BDPA Corporate Sales Handbook (2012)

“One BDPA” Corporate Sponsorship Program Handbook

Revision: August 28, 2012

Version: 5

BDPA Corporate Sales Handbook Revised: August 2012

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Table of Contents

BDPA Corporate Sales Handbook Overview ........................................................ 2

An Overview of the Organization ..................................................................................................... 2

BDPA Corporate Sponsorship Program Rationale .......................................................................... 3

Benefits to Corporations Who Invest and Partner with BDPA ......................................................... 4

Reasons Corporations Invest .......................................................................................................... 4

Ways That BDPA Provides Return on Investment .......................................................................... 4

Technical Development and Skill Enhancement .................................................................. 4

Opportunities for Employee Development ............................................................................ 4

Recruiting Mechanism .......................................................................................................... 5

Community Recognition and Public Relations...................................................................... 5

Networking Opportunities and Technology Exchanges ........................................................ 5

Assist in Closing the Digital Divide ....................................................................................... 5

Benefits to the Chapters and Regions for Participating in the BDPA Corporate Sales Program .... 5

Corporate Participation Continuum ............................................................................................. 6

BDPA Corporate Sponsorship Program .......................................................................................... 6

BDPA Corporate Sales Strategy ..................................................................................................... 7

Who Makes BDPA Corporate Sales ................................................................................................ 7

Corporate Sales Documentation ..................................................................................................... 8

Corporate Sales Process Flow ........................................................................................................ 8

Corporate Sponsor Meeting Talking Points ..................................................................................... 9

BDPA Account Manager Roles and Responsibilities ...................................................................... 9

Shared Responsibility with Corporate Champion .......................................................................... 10

Corporate Champion Roles and Responsibilities .......................................................................... 11

Homework Assignment for the Corporate Sales Team ................................................................. 11

Your Feedback is Welcome ........................................................................................................... 11


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BDPA Corporate Sales Handbook Overview The purpose of this handbook is to provide a comprehensive guide on the BDPA Corporate Sponsorship Programs that is used by BDPA on a local, regional and national basis. Several views are presented for clarity. The intended audience is BDPA members who engage in corporate sales activities and BDPA leadership on the local, regional and national level. This handbook is the responsibility of the Corporate Sales Department Director and should be reviewed for updates on an annual basis. In order for corporate sales efforts to be effective, all individuals selling BDPA sponsorship should have an understanding of the overall program as provided by this document and are required to work in a united, cooperative effort toward acquiring funding.

An Overview of the Organization National Black Data Processing Associates, (NBDPA), is a non-for-profit professional association founded in 1975 in Philadelphia, PA. NBDPA has grown into a national organization with over 40 chapters chartered throughout the United States. Organization membership is open to all with expressed interest in the information industry regardless of race, sex, religious beliefs, or national origin. Our Mission NBDPA is a global member‐focused technology organization that delivers programs and services for the professional well-being of its stakeholders. Our Vision To be a powerful advocate for our stakeholders’ interests within the global technology industry. Our Profile � Founded in Philadelphia in 1975 � 2,100 members in over 50 chapters nationwide � 21,000 on‐line community � Strong programs “Advancing Careers from the Classroom to the Boardroom” � Annual National Technology Conference & Career Fair Expo Our Demographics NBDPA members represent all ethnicities, age groups, and income levels. We are geographically disbursed across the country with a growing international following in Canada, England, France and Ghana. � 60% of NBDPA members are IT Professionals (e.g. software developers, business analysts, testers, project managers, etc.) � 25% are high school and college students � 10% are entrepreneurs and consultants � 5% are managers and senior executives The National Board of Directors (NBOD) is the governing body of the BDPA. The NBOD meets on a quarterly basis to set the policy and direction of the organization. Implementation of that policy on a national level is the responsibility of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that meets monthly. The NBOD is comprised of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the elected regional vice presidents and elected regional directors. The National Executive Committee (NEC) is comprised of three elected officers (President, Vice President, VP Finance), appointed Vice Presidents (VP Member Services, VP Membership Management, VP Strategy and Planning), Founder and the outside directors.


