How do you create a compelling event sponsorship proposal that stands out?

1 Know your sponsor

Before you start writing your proposal, you need to do some research on your potential sponsor. What are their objectives, challenges, target audience, and budget? How do they measure their return on investment (ROI)? What are their expectations and preferences for event sponsorship? The more you know about your sponsor, the better you can tailor your proposal to their needs and interests. You can also use this information to identify any gaps or opportunities that your event can fill or create for them.

2 Define your offer

Next, you need to define what you are offering to your sponsor in exchange for their support. This includes the sponsorship levels, benefits, and costs. You should have different levels of sponsorship that correspond to different amounts of exposure, recognition, and involvement in your event. For example, you can have platinum, gold, silver, and bronze sponsors, each with different perks and prices. You should also specify the benefits that each level provides, such as logo placement, speaking opportunities, attendee data, media coverage, and networking access. Finally, you should state the costs of each level and how they are calculated. You can use a sponsorship fee formula that considers factors such as the size, duration, location, and audience of your event.

3 Showcase your value

Once you have defined your offer, you need to showcase your value to your sponsor. This means highlighting the features and advantages of your event that make it worth sponsoring. You can use data and testimonials to demonstrate your event's reach, impact, quality, and reputation. You can also show how your event aligns with your sponsor's brand, values, and mission. For example, you can mention how your event's theme, agenda, speakers, and attendees match your sponsor's niche, expertise, or social cause. You should also emphasize how your event can help your sponsor achieve their goals, such as generating leads, increasing sales, enhancing loyalty, or raising awareness.

4 Provide proof of performance

Another way to make your proposal stand out is to provide proof of performance. This means showing how you will measure and report the results and outcomes of your sponsorship. You should include specific and realistic metrics and indicators that reflect your sponsor's objectives and ROI. For example, you can use metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, referrals, feedback, or satisfaction. You should also explain how you will collect, analyze, and share this data with your sponsor. You can use tools such as surveys, analytics, dashboards, or reports. You should also include a timeline and schedule for delivering this information.

5 Add some creativity

Finally, you can add some creativity to your proposal to make it more appealing and memorable. You can use visuals, stories, or examples to illustrate your points and showcase your personality. You can also use a catchy title, a clear layout, and a professional design to make your proposal easy to read and attractive. You can also include some extra incentives or bonuses that go beyond your standard offer and surprise your sponsor. For example, you can offer some free tickets, a special mention, or a exclusive opportunity to your sponsor.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?