If you are having trouble getting sponsorship money from companies, take a good look at your philosophy and mind set prior to adjusting your sales strategy.

I had a conversation today with an individual that runs a magazine. Every magazine is funded by sponsors and advertisers. What they could not figure out is why other publications in the same industry were getting advertisers and they were not when their magazine was far more superior?

The secret behind getting any sponsorship money is the value the companies receive for their hard earned cash. We need to think from the perspective of our clients.
If I were to give money to advertise or sponsor an event:

1. What will I get in return?

2. What will be the volume of exposure?

3. How long will my name be in circulation?

4. Will my company name be exposed just for that event or will it ripple onwards?

5. Who are the demographics that will view my advertising?

Yes, I agree the above list are the basics of what every publication should consider before asking for money. Even though most do not even follow the basic principles.

Unfortunately by following the norm, we have prisoned ourselves in the frozen thoughts of others. in short, let your creativity lose. Go out on a limb and ask the potential advertisers what would benefit them the most? Become an expert and start educating your clients on what would work for them as well.

In short, if you want anyone to change their daily practice, on how they spent their advertising money, you have to replace their thoughts with something of greater value then what they have now. If not, there is absolutely no reason for them to change anything.

Do not just try to think outside of the box, remove the box entirely and you will be surprised what we can offer our potential clients.

Fred Sarkari

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