Charitable Sponsorship Marketing

Hi there, and welcome to my blog! I am Chris Teague, and this is my blog about my job, marketing. Thanks for checking the blog out today!

I have worked in the non-profit arena ever since I was in graduate school. First, I felt the urge to make a difference in this world, so I volunteered for a few small organizations, and even played in the fire of a political campaign. Wow, that fire really was hot! Today, I am going to address the importance of your sponsorship. Even if you aren't sponsoring a charitable event, you can still know what happens when and if you decide to use charitable sponsorship as a marketing avenue.

Why do companies spend thousands of dollars on charitable events for a banner and logo placement? If you don't have the answer, then I am really stuck. You see, as a marketer, I always want to make sure that whatever my clients do they follow the overall marketing objectives set for the year. For me, having a logo on a sign and being mentioned in a program is not really a strong marketing tactic. However, it is important to be in touch with the community, and it is vital that companies and businesses support charitable organizations.

Before you decide on sponsoring an event, think of your company's message for a moment. How does the charity's event help you communicate that message to your target audience? If the sponsorship packet you're reviewing does not have many "ideal" marketing opportunities, you still don't have to refuse the sponsorship, especially if you believe in the cause. Pick up the phone, and speak with the Communication's Coordinator of the charity, and suggest a few ideas you have for making your sponsorship more impacting than what you were originally presented. I'm sure that the charity wouldn't mind a little insight anyways. After all, the charity's job is to keep your dollars coming back in the door. Your job is to make sure that your marketing objectives are followed through the sponsorship.

Have a good week everyone!

Your friend,
Chris Teague- a marketer with purpose, drive and passion