Regardless of what has happened these past two years, local sports clubs are still a vital part of the local community. They offer a sense of togetherness and support that is unrivalled in today’s society. However, with the ever-changing landscape of business and sport, it can be difficult to find sponsorship for your club. In this guide, we will explore the various ways you can gain sponsorship for your local sports club in Australia!
There’s no denying the power of sports sponsorship. Clubs across Australia have been able to thrive and grow with help from large corporations, who also benefit by getting their name in front of a new audience. However, times are changing and it has become more important to support local. Although, finding local sports club sponsorship is tough, especially as small local businesses have a limited budget. Don’t despair though, because with the right approach offering reciprocal benefits, you can find a sponsorship strategy that supports local and is ideal for your local sports club.
So how do you go about finding local sports club sponsorships? There are many avenues you can explore, and we’ll outline some of the most popular, traditional methods below. There are also modern methods that make use of new tech and a unique offer from iSponsor which utilises community purchasing power to generate consistent cash flow for the club (more on that later). Keep in mind that each method will have its own set of pros and cons, so it’s important to weigh up all your options before including these in your income generation strategy for 2022.
Method #01: Join iSponsor and Skip the Heartache of Methods 2-22.
iSponsor helps sporting clubs and groups raise money globally. It’s seamless, fun and a brand new way to fundraise. iSponsor is free and easy, producing high returns for little effort.
Find out more about how iSponsor can effortlessly generate consistent cash flow for your club here.
Method #02: Professional Sponsorship Coordination
Sponsorship coordinators often turn over every other season, due to pressure from the club committee and business owners they work with. They’re responsible for generating sponsorship opportunities and bringing them into sporting clubs- which is difficult in such an environment where there’s so often high competition and relatively low new business inventory.
This is where a professional sponsorship manager can be vital. They’ll have the experience and relationships to help you find local sports club sponsorships that are right for your season, and they’ll also know how to negotiate the best deal possible.
Using a professional sponsorship coordinator is a great way to ensure that your club is getting the most out of its sponsorship deals – after all, it’s their job to know what businesses are looking for in a sponsorship agreement! Costs are associated to this route so make sure there’s money in the club kitty to foot that bill.
Method #03: Social Media Channels
Social media has become an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to finding local sports club sponsorships. Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn offer opportunities for businesses to connect with local sports clubs directly, and this approach can often lead to more fruitful negotiations than traditional methods.
Social media is also a great way to build relationships with potential sponsors. By providing regular updates through digital club newsletter and engaging with businesses on Twitter, you’re showing them that your club is active and interested in working together. This can be the key to securing a local sports sponsorship deal!
Depending on the costs you may also be able to promote your existence to local business audiences using paid promotions. Most clubs won’t be able to afford this ongoing, but it’s always great to test new exposure avenues.
Method #04: Sponsor Auctions
Auctioning off local sports club sponsorships can be a great way to raise money for your organisation – and it’s also a fantastic way to get exposure for your club. Allowing companies to bid for the right to sponsor your club can generate a lot of interest, and it puts the power in the hands of the organisations and clubs who need sponsorships most. It plays into the community spirit which is strong in many teams – potentially generating new customers for the entire season.
Be sure to set some ground rules before starting an auction, such as the minimum investment amount / commitment that a company can bid or the duration of the auction. This will help to ensure that everyone involved is treated fairly and that the process runs smoothly.
Method #05: Sponsor Packages
Sponsorship packages are a great way to attract a sponsor company. Package deals offer the company a variety of sponsor opportunities at once, which makes it easy for them to find the right deal for their club.
Creating the packages can be a lot of work, but it’s worth it in the end. By putting together some well-thought-out packages, you’ll make it easy for businesses to sponsor your club and you’ll generate more success and revenue for your sports club.
This approach is the mainstay of clubs whereby the club sponsorship coordinator for the year develops perks per package and attempts to secure gold, silver and bronze level sponsorships. This can be tiresome as it is high labour for potentially low yield and requires business turnover to exist year in year out.
Note: Sponsors change frequently as do advertisers who want their ads seen by new audiences – making it tough on Sponsorship Coordinators trying just get ahead of everyone else.
Method #06: Sponsorship Brokers
Sponsