Who You Know Matters

Who you know, the connections you have and the relationships you have built are part of the collaboration and sponsorship model. In fact, the first 40 sponsors and partners I secured for my book launch and speaking tours were all people and businesses that I was already in a relationship with, such as:
My hairstylist
The Clothing store I loved to shop at
The graphic designer I’d been hiring for years
A friend who owns a safety company (who happens to have a fabulous colour printer)
My optometrist
The local grocery store I shop at
Hotel chains I frequently book for travel
And the list goes on

The relationship was really the reason these businesses chose to say YES and collaborate with me on a variety of different projects I did over the years. Their in-kind sponsorship and support saved me thousands of dollars personally and professionally. They were essentially providing me the products and services that I always use (and love) without me having to pay for this.
I know. You are probably wondering “why did they do this” or “what was in it for them?” I have asked them this question. The answers were incredible:
I have received so many new clients because of your referrals and the way you promote me.
I have reached audiences I would never reached, because you have direct access to them.
You have connected me to so many influencers and people that I have now built important businesses relationships with and who I have created other collaborations.
Our social media following and engagement has increased because of how you share me and my products with your audiences.
The best people to approach is first, the people you know. And, remember that they are all connected to many other people and may be able to connect you to other businesses with whom you can collaborate.
Check out more at our new website.   www.FindAndLandASponsor.com

Sponsorship Collaboration Impacts More People

Now more than ever is the time to collaborate and to learn how to work with corporate sponsors.
The world we live in is one of connection, impact and influence. The age old saying “together we make a difference” is not only true, it might now be necessary. With so many options available to people for shopping, communication, entertainment and education, collaboration can help you reach the people in your target audience, and help sponsors at the same time.
Why do sponsors like collaboration?
First it is a model that reduces and shares risk. Many sponsors no longer take a philanthropic approach to sponsorship… the days of cutting a check and expecting very little are long gone. Sponsorship is a marketing relationship, from my experience they are looking for that… a relationship with you.
There are many reasons that collaborations struggle or fail. If you do not believe in the value of collaboration, you likely enter the collaboration with hesitancy or resistance. This will energetically put the relationship on edge, and impact the level that you and the sponsor invest. Unclear expectations and communication can lead to a number of challenges. A relationship that lacks trust will also impact results.
So what can you do?
1) Communicate with the sponsor. Ask how he/she would like to be communicated to (e.g. text, email, phone) and how often. Create a communication plan and keep up your commitment to the plan. This will show you are dependable, reliable, and that the relationship matters.
2) Address issues and concerns early on. Many people avoid conversations that are difficult, vulnerable or sensitive. Hoping an issue will go away typically just adds more layers of challenge to the situation. A sponsor may make assumptions about you, you may be perceived as difficult to work with and this could impact trust.
3) Think about the relationship from the perspective of short term. This will impact how you show up in the relationship.
4) Don’t assume no news is good news. Check in with your sponsor, don’t be “needy” or “high maintenance”. Instead, be accountable and available.
Most importantly, bring your best version of you to the relationship. After all, it is you (and your project) that sponsors are saying YES to.