How to gain sponsorships and brand partnerships

What kind of opportunities are out there?

Before we take a look at the process of securing sponsorships and brand partnerships, let’s take a look at the types of opportunities out there. 

Co-Branding

Co-branding is a partnership with a brand to create a new product or enhance an existing one. This is common in the fashion world. Often, a high-end brand will collaborate with a high-street brand to create a collection of affordable and quality items. Here, the two brands are creating something new, while the high-street brand receives a boost thanks to the reputation of the high-end brand. 

Sponsorships

Sponsorships are another way of executing brand collaboration. The slight difference between a sponsorship and a partnership is that the latter advertises a partner brand through an event. This is common in the music industry. A platform like Boiler Room, for example, frequently holds events in collaboration with drinks brands. 

Think about the brands that align with your event

It’s time to get your thinking hat on. Is there a brand from a similar industry that feels aligned with what you’re doing? Put them on the list of potential collaborators! For example, if you promote a club night with electronic music DJs, contacting an audio brand could be the perfect starting point. 

Then, do some more research. Find several brands you’d like to collaborate with and consider how the partnership could be mutually beneficial. Having options is crucial. After all, your first choice might not work out, so having a few names will help. 

Once you’ve drawn up your list? Begin to plan the partnership. Let’s take a look at this in the next section. 

Plan your partnership

So you’ve got an idea of who you’d like to partner with, but what would you like to do with them? 

You can be as bold as you like here. If you’ve had an idea floating around for a while, now is the time to use it. The only limits? Resources and whether the brand accepts your proposal. 

We mentioned the types of sponsorships and partnerships you can make earlier in the article. Now, let’s have a look at some examples. 

A club night & an audio brand

The result of a partnership like this could be a day of music workshops for young and underrepresented people in the community. Here, both parties have collaborated to deliver something new (the workshops), and both brands are enhanced by way of organising something of value (the music skills) for people. 

A partnership between two local businesses

An established local business sponsoring a family food festival or providing equipment for a bonfire night event are two examples where both parties gain value. It also strengthens the links between businesses in the local area. 

Once an initial connection is made, it could mean that both parties agree to a regular sponsorship deal. As the promoter, you’ve made sourcing a part of the event easier and the sponsor benefits from being seen as a business committed to giving back to the community they are based in. 

A wellness event & a gym

Wellness events are becoming more and more popular, with people choosing to prioritise their physical wellbeing and meet like-minded people. 

So, if you’re running a yoga event or a mindfulness session, striking a partnership with a gym could be fruitful. The gym could provide the venue or certain pieces of equipment, and you could mention their name on the flyer and in promotional material.

Nail the pitch

So, you’ve done the research and come up with an idea. What’s next? The pitch. It’s time to contact a brand and suggest your idea. 

This is your chance to shine. Here, be confident in what you can bring to the table. If you’re running a popular club night known for playing niche genres, the brand that you want to work with will be receiving part of the cultural capital you’ve built up. This is popularity money can’t buy, and the fact that you can bring people together under the banner of music is a massive strength. 

Sign off the pitch with the next steps, ideally an in-person meeting. However, a preliminary meeting or a video call could work. When you send the email, ensure that the subject line is concise. 

Keep in touch

Don’t just stop once the sponsorship or partnership has ended. Analyse the results of your collaboration and determine if it was a success. If it’s successful, see if you can expand on what you’ve done with the brand. 

If the brand is interested in another collaboration, try and do something that expands the scope of your previous partnership. You’ll have likely gained trust from them, so they’ll know you can deliver. An expansion might mean running an event over several days instead of one or running different events that fall under the same umbrella as your original one. 

Brand partnerships and sponsorships can ultimately increase visibility for your event, allowing you to do things you couldn’t do independently. So, nurture the relationships and be ambitious. You could end up expanding your event into something you never dreamed possible.