2019 Saffire Summit Presentations: Energizing Sponsor Ideas: A Fresh Approach to Your Sponsor Program - Rachel Trice

1. Energizing Sponsor Ideas: A Fresh
Approach to Your Sponsor Program
Rachel Trice, CFEE
Vice President, Marketing & Events,
Home Builder Association of Metro
Portland

2. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
First things first. Get back to basics.
• Sponsorship 101 revisited
• Sell Solutions, not sponsorship
• Customization, not menu sales
approach
• Understand category exclusivity,
really well

3. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Stock the Pantry: Quality Programming + Assets.
Review, Refine, Develop.
• The better the assets, the more you sell
• Create new inventory – what can you exclusively
offer
• Carve out assets you already have!

4. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
• Find new money by….
• selling ticket upgrades and options
• add VIP experiences
• offer exclusive access
• provide luxury benefits
• tie these to new sponsor deals

5. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Pairings are the Perfect Accent. Cultivate Partnerships.
• Partner with like-minded organizations for networks you didn’t
know you had (non-profits, chambers, tourism boards, parks)
• Use media partners for 3rd party deals – expand your sales
teams and reach, adding to marketing budget too.

6. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Ingredients are key. Add Social Programming
• Movement toward socially-responsible
partnerships and alignments again, especially for
younger generations
• The more the brands align, the more passionate
the consumers
• Lesa Ukman: ProSocial + IEG – follow her!

7. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Follow the Recipe. Contracts, Proposals, Policies.
• Proposal + Sales Approach (remember you are
NOT selling, but solving their problem.
• Contract inclusions matter.
• Official sponsorship policies handbook.

8. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Timed to Perfection. Use Timelines to Your Advantage!
• Typical sales timelines – understanding when they buy and how can you incentivize them?
• Fiscal Years – know when they have money!
• Sell 2-3 years at a time – late and early positioning to the sponsor. No money this year? – no
problem
• Get creative with your billing cycles

9. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Your Technique. The order of operations matters.
• Internal processes and order of operations matter and contribute to your success.
• Don’t hinder your sales efforts on the small stuff. People prefer to NOT sell, so they’ll bog themselves
down in paperwork.
• Finance, database, sponsor account management support – are the teams working in tandem?
• Sponsor allocations forms + the philosophy of allotment

10. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN!
• WHO IS IN CHARGE?
• Only one chef – leader of
the deal making
• Control your assets and
approvals in one location

11. Sponsorship. a fresh approach.
Dinner Party Success! Feedback, Recap, Assess.
• Provide opportunities for sponsor feedback
and always find the way to meet their needs.
Don’t be afraid of the negative feedback.
They’ll value you even more.
• Sponsor post-event recap reports - vital for
major partners.
• Happy sponsors will sell for you.
PS (photo credit: Camilla Styles website)

12. Cheers to a Successful Sponsorship Program,
Rachel Trice, CFEE
vice president, marketing + events
home builders association metro portland
rachelt@hbapdx.org
503-577-6400 cell