Many individual athletes and clubs seek support from private sector business to further their ambitions and to develop their performance levels.
The following guidance and associated weblinks have been pulled together to offer some guidance to you if you are trying to engage a local business and dont know where or how to start.
Sponsorship is an invaluable, but often difficult source of funding to attract. There are many examples of where successful community sports clubs have attracted sponsorship in the past to fund kit, equipment, coaching qualifications, development officer posts and brick built facilities - some of these can be viewed by visiting www.sportsmatch.co.uk
WHAT IS SPONSORSHIP?
Sponsorship is one of the means open to a company to bring itself or its products to the attention of consumers and present itself in a favourable light.
Sponsorship seeks to enhance the company or brand messages by association with an event, club or team which shares similar image qualities and values. This association can be very powerful because it is perceived as an endorsement by an independent third party. Consumers are aware of the costs of sponsorship but the message retained is more subtle than that from the more overtly paid-for advertisement.
Sponsorship is a commercial agreement between a company and a sport. In return for a financial contribution a sports organisation will allow the use of its name in commercial activities. These activities can be as varied as the imaginations of the participants. Some of the most obvious are:
Display of the brand name on kit, banners around the venue, advertisements in programmes, and on other merchandise.
Use of the club, event, team or individual in advertisements and other promotions undertaken by the brand.
Personal endorsement of the sponsors products by teams or individuals by use of their products, kit or equipment.
Production of joint websites or developing close links between separate websites.
Most sponsorships are paid for in cash, but in-kind sponsorship can be useful and effective. Instead of money, the sponsor provides equipment, services or management expertise as all or part of its fee for the rights to a sporting activity.
APPROACHING A SPONSOR
- Try to pick companies that are relevant to you and your sport
- Avoid approaching companies from the same industry sector as any existing sponsors you may have
- Check that you have the correct, up-to-date contact details when writing to potential sponsors
- Ensure that you personalize any approaches – avoid ‘Dear Sir/Madam’
- Use local business directories (eg. Yellow Pages, yell.com, The Thompson Directory etc) to identify suitable local businesses
- Try contacting your local Chamber of Commerce. They should be able to provide a list of local companies
- View all social and formal gatherings as potential networking opportunities
- Make use of all potential contacts – friends, relatives, friends of friends
- Most companies receive many sponsorship requests so try to make sure your letter stands out from the others
- If you are offered the chance to meet in person, make sure you are fully prepared. Plan meticulously
- Take a carefully prepared presentation with you to any meetings. This shows initiative and professionalism
- Always carry business cards with you. It will make you and your club look professional
- Take time to determine exactly what it is you can offer a sponsor
- Be confident. Remember that you have much to offer a sponsor. Sponsorship is not a one-way relationship
- Prepare an annual budget, calculating all your outgoings. This will help you to determine the level of support you should ask for and to clarify the areas in which you need the most help
- As an athlete, check with your National Governing Body before committing to display sponsor branding on your kit. Rules vary from sport to sport and event to event
- Try to develop a relationship with your local paper. Building your profile locally will put you in the ‘shop window’ for local businesses. Press coverage also gives you the opportunity to actively promote your sponsor
- Don’t be afraid to ask. Many companies will be keen to help – they just won’t know how!
WHAT TO AVOID IF YOU CAN
- Don’t view sponsorship support as cash alone – there are many ways that a sponsor can help you Don’t ask small companies for a large amount of cash – they will most likely say no
- When writing to potential sponsors, do not state how much money or product you want – leave that for the face-to-face meeting
- Don’t over promise. Make sure you can deliver on your sponsor commitments
AFTER YOU HAVE SECURED A DEAL WITH A SPONSOR
- Don’t get greedy or complacent. You will need to work hard at your sponsorship agreement. Never take your sponsor for granted - seek to arrange some early publicity for the sponsor, engaging local media in this.
- Keep sponsors up to date with communication as their funding and support takes effect
- Don’t request funding from other companies in the same industry sector as your sponsor
- Don’t do anything that may damage the image of your sponsor. You are in the community eye and an ambassador for their brand
- Never over-commit yourself. Only agree to sponsorship activity that you know you can fulfill. Your training activities and club members must always come first
SPONSORSHIP LINKS
www.sports-sponsorship.co.uk
The ISS promotes best practice in sponsorship and works closely with sports bodies, government and the media to improve understanding.
www.sportsmatch.co.uk
Sportsmatch is a government funded scheme set up to help fund grass roots and community sports in England. We do this by matching new sponsorship money with Sportsmatch funding, on a pound for pound basis.
www.nationalsportsfoundation.org
0845 603 6069
Can match private investment to sports organisations of over £50,000
www.sponsorship.uksport.gov.uk
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just setting out in your sport, this site will guide you through the sponsorship process from start to finish
www.clubnet.org.uk
Sponsorship, Lower Prices & Support
for amateur UK Sports Clubs
www.sponsorbank.org.uk
Support for community sports
organisations seeking sponsorship
SPONSORSHIP RESOURCES
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