SERVICING THE

SPONSOR

DEFINITION

Serving the sponsor to enhance the mutual benefit of brand awareness.

GUIDING PRECEPTS

Follow the sponsorship plan

Look for opportunities to expand the sponsor’s returns.

Communicate with the sponsor and your sport organisation

SERVICE OBLIGATIONS

Deliver the promised benefits

Be committed to the sponsorship

Work to the best of your ability

Protect sponsor rights

SERVICE OBLIGATIONS CONT.

Promote your sponsor whenever practicable

Always give recognition to the sponsor

Share promotion ideas with the sponsor

Keep your sponsor informed of happenings in your sport organisation

SPONSOR OBLIGATIONS

Provide the cash, services, contra

Be genuinely committed to the sponsorship

Promote and safeguard your interests

SERVICING CHECKLIST 1. Know your contact person

2. Keep records of meetings and decisions

3. Have a copy of the sponsorship agreement

4. Have ‘no surprises’

5. Involve sponsors in activities

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT. 6. See sponsor involvement as

opportunities

7. Prevent (and repair) ‘Ambush Marketing’

8. Have clear media communication

9. Ensure your members support the sponsors

10. Sponsors should share reflected glory

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT. 11. Acknowledge your sponsor at every opportunity

12. Double-check the marketing agreement

is being followed

13. Provide the logo to all media

14. Answer the phone with the sponsor’s

name

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT. 15. Ensure your marketing, events, workplace and other persons have

the details of the Agreement and

electronic copies of the logo and set pieces.

16. Use the local media and monitor them

17. Always wear sponsors’ gear with logos

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT. 18. Use everything to publicise sponsor

brands – gear, reception area, letterhead, bags...

19. Be professional and be loyal

20. Check signage placement

21. Research brand awareness

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT. 22. Use videos as a check for sponsor branding effectiveness

23. Create events and functions that enhance your sport AND the sponsor e.g. Welcome home, special days, testimonial dinner, award nights, family nights. Brief the sponsor.

24. Get that sponsor in view!

SERVICING CHECKLIST CONT 25. Seek ways to enhance the

sponsorship

26. Foster gender equity

27. Make sure your ‘stars’ know the benefit of having a sponsor

28. Train your stars to communicate

SPORT, SPONSOR & MEDIA Relationship

Create opportunities

Use personalities

Be aware of deadlines

Remember media are busy

SPORT, SPONSOR & MEDIA CONT Spokesperson

Provide media space

Write media releases

Use the internet and social media

Have a media guide

SPORT, SPONSOR & MEDIAInterviews

Get your point across

Prepare

Repeat the theme regularly

Be positive and be polite

AMBUSHING THE SPONSOR This is when another marketer

associates itself with an image or association with which they have no right to do...”stealing rights they don’t own”

Devalues your sponsor

Sometimes another marketer takes rights that undercut the ‘real’ sponsor impact

FIGHTING THE AMBUSH The sponsorship plan: plan for ambush!

Target audience must know the sponsors

Use integrated marketing

Know the potential risks

Use the term “Official Sponsor”

FIGHTING THE AMBUSH What rights can be assigned to a third

party?

Legal situation

Ensure rights are tied up: tv, signage, advertising in sport materials, legal use of images, sponsorship of individual (or teams) not sponsored by official sponsor

Patrol your boundaries!

GOOD LUCK!