26 Feb 5 tips for getting your board “on board” with sponsorship
“We would have a great sponsorship team if only our volunteers would go out and ASK.”
Sound familiar? Whether you’re staff supporting a board of volunteers, or your the Fundraising Chair for the upcoming gala, leading a sponsorship team can be like herding CATS! Here are some great reminders about how to galvanize people towards action.
- Call it a Sponsorship TASK force not a committee. WHY? Because people who like sponsorship do not like meetings!
- Send shorter emails. WHY? Because they don’t read your long emails anyway! Keep the emails short, and on task. And use your email subject lines for instructions. (CONFIRMED, BRAVO, PENDING)
- Give volunteers FEWER LEADS. WHY? Everybody has big ambitions of following up on multiple leads. But they don’t. Give each volunteer 1 lead to start with. Start with the best leads you have so they can feel successful.
- Host a regular weekly (or monthly, or bi-monthly) conference call about ONLY Sponsorship leads. WHY? Because some people will find it easier to report back via phone. Also, it gives them a chance to update the team with questions, observations and successes.
- Celebrate successes with the whole team. WHY? Fundraising is a TEAM SPORT. Shared successes inspire others to get out of their comfort zone and engage.
Finally, remember the 80 -20 rule. 80% of your sponsorships are going to come from 20% of your board members. Focus on the keeners. Encourage and inspire them, and you’re on you way to sponsorship success!
Looking for some sponsorship inspiration in these dull, dreary days of February? Join me on March 3 at 2pm EDT to talk Sponsorship Success. REGISTER for the FREE webinar HERE.