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BDPA Corporate Sponsorship Program Rationale BDPA realizes its mission and objectives by delivering programs and activities in the local chapter and at the national level. These life long learning programs are designed to take the member from the classroom to the boardroom. For example, chapters deliver programs like professional development workshops and seminars, monthly program meetings, web sites, newsletters and they participate in the annual BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) by sending a team to the Annual National BDPA Technology Conference (national conference). The major National BDPA program is the national conference. National BDPA also facilitates community outreach programs delivered by the local chapters. There are five (5) main components of a successful program.

1. Money 2. People 3. Facilities 4. Equipment 5. Curriculum

The major funding sources for the chapter are fund raising events like the Annual Awards Banquet described below, in-kind corporate support, corporate sponsorships, membership dues, and grants from the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF). The major funding sources for National BDPA are the national conference, membership dues and the corporate sponsorships. In order to pull together all the components of a successful program, BDPA partners with corporations, associations and other strategic alliance partners, but by far, corporate support is a major component of BDPA’s success. The National Corporate Sponsorship “One BDPA” Program was established in February 2002 to develop formal alliances that involve Corporate America more closely with BDPA programs, activities and goals. Corporate sponsors not only offer financial support but also participate in programs developed to enhance the technical and professional skills of the community. The investment in BDPA creates positive exposure to a technically diverse membership of African American Information Technology professionals and students. The sponsorship program is designed to offer corporations an opportunity to partner with BDPA to meet corporate goals and objectives for recruiting, employee development, philanthropic endeavors and enhanced image in the African American Community. The program is open to all corporations with a sincere interest in pursuing the vision, mission, objectives and goals of BDPA. The conceptual and fundamental scope of the program is to:

• Develop plans, assign resources and confirm milestones for viewing progress toward the goals

• Document mutual understanding, measurements and goals • Dramatically increase BDPA membership and national conference participation • Enhance loyalty in the corporation amongst employees and customers • Increase exposure opportunities to technically competent and diverse IT professionals

and students • Link BDPA strategic initiatives to the objectives of the corporation • Provide a forum to interact with other IT and HR industry leaders and professionals

The national conference is currently BDPA's largest fund raising and professional networking opportunity of the year. During the 4-day conference, African American IT professionals share their experiences with their peers, while participants from across the country take part in our Career Fair, explore the displays at our Technology Expo, and attend seminars and workshops reflecting leading-edge technologies and strategies for IT professionals.


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BDPA offers a wide variety of professional development programs in Information Technology, Professional Development, Career Development and Leadership Development to help members advance their careers. It doesn't matter whether you aspire to be a technical expert, IT manager or an entrepreneur. BDPA offers programs to take you every step of the way, from the classroom to the boardroom by securing the future through technology.

Benefits to Corporations Who Invest and Partner with BDPA The BDPA Corporate Sponsorship program is designed to offer corporations a standard way to invest in BDPA and they are predicated on the notion that corporations invest in BDPA as a means to meet their own corporate objectives.

Reasons Corporations Invest 1. Recruit Diverse IT Talent

a. Networking Opportunities and Technology Exchanges 2. Retain Diverse IT Talent

a. Technical Development and Skill Enhancement b. Opportunities for Employee Development

3. Community Recognition and Public Relations a. Assist in Closing the Digital Divide b. Create future workforce with robust STEM experiences for K-12 students

4. Supplier Diversity a. Increase MBE-spend opportunities thru BDPA business owners

5. Market Share a. Access disposable income of BDPA membership

Ways That BDPA Provides Return on Investment Technical Development and Skill Enhancement

• Accelerate Professional Development by Sharing Expertise • Annual National BDPA Conference Workshops and Seminars • Certification programs (e.g., BDPA IT Institute) • Develop Web Enabled and eCommerce Expertise • Distance Learning and eLearning Opportunities • Monthly Program Meetings • Professional and Technical Development Workshops • Technical Program Development

Opportunities for Leadership Development

• Board of Directors Positions • Committee Chair Positions • Department Directors • Develop Management and Leadership Skills • Provide mentoring for all levels of professionals • Publish in Nationally Distributed Newsletter • Program/Project Management


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Recruiting Mechanism • Annual National BDPA Conference Career Fair • Face-to-Face recruiting at chapter program meetings • Job Posting and Resume Databases • Provides access to a national pool of qualified information technology professionals

in support of a diverse workforce � College Interns � Entry Level � Professional � Management/Leadership

Community Recognition and Public Relations

• Best Companies for Blacks in Technology and Epsilon Awards • Create or support scholarship funding for talented high school students interested in

technology careers • Fulfill company values related to supporting community efforts • Identified as “Employer of Choice” within the minority community • Private sector supporting education sector

Networking Opportunities and Technology Exchanges • Annual Conference Technology Expo • Business Opportunities • Entrepreneur Programs • Information exchange through our websites, blogs and online communities • IT Senior Management Networking • Knowledge Sharing

Assist in Closing the Digital Divide

• Annual Youth Conference • Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW) • College Intern Program • Community Technology Centers • High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Program • Provides opportunity for greater community involvement

Benefits to the Chapters and Regions for Participating in the BDPA Corporate Sales Program The BDPA Corporate Sponsorship program is designed to assist chapters and National BDPA with funding and in-kind support needs as a means to meet the objectives of the organizations. The program provides a standardized way to obtain various levels of sponsorships to achieve year round results benefiting all parties.


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Corporate Participation Continuum Corporate sponsors not only offer financial support but also participate in programs developed to enhance the technical and professional skills of the community. The investment in BDPA creates positive exposure to a technically diverse membership of African American Information Technology professionals and students. Purpose: To be used as a conversation point to help the BDPA and the corporation see where they are and where they are going in the evolution of building and maintaining a mutually beneficial partnership. Involvement Volunteer Service Opportunities:

• Banquets • Assign Corporate Champion

• National Conference • Advertising (for Newsletter & Events)

• Program Meetings • Internal Affairs

• Seminars and Workshops • Corporate Relationship Building

• Audio/Visual Specialists • Communications

• Instructors • Graphic Specialist

• Membership • Education

• Mentors • Printing Services

• Program • External Affairs

• Program Coordinator • Committee Volunteers

• Public Relations • Financial Analysis & Planning

• Software Developers • Career Development

• Tutors • Speaking opportunities

BDPA Corporate Sponsorship Program This sponsorship program is designed to:

♦ Coordinate BDPA volunteer resources – local, regional and national – through the Corporate Sales Team

♦ Provide a mechanism for Corporate America to invest in BDPA programs, scholarships and services on a local, regional or national level

♦ Provide a seamless ‘One BDPA’ approach to the corporate sales process ♦ Provide national recognition to any corporation that invests in BDPA at any level ♦ Support the goals and initiatives of our sponsors

Corporate Sales Registration Form: All support must be documented on the Corporate Portfolio Registration Form. Sponsorship can either be financial or in-kind (donation of equipment, software, services or other non-cash items). Recognition levels are achieved by collectively adding the amounts from the individual sections to determine the overall sponsorship level.

NBDPA Portfolio: For sponsorship opportunities the NBDPA Portfolio is the single document shared externally with corporations, allowing them to select venues that support the organization. It is a physical demonstration of the "One BDPA" philosophy that drives the corporate sponsorship program. Targeted Financial and In-Kind Support Opportunities are located in the Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities Portfolio. The NBDPA Portfolio is available for download online at www.bdpa.org. Corporate sales support team can be contact by email at ([email protected]) or phone (301.584-3135) for more details on the corporate sponsorship program. Sponsorship Recognition Levels are based on support provided to BDPA at the national and local


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levels. Sponsorship can either be financial or in-kind (donation of equipment, software, services or other non-cash items). Recognition levels provided by BDPA to the corporation are achieved by collectively adding the amounts from all the national and local chapter sponsorships (i.e., a la carte purchasing):

Recognition Level • Platinum Corporate Sponsor $100,000 • Diamond Corporate Sponsor $ 75,000 • Gold Corporate Sponsor $ 50,000 • Silver Corporate Sponsor $ 25,000 • Bronze Corporate Sponsor $ 10,000 • Corporate Sponsor $ 5,000 • Corporate Supporter $100 - $4,999

All Corporate Sponsors and above will receive:

• Appropriate onsite signage at National BDPA Events (deadlines apply). • Public accolades on our BDPA Corporate Sponsor lists published in a wide

variety of venues including our website, monthly newsletter and all other BDPA publications (deadlines apply).

BDPA Corporate Sales Strategy

Who Makes BDPA Corporate Sales There are basically 3 groups within BDPA soliciting funds on behalf of BDPA programs and activities:

1. National BDPA Corporate Sales Team 2. Local or Regional Sales Team 3. BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF)

The National BDPA Corporate Sales Team consists of the President, Vice President, Regional Officers, Corporate Sales Director and the Account Managers. BETF also solicits funds to support BDPA programs, scholarships and services. However, BETF clients are primarily philanthropic and corporate foundations. BETF does not solicit funds from corporations. The BETF was established in 1992, to address the dilemma that educational technical opportunities still reach the African American and other minority and under-served communities at a slow pace. BETF is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to fund the youth, educational, technical, and training projects of the BDPA. Since the National BDPA and almost all local chapters are established as 501(c) 6 not-for-profit organizations, the BETF becomes an integral part of the corporate sales strategy when a 501(c) 3 letter is required by the soliciting organization. Salseforce.com is the official corporate database where all sales activity is captured. All corporate sales activity must be documented in salesforce.com. Corporations are assigned to Account Managers responsible for developing and managing the relationship. Before any presentations are made, the three sales groups must develop a strategy on how to best sell BDPA programs and activities to the corporation. This is done by working with the Account Manager and the Corporate Champion. The strategy is based on what best meets the need of the corporation and their plans to get involved. Before any corporation is approached the account must be verified in Salesforce.com. This database is used to keep BDPA from soliciting funds from multiple sources within the same corporation. If multiple sources are competing for the corporate relationship then the Account Manager determines via the history of the relationship the best approach to secure the funding.


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Corporate Sales Documentation Material can be downloaded from: www.bdpa.org and Salesforce.com. 1. BDPA Corporate Sales Handbook (this document) 2. NBDPA Portfolio 3. Collateral Material and Templates in Salesforce.com (e.g. National BDPA Brochure,

Conference Flyer, BDPA National Newsletter) 4. SOP-Corporate Sales Delivery

Corporate Sales Process Flow 1. Account Manager assignment is directed by the Corporate Sales Director. 2. Account Manager contacts corporation, verifies contact data and sends NBDPA Portfolio to

Corporate Contact. 3. Account Manager meets with Corporate Contact to explain options and to gain commitment.

Account Manager conveys to the Corporate Contact corporate registration forms to be completed based on anticipated commitment.

4. Account Manager documents next steps and commitment in meeting notes and makes status

updates in Salesforce.com. 5. Corporate Contact submits the completed registration form and sends/faxes them to the

National Office. National Office starts a folder for the corporation and consolidates all correspondence and forms. Email: [email protected]

6. Registration forms are sent via eFax or email to the President Elect, Corporate Sales Director

and Vice President of Finance and others on the [email protected] email alias. 7. When a firm commitment (registration and funding) is received in writing and has been

verified, the Customer Sales Delivery Manager (CSDM) works with the service providers to ensure the corporate deliverables are achieved. A “Corporate Champion” may be assigned or selected to facilitate the relationship between the corporate sponsor and BDPA to ensure sponsor satisfaction.

a. If possible, the corporate champion role should be fulfilled by someone that is

internal to the corporate sponsor as they have direct access within the corporation and can rapidly address any concerns and issues raised by the sponsor.

8. The Corporate Sales Director should make an introduction between a local chapter President

and the corporate contact and champion in order to foster a long lasting relationship between BDPA and the corporate sponsor. This also allows the local BPDA chapter to continually demonstrate BDPA’s commitment to the community, the corporate sponsor and deliver on the benefits listed elsewhere in this document.

9. At any point in the process the Account Manager can start the follow-up call process.


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Strategy for Account Manager Follow-up Call 1. Based on discussion with ‘Corporate Champions’ determine what additional information

is needed to make the sale. 2. Develop an information kit based on questions asked. 3. Be prepared to either email or snail-mail additional information packet within 72 hours of

request. 4. Follow up with a thank-you card & the promise to keep individual informed of new

developments. This is always an impressive touch. The card should have your business card inside with a nice thank you for listening message. These can be ordered with the business card cutouts. [NOTE: This is good touch for the corporations that say “No” as they may change their mind later in the sales cycle.]

At least once a year Account Manager, Corporate Sales Director and or the President will schedule a checkpoint meeting with the corporate sponsor (the Corporate Champion is included) to solicit feedback and seek more opportunities for collaboration. A sample agenda for this meeting would be:

• Review support received for the year and give thanks for participation

• Talk about benefits (e.g. exposure, recruitment) gained

• Share information about upcoming events

• Discuss other corporate participation opportunities

• Ask for renewal and for a commitment to increase support

• Ask for referrals into other corporations

Corporate Sponsor Meeting Talking Points 1. Some talking points to consider when conducting a corporate sponsorship meeting are:

2. Has your company realized benefits from involvement/sponsorship?

3. What are your business challenges?

4. Is there more that BDPA can do to help company meet corporate objectives?

5. Are there any BDPA opportunities for improvement?

6. What are good areas for collaboration (hot buttons)?

7. Is the corporation interested in supporting multiple chapters?

a. Supporting National BDPA? b. Supporting National Conference?

8. Will Company sponsor and at what level?

9. What are the next steps?

a. Do we allow time to digest and follow-up with a phone call? b. Do we send a corporate marketing package? c. Do we set up a presentation? d. Do we send an invoice?

BDPA Account Manager Roles and Responsibilities The major duty is to facilitate a mutually beneficial long lasting relationship between BDPA and the Corporation. The Account Manager works hand in hand with their internal counterpart (Corporate Champion) to make sure that both the corporation and BDPA are meeting their expectations.


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The Account Manager:

• Serves as an important communication conduit, making sure that information disseminated is passed along to the Corporate Champion and feedback from the corporation is passed on to BDPA.

• Provides on a monthly basis, status reports to BDPA Corporate Sale Director on

corporate sponsors outlining where the corporation wants to target involvement, the level of corporate sponsorship and specific benefits that the corporation seeks. Provide any updates on the accounts contact information.

• Provides a status reports to the Corporation and seeks renewal of annual corporate

sponsorship grants. This status includes a report on collaborative efforts, noting successes and opportunities for improvement. It is important for the Account Manager to keep track of statistics and key measures to help evaluate programs and justify continued support. It should include timelines and dollar total along with critical measures of success.

• Represents corporate interests in strategic planning discussions. As new initiatives are

considered, the role and potential support of corporate sponsors is a key element that the Account Manager helps to bring to light.

• Responsible for coordinating requests for corporate participation from a BDPA

perspective. This may involve centralizing corporate participation requests, or making sure that local chapter requests are presented to the appropriate regional offices. The method for request coordination is dependent on what is being requested and the internal policies and procedures of the corporation. The Account Manager should determine the best method and engage not only the chapters, but also the National BDPA and the National BDPA Education and Technology Foundation.

Shared Responsibility with Corporate Champion • Create and follow-up on funding proposals and corporate sponsorship presentations. • Facilitate Corporate Marketing and Membership Recruitment presentations. • Remind the Corporation about participation opportunities and pass on interests to the

appropriate local chapter and National BDPA members. • Updates on personnel assignments, addresses and contact information as well as

minutes of meetings. Benefits

• Gain experience in high-level business negotiations, relationship building and program delivery.

• Help the Corporation meet the business needs of BDPA. • Networking opportunities to pursue career aspirations. • Personal fulfillment that comes from helping in the growth of corporate participation within

local chapter geographic area. • Positive exposure and visibility to senior levels of management at a number of

corporations.


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Corporate Champion Roles and Responsibilities This person is an employee of the corporate sponsor and works to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between BDPA and the corporation Duties

• Facilitate communication between the BDPA and the Corporation. This includes invitations to program meetings, the national conference and local chapter programs or community outreach events.

Benefits

• Help BDPA meet the business needs of the corporation • Networking opportunities to pursue career aspirations • Personal fulfillment from helping and participating in the BDPA organization growth • Visibility to senior management and employee recognition

Homework Assignment for the Corporate Sales Team 1. Study the NBDPA Portfolio. Be prepared to discuss the ‘benefits’ with each selection. 2. Packages & Selection Combinations. Each member of the Corporate Sales Team needs

to understand the advantages of specific packaging and try to package the more difficult to sell items.

3. Perks & Bonuses. a. We need to be flexible enough to offer perks to the Corporate Champion to close

the deal as well. Example of perks that can be used would be extra ticket(s) to the Awards Banquet. Another perk that has traditionally been used with the NBDPA conference is to allow the corporate sponsors of an event to name or provide the speaker for that event. In any case, the perk/bonus should be something that has minimal negative impact to our national budget.

Your Feedback is Welcome

Readers are invited to share corrections, questions or other updates to this document with the Corporate Sales team via email to [email protected].