1. Good Business. Great Business Community.
Sponsorship Lessons we’ve Learned along the Way
1. Pricing like its 1999? Look for sponsorships whose price didn’t keep up with your growth in
membership, event attendance, sponsor marketing exposure …and the turn of the millennium.
Consider exposure from new media you now use (don’t overlook email!).
2. Create bundles or packages for frequent flyers. Keeps your hands in your own pocket and they’ll
thank you for allowing them to plan the entire year up-front.
3. Are you giving away the farm? Be honest with yourself and your sponsors with regard to
sponsorships that are grossly undervalued.
4. Talk to your sponsors. Learn why they sponsor and what they expect to get in return – then give it
to them.
5. Raise your professional credibility. Are you substantiating your “great marketing opportunity!”
with audience demographics, program historical background, and quantified marketing exposure
details?
6. Put new labels on old events. Don’t create new programs and events – add new sponsorship levels,
find “events within events,” sponsor member services, etc.
7. Look to your left, look to your right. Can the physical space around you be named or sponsored?
8. Benchmark and learn from your members. You are a business membership association! You’ve got
a direct line to many successful businesses. Talk with them, research them, or just pay attention to
what they do.
9. You never get what you don’t ask for. Have confidence and be willing to ask for it or you’ll leave
money on the table. It might not always fly – admit when you missed the mark, make adjustments,
and try again.
10. Practice safe economics. Allow the classic “supply and demand” price determination model to
move pricing on your most popular sponsorships.
Fall 2011 Tri-State Chamber Exec utive Conferenc e  Non-Dues Panel  September 30, 2011
Christian M. Maslowski, President & CEO  (317) 888-4856  Christian@GreenwoodChamber.c om