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SPONSORSHIP: How To Catch Bigger Fish
By: Jay Spicer Hello folks in Fairdom, as I sit here in Florida, mid
-July, with my face melting off. Oh . . . how hot is it? It’s so hot that farmers are feeding ice to the chickens so they won’t lay boiled eggs. Anyway, I thought I would offer some advice for
those of you working on your next fair. As you al- ready know, sponsors can really help that bottom line and getting the most money out of people is our goal. But it’s really hard! To get out of your rut (if you are in one), you need to think outside the box. Instead of just offering a printed sheet with your
White, Red, Blue, and Grand Champion level sponsor packages, try this: Do Your Research Be Flexible Be Creative
Do Your Research Not every company will benefit from all the tidbits
you put on your flyer. Ask a bank how the fair can help them, and most may say, “not at all.” They spend a ton of money on a corporate level and don’t need branding help from us or two banners on a fence or recognition on your Facebook page. But what might entice them at a local level may be help- ing their employees get in your fair or through your research, you find their focus for community involve- ment and offer something to a group they support. Find out what you can about your target company and find what interests them. They will be much more receptive if you show you know something about their business.
Be Flexible Once you have some background on the compa-
ny, have an initial meeting with a decision maker and use that information to put together a proposal that has things they would be interested in. For example, many businesses won’t have enough staff around to man a booth for the length of your fair, nor be willing to pay employees to hang out all weekend handing out pens. But if they are sponsoring a ground act,
have them pick one (1) day or evening that they could bring a table/truck and meet & greet the public and engage at every show. Get them involved as much as they have resources for. Customize the ben- efits to the level of what they want. For $5,000- $10,000, they want more than just a quarter sized logo on the fair program. If it doesn’t cost you much to throw in benefit (WIIFM -- What’s In It For Me), throw it in. Gate
admission, drink tickets, etc. Pile it up and make it look like the world’s best deal for the business.
Be Creative Here’s the fun part. Remember, they don’t want
just a logo and they don’t want to stand out there everyday. They want an “experience.” They want something nobody else can have! And be creative. Think about what would get you excited as a sponsor of an event. How about they sponsor a concert/music act? Let the client announce the act! Let them plug their business. Add in a couple of front row seats or meet & greet with the band. How about having them on a float in your parade? How about a large dollar amount and their sponsorship allows free admission night? Go big or go home!
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“Reprinted with permission, Fairs & Expos magazine, Septem-
ber/October 2019, International Association of Fairs and Exposi- tions.”
Faircracker FALL 2019
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