• Be flexible. A list is good, but listen to and consider other ideas provided by the potential sponsored person. They might have other sponsors and, therefore, some of your wish list isn’t possible, but they might have some other thoughts that could work.
• What are you going to do for them? Can you help promote them to your audience through the content they provide? Sell yourself as well as them.
• Be clear. Be crystal clear on how often you expect contact. How many blogs/vlogs a year/month, for example? Don’t assume anything. Also explain what could happen if these aren’t provided, for example, will the support stop?
• How will you do it? Most people support with product, especially to start with. Some sponsors call people supported with product ‘ambassadors’, some people say they’re sponsored. It’s terminology really.
• Look at people’s reach. Make sure the people that you’re choosing to work with have a reach and a network that’s of use. And don’t just look at the number of people who like a Facebook page. Look at the interactions and engagement.
• Look at the quality of the content. They might produce a blog each week and fill their Instagram feed with pics, but if the copy is full of typos and the pictures are poor quality, are they right for your brand?
• Look at personal accounts too. If you sponsor someone, it’s not just their ‘official’ page that you need to look at. Look at personal Facebook pages too. See how they behave in their ‘personal’ life. It matters. Nothing is that private when it’s made it onto the internet.

What do you think about sponsorship?

I’d love to hear your experiences with sponsorship. Have you attracted a sponsor? How did it work? Do you sponsor people? How does it work for you?