An important part of small business success is presence in the community. That is why sponsorships can be a small business owner’s best friend, and why they are still a valuable marketing strategy to this day.
Sponsorships: What Exactly Are They?
A sponsorship is simply a business putting up money or resources for an event/program/etc. in exchange for promotional benefits.
Example: When I was in high school I was in marching band. We had band shirts that had multiple businesses printed on the backs. So these businesses had ads on the backs of hundreds of shirts that were being worn during football games, school events, and other events.
Should I Bother?
Sponsorships are one of the most impactful marketing strategies – but can often be overlooked because it seems old fashioned or not as fun. For small business owners, if you are in a close knit community then a sponsorship may be your most valuable asset. They demonstrate what your small business believes in and that your business wants to support the local community. This will also help you become a regular presence in your community, helping you become top of mind to potential customers. AND they can do all this with a relatively smaller budget than other marketing campaigns.
Things To Remember
Make sure to sponsor events and communities that fit with your brand. You want to support and interact with organizations you feel comfortable being associated with.
If you are sponsoring an event, you will likely need to be present. Which is great, nothing beats face to face interaction! But, this means that you will likely need to make time, or have a representative who will make the time to go to said event.
You can find sponsorships that will fit your budget. There are many sponsorship opportunities throughout local communities, and they range in price depending on the type of event or group you are working with.
Don’t forget about PR!
If you decide to sponsor a sports team or an event, let people know. You are a small business, let people know about what you are doing for the community. Share the event on social media, or create a banner on your website about the sports team you are sponsoring. Just make sure you are making the most out of your sponsorships.
Did you find this content useful? Check out our other free resources.
Feel free to share your thoughts with me, I can be reached at vivian@theseasonedmarketer.com!
Looking for more free marketing tips and content specifically for small business owners? Check out our podcast, S.O.B. Marketing Podcast. Every Wednesday we discuss a new topic to help small business owners take on marketing on their own. Listen to our episode of the S.O.B. Marketing podcast wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube! Have a topic you want us to discuss? Email us at Help@TheSeasonedMarketer.com!
Interested in elevating your event marketing game? Check out our FREE mini training course! Learn 3 mistakes you could possibly be making that are impacting your participation in events, craft fairs, and pop-ups. Not only is this training course FREE, but you will get a special discount at the end for our new course, ROCK YOUR FAIR! Click here to check it out.
Recent Comments