An event sponsorship is a strategic partnership between the race organizer and brands that are interested in showcasing their products and services at your event. Your race helps sponsors promote their brands to a well-curated audience, collect leads, land sales, and gain a loyal following. In exchange, you as the race director receive funds, goods, services, and/or advertising support to help promote your virtual or in-person event.
Acquiring a sponsorship will help you offset event costs, boost awareness of your race, and will help you establish credibility for your race!
DOWNLOAD A PITCH DECK TEMPLATE
CREATING A VALUE PROPOSITION
1. What is a value proposition?
• A value proposition is a statement that conveys what your event does and how it differs from competitors. It’s typically no more than 1-3 sentences long.
2. Why is a value proposition important for acquiring sponsorships?
• Having a value proposition is important because it clearly and concisely communicates what potential partners, sponsors, etc. can gain from choosing to support your race over another.
3. Things to ask yourself when creating your value proposition:
• What value could my race and its registrants bring to this sponsor’s brand?
• How will it allow them to increase exposure, website traffic, and/or sales?
• What sets my race apart, or makes it unique, compared to others in the same geographical area or cycling discipline?
IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SPONSORS:
Research and identify potential sponsors whose target audience aligns with your event’s participants. Consider businesses related to cycling, sports, fitness, or health and wellness.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR PITCH:
Tailor your sponsorship proposal to each potential sponsor. Highlight how your event can specifically benefit their brand. Mention previous successful partnerships, if applicable, to showcase your track record.
OFFER DIFFERENT SPONSORSHIP LEVELS:
Create various sponsorship packages with different levels of investment and benefits. For example, you can offer platinum, gold, and silver sponsorship tiers, each with its set of perks and exposure.
HIGHLIGHT MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES:
Emphasize the marketing opportunities you can provide to sponsors. This may include logo placement on promotional materials, social media shoutouts, email marketing, and branding at the event itself.
SHOWCASE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES:
Explain how you plan to engage attendees with sponsor brands. Consider offering interactive activities or contests that involve sponsors’ products or services.
PROVIDE DATA AND METRICS:
Offer data from past events or industry statistics to support your claims about the potential benefits of sponsoring your race. Use metrics like attendance, social media reach, and participant demographics.
NEGOTIATE TERMS AND AGREEMENTS:
Be prepared to negotiate terms, including the sponsorship fee, duration, and specific deliverables. Flexibility can be key in securing sponsorships.
FOLLOW UP AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS:
After securing sponsors, maintain open communication and deliver on your promises. Nurture the relationship for potential future partnerships.
EXPRESS GRATITUDE:
Always express gratitude to your sponsors, whether through thank-you notes, recognition at the event, or post-event reports detailing their impact.
By following these steps, you can increase your chances of acquiring sponsors for your cycling event and ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership that supports your race’s success.
