When it comes to planning a large event, it is always an issue when it comes to finding suitable funding. A common way of doing this is by getting sponsors on board. Finding local sponsors for a charity event can always be something of an upward struggle, however there are a few things you can do to ensure you get appropriate sponsors for your event. If you only have one person allocated to the task of getting sponsorship then there is a chance you will need some additional help, failing that they may have to work a little smarter and a little harder.

The most important task you can do before you approach any companies is to do some research. If you put the time in to make a list of companies which will be an appropriate fit for your event then the chance of them coming on board as sponsors will be that much greater, thus making the sales cycle for you and your team that much easier.

So how do you determine what sort of company will be a good fit? Think about the charity your event is focused on and the types of people who are likely to attend. Is there going to be a particular theme to the whole event? These are all things which you should consider when it comes to making a shortlist of companies to approach, enabling you and your sales team to use your time on the phone more efficiently. It’s important to remember that this is a sales process and you must justify what sponsors will get in return for sponsoring your event. It could be discounted tickets (if they may have a vested interest in attending), a prominently placed banner at the event, company information distributed with the event welcome pack or perhaps an advert on the event website (if there is to be one).

It will definitely help if you already have an ongoing relationship with any of the companies you are looking to approach. Whether you know them from previous events, or perhaps you work in the same industry. A little prior social networking can be beneficial when it comes to generating interest in sponsoring your charity event.

It is important that you leave plenty of time before the event takes place before you go out looking for sponsors. Anything less than a couple of month’s and you are really going to struggle as the amount of paperwork and admin involved for companies to organise such funding will mean that the timescale is somewhat prohibitive. It can be difficult to organise sponsors far in advance of the event taking place so it may help if you approach companies with a list of attendees. If you have a significant number of people confirmed as attending in advance then this could be a good insentive for a company to sponsor you.

If all this seems a little daunting and you do not have previous experience of organising a charity event or your company just doesn’t have the time or resources then help is at hand. There are a number of specialist event planning companies who will be more than happy to assist you.

Author Bio: Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Owl Event Management, a leading UK event planning company.

Category: Advice
Keywords: event planning, sponsorship, event management, conference, fundraising, events, charity