Sponsors can play a significant role in the success of your NFP by providing funding and contributing to its success. So it’s good to build and maintain a good relationship with your sponsors, and one of the ways you can do this is by offering them a benefit for their investment. We’ve done the thinking for you by making a list of some ways you can show your sponsors that you’re wanting to help them as much as they help you.

Create a profile

Write a profile about your sponsors that provides an overview of who they are, what they do and why they do it. Be sure to mention how these sponsors have contributed to your business, as this will educate your supporters, clients or club members about who your sponsors are and why they’re important. It will also allow your sponsors to connect with the local community and increase their business. You can feature the profile on your website, social media page, newsletter or any other marketing material. By doing so, you’ll strengthen your relationship with your sponsors, as they’ll feel appreciated and valued by your company. If you’re not good at designing content, there’s a free tool called Canva that does all the creative work for you.

Use their logo

Logos are very effective in allowing people to instantly recognise a company or brand – which is why you should use them. Ask your sponsor for permission to use their logo to further advertise their involvement in your business.

You can display their logo on your:

• website
• social media page
• banners
• at events
• on posters, cups, and merchandise, etc.

Another great way to use their logo is to take a photo of your employees wearing the logo on their t-shirt and upload it onto your Facebook and Instagram page.

Invite your sponsors to events  

If you’re holding an event or presentation, consider asking your supporters along so your customers or members can see them in person. You should also give your patrons the opportunity to make a speech so they can talk about their commitment to your organisation. After the event, make sure you provide them with photos so they can use them for their own promotional material and publications.

 Work together to develop an incentive

Consider working with one of your sponsors to create an incentive for your clients or members. You may like to use a sweepstake, as they encourage users to make the most social media posts by offering one big prize and can reward people for using a particular hashtag or checking in at a specific location. Or you may like to run a contest and allow your sponsor to be a part of the judging process. Sweepstakes and contests both have one big prize which is distributed to many participants. This prize could be a complimentary product or service from your sponsor, which can help expand your organisation and enable your sponsor to reach a larger market. If quality of content is important to your organisation, then choose the contest. But if your goal is to increase your popularity on social media, then a sweepstake may be your better option. Remember to communicate your decision with your sponsor to ensure your incentive will make a profit and benefit both of you.

When sponsors are offering support to your NFP or club, it’s important to offer them something in return. There are many easy and affordable ways to form a good working relationship with your sponsors that will help both of you achieve your business goals. If you build a healthy relationship with your supporters, they may even agree to sponsor your NFP or club on a long-term basis.