Building an effective sponsorship proposal......

Successful sponsorship proposals are built on a very simple concept; so simple, in fact, that it's remarkable so few of the organisations that approach Brother UK for monetary support understand it. 

Major businesses of any type will be accustomed to people knocking on their door for sponsorship or shaking a metaphorical bucket looking for charitable donations. Considering such proposals is a responsibility that comes with the turf. 

After 30 years in sales, I could write a book on the subject. Readers would learn a simple, but fundamental principle: the more personal the proposal, the greater its research and relevancy, the higher the propensity that it will succeed in winning sponsorship or partnership.

Organisations who understand the fundamental requirement of focussing their pitch on benefits to the sponsor, rather than to the applicant, are few and far between, however. 

Too many of the proposals we receive are bland, generic and poorly researched. Perhaps only one in a hundred says to me: “Actually, what I've done here is research Brother UK thoroughly. I've looked at who you are as a company, what you stand for and where you are going, and where I think I could do a good job for your business is….”

Given the ratio of 'vanilla' proposals to detailed documents that evidence understanding of our business goals, it's unsurprising that only one in a hundred gets further consideration. The vast majority describe the advantages they hope to derive. For inbound communication, overuse of the phrase 'we' can be a fatal flaw.

Naturally, they fail to progress: a penalty I've come to think of as the 'we fee'. If the proposal is focussed on the applicant - 'we're this, we're that, we're the other' - it gains little further consideration. Their focus is on 'we' when it should be on 'you'. The difference is binary, and so is the effect: if your proposal says nothing more than 'we, we, we', then the fee you'll pay is that we're not going to listen. 

Ironically, many business proposals I see make the same mistake, agencies often falling into the familiar trap of inbound marketing being all about how wonderful they are.

The importance of a detailed proposal based on original research increases when the applicant is one of several candidates from the same sector. Our cycling sponsorships are a useful example. Teams seeking our support often compete in the same races. The list of benefits they offer in exchange for sponsorship are often identical: logo placement on the jersey, logo placement on the car, and a social media following of greater or lesser significance. 

The proposals that stand out are from teams who have taken the trouble to recognise Brother UK's position in the sport. To already understand what we do, with who and why.   Same applies for a business proposal for a potential client, make It all about them and impress with your detailed analysis.

Team Brother UK-OnForm offers a pipeline for the most talented young women to the CAMS-Tifosi squad: an outfit certified by the sport's world governing body to compete in the biggest races.

Team Brother UK-LDN begins the development journey even earlier, offering racing opportunities to women from its feeder club, CC London, on deeper consideration you'll see that this aligns closely with our brand values and also who we are as an employer encouraging diversity and personal growth. And the Brother UK-sponsored Crimson Performance-Orientation Marketing team, a Manchester-based outfit for men and women, offers a powerful connection to our home city. 

The rapid growth of Crimson Performance represents a valuable case study in the benefits of sponsorship activation. Team owner and manager Matt Hallam has invested heavily in content production to create an image for his team that places it on a presentational par with more established squads. Matt has made the proposition of professionalism a self-fulfilling prophecy. His budget has increased year-on-year, and in 2021 he will unveil a partnership with arguably one of the most high-profile brands in the sport. 

Matt is a very switched on person who understands the value of forging an ongoing relationship with a sponsor. It's recognised that people leave businesses because of bad managers, not because the companies are bad employers. The same can be said of relationships between sponsors and those who hope to retain sponsorship. Relationship, rapport, chemistry, communication, Investment returns – all are needed to keep a sponsor on-side.  

Over our many years in cycling, the teams that have been most successful in securing our renewed sponsorship are those who communicate regularly, who continually enquire about our strategy and who ask if there are content opportunities they can assist with. They make regular calls and keep us updated, offering visibility and insights on developments that we might celebrate from our channels.  All of these things allow a sponsor to feel involved and aligned.     

Further, people who take the trouble to engage their sponsor continually have a higher propensity to win increased investment. In the post-Covid economy, where new partnerships will be harder than ever to win, the opportunity to 'dial-up' a sponsor's commitment is precious.

I'm pleased that our investments have made Brother UK synonymous with elite British cycle sport. Our comprehensive sponsorship portfolio has generated valuable ROI.

Notably, they've increased our consideration among a key demographic of IT procurement professionals and business owners which ticks our marketing box but It’s been superb to see so many people fulfill their personal potential racing bikes, whilst developing their careers within or outside of the sport.