Publications |
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Grassroots are greener for sponsors (cont'd) |
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| How to get involved With most corporate sponsorship and marketing managers already stretched thin, sourcing, negotiating and evaluating these individual activities is a big ask. Rather than putting them in the "too hard" basket straight away, there are two good options for getting involved. 1. Negotiate with a network of grassroots organizations. Most local teams and events can be traced back to a state or national governing organization. They can give you access to all of their member organizations, as well as assisting in the implementation and quantification of your sponsorship program. One warning: Not all national or state governing bodies are created equal. Some organizations are strictly administrative, and some just don't have a strong enough relationship with their local members to gain the cooperation necessary to implement a program. Always speak to a few current and past sponsors before you commit. 2. Give your state/local offices responsibility. Providing funds and guidelines to your state or local marketing people can also work well in the selection and management of grassroots programs. Use their strong understanding of the local marketplace and opportunities to your advantage. The risk is that sponsorship decisions can be made in the field which are not directly supportive of your marketing objectives, usually due to inexperience in the field of sponsorship. To ensure a thorough and uniform approach, it is imperative to invest in the time and effort up front to develop and communicate stringent guidelines for selection, implementation, quantification, and reporting. The pendulum
swings And when they end, there has been a massive correction. People and sponsors start investing their time and money heavily in grassroots activities, culture, local sport, and community events. It's the time for communities to reassert their importance. But don't wait until the Olympics are over to invest in this area. If you're going to do it, do it soon. It is a buyer's market, and your commitment to "real" people when the world's focus is on our superheroes will put you miles ahead when the flame moves on. The core of any sponsorship, its raison d'être, is getting close to your marketplace, so it stands to reason that the closer you get, the more powerful it will be. Grassroots sponsorship touches people on their main street, their sporting ground, and their community hall. It doesn't get much closer than that. Kim Skildum-Reid is a corporate sponsorship consultant. She can be contacted at (02) 6260-5150 |
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