Re-Thinking Your

Association

Sponsorship

Model

what we do

Strategic Marketing Planning

Sponsorship Valuations &

Strategies

Revenue Development

Social Marketing

Partnership Marketing

Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing

Social Media / Digital Marketing

May 27-29, 2013

Ottawa Convention Centre

May 27-29, 2013

Ottawa Convention Centre

www.marcom.ca

Associations need to innovate or become relics

• Variety of models

• Overuse of “metal levels”

• Tendency to sell in silos

• Lack of understanding of “fair market” value

• Reliance on the same sponsors year-over-year

• Sponsor “clutter”

• Little effort on renewal strategies

What we see in

our work…

5

Activity / Event Based Sponsor Model

Pros

• Appealing to companies

with specific / short-term

objectives;

• Ability to offer lower-priced

sponsorships;

• Easy to explain.

Cons

• Resource intensive (selling and delivering benefits);

• Focus on tactical selling vs. strategic selling;

• Tends to “commoditize” sponsorship program;

• Can be frustrating for companies;

• In a constant state of renewal / difficult to grow revenue.

Hierarchal Based Sponsor Model

Pros

• Easy to package and present

to prospects;

• Easy to deliver benefits;

• Can appeal to corporate

egos.

Cons

• Overuse of “gold, silver,

bronze” metal levels;

• Generally characterized by,

“cookie-cutter” benefits;

• Minimizes customization

and creativity;

• Can work against corporate

egos.

Bundled Benefit Sponsor Model

Pros

• Takes a more strategic

(long-term) approach to

sponsorship development;

• Can draw from various

marketing budgets;

• Allows for customization of

benefits packages;

• More efficient use of sales

resources.

Cons

• Requires advance planning to ensure that all sponsor opps. are up-to-date;

• Typically, a longer selling period;

• Requires experienced sales staff and conversations;

• May not appeal to companies that are keeping their marketing budgets “under the radar”.

Integrated Benefit Sponsor Model

Pros

• Allows companies to choose from a “menu” of opps. and receive value-added benefits based on spend;

• Shifts from “commodity” to strategic partnerships;

• Can draw from various marketing budgets;

• If properly implemented, can generate better results.

Cons

• Requires advance planning

to ensure all pieces in place;

• Typically, a longer selling

period;

• Requires experienced sales

staff and conversations with

prospects.

Key Considerations

for Re-thinking

Your Sponsorship

Model

The First Step in Re-Thinking Your Model

Internal Analysis

• Audience

• Assets

• Sector (prospects)

• Competitive Position

• Your Brand

• Internal Culture

• Resources

old school…

13

one dimensional view of our customers

New School…

Understanding

our audience

at all levels

old school…

Uninspired “vanilla” marketing

New School…

a clearly defined competitive position

old school…

Sponsor clutter

+ “metal levels”

New School…

old school…

New School

About them

Top 5 Challenges of Businesses

Right Now

Maintaining Customer Loyalty 36%

Price or Service Demands of Customers 35%

Identifying New Markets / Expansion Opps. 32%

Cost Control 28%

Finding New Workers 26%

old school…

Sponsor Sponsee

disregard of the customer

New School…

Sponsor

Everyone Sees Value

old school…

“cheesy” messages to customers

New School…

Where the sponsor is part of the conversation

old school…

all the focus on logo placement

New School…

Integrated marketing

New School…

old school…

Anyone’s Name Here

New School…

Focusing on “Sponsor Fit”

We need to deliver

brand messages in

more innovative

ways

Questions?

See next slide…

where to reach me

Bernie Colterman: berniecolterman@cepsm.ca

Blog: www.berniecolterman.ca

Tel: 613.731-9851 ext.15

Websites: CEPSM.ca

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