Where to Place Sponsorship Dollars
(From the sponsor's point of view)

Whether investing in local, regional, national or global markets, sponsors have some basic questions that need answering before they can make a decision on their participation. Here are eight questions that can help narrow the choices of where to place sponsorship dollars:

1. Will the sponsorship drive sales?
2. Will it enhance or reinforce brand image?
3. Will it increase awareness of the company's product, brand, or service?
4. Will it provide retail and trade tie-ins?
5. Will it drive volume and long-term profitability?
6. Will it increase share of the market?
7. Will it provide a vehicle for entertaining clients?
8. Can it differentiate the product or brand from a competitor's?
9. Will it give the company a competitive edge., i.e., exposure in a market the competition is not in?

Then, once these questions have been asked, screen and grade the choices to make a selection by using the following seven questions:

1. Is the objective corporate or brand specific?
2. Is it a one-time event or a long-term commitment?
3. Do the locations and dates fit company needs?
4. How many attendees can be expected (total exposure of brand/product)?
5. Will there be co-sponsors?
6. Will the company be lost in a crowd of other sponsors?
7. What is the cost relative to the expected return?

 Subscribe in a reader

Sylvia Allen offers a wealth of public relations, event marketing, and sponsorship experience to her clients.

She has published several books and is the author of HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT SPONSORSHIP SALES, publishes The Sponsorship Newsletter, has just finished a 60 minute video on sponsorship, and lectures all over the country on sponsorship (IFEA, National Main Street, etc.) as well as teaching at New York University.

She has sold everything from $25 to $4,000,000 sponsorships; she can be reached at 732-946-2711 or at sylvia@allenconsulting.com