I have been working in the sponsorship industry for over two decades. I have no hesitation in saying this next statement. Despite the deluge of advanced sponsorship knowledge in the marketplace, many of the inefficiencies that existed then – have not gone away.

Non-profit organizations continue to fill staff roles with the jack-of-all trades fundraiser or marketing person who does sponsorship on the side.

I get this. Operating budgets are tight. Most small non-profits need to have this kind of multi-tasker to operate.

But make no mistake – you cannot do sponsorship as a side dish to your day-to-day tasks. Nonperforming sponsorship will not increase the revenue goals you are seeking to reach.

More important – Deploying high performance sponsorship into your game plan is the ultimate multitasking jack-of-all trades wrapped up in a bow.

I am a geek about this but there is magic in great sponsorship. The operative word is great.

When sponsorship performs at an elevated level both the sponsor as well as the beneficiary can meet multiple business priorities.

Sponsorship can not work in isolation. At an optimum level, high performing sponsorship multi-tasks!

On the sponsor side, it integrates cross functionally through multi-platform marketing and communications. As a result, sponsors can meet multiple priorities such as enhanced image, increased followers, sales, customer in-store and on-line traffic, and improved employee morale to name just a few benefits.

But the benefits and efficiencies do not stop with the corporate sponsor.

On the beneficiary side, a fully activated sponsorship program, in addition to increasing revenue for an organization also creates a platform for the not for profit to create marketing impact at all levels. Great sponsorship will increase awareness, strengthen brand equity, build credibility, and elevate your organization in the community.

High performing sponsorship is one of the many key topics that is presented at an NTC workshop - coming to your community in 2022.

No doubt the powers-that-be in your organization have set optimistic revenue goals for increasing new revenue through sponsorship.

But with all the balls in the air that non-profits have, one of the most familiar challenges in sponsorship has been how to start the process.

Revenue goals – all non-profits have them, but most do not have a strategic plan to meet them.

The truth of the matter is that sponsorship plans for most charities and non-profits is simply a list of sponsor targets. Am I right?

Strategic sponsorship planning must incorporate a robust suite of sponsorship analytics to its strategic planning process. One such analytic process are sponsorship audits.

In sponsorship, having a razor-edge strategy starts with a sponsorship audit. This necessary process is performed under a sponsorship lens generating a comprehensive 360-degree assessment of an organization identifying the competitive market position, internal capacity, the sponsorship assets, and the prospects who will buy them.

Without this vital strategic foundation your work is not anchored and this is likened to sailing without a sail or taking a road trip with out a road map.

Not to scare you, but if this process is skipped in the front-end of the sponsorship work, then it is likely optimized new revenue will not be achieved at the back end.

There are five major parts to a sponsorship audit.

1. Research + SWOT
   
   
2. Asset + Inventory Overview
   
   
3. Asset Development
   
   
4. Recruitment Plan
   
   
5. Strategic plan + timelines

This volume will talk a little about phase one, the SWOT. For those who are not familiar with this acronym, it stands for a research-grounded situational analysis of an organization.

A SWOT enables an organization to clearly identify all the situations that work for and against an organization's success in sponsorship.

This insight is vital as it enables management to gain the insight to guide the organization, improve success and eliminate inefficiencies more effectively.

SWOT analytics is also a superb board / volunteer management tool.

We all have experienced the directors who throw in ideas that can propel staff to other directions that may not be efficient. One of the many benefits of a SWOT is that it acts also as a strong management tool for providing strong rational to thwart potential inefficiencies.

The Intel gained from a sponsorship SWOT will:

• mitigate challenges that can potentially diffuse sponsorship efforts
  
  
• differentiate a sponsorship program from its competitors
  
  
• elevate an organization’s brand
  
  
• determine how the organizations strengths can be capitalized on
  
  
• define the opportunities that can be fully exploited to better build revenue generating assets
  
  
• present actionable revenue growth strategies based on sound foundation

Preparing an audit is one of the key topics at an NTC workshop. NTC will take registrants through a proven, end-to-end planning, development, and sponsorship sales process to help your organization meet and exceed its revenue goals.

From crafting a sponsorship audit to determining inventory and key selling features (KSF) through to capitalizing on your organizations unique advantages to qualify and direct sponsorship efforts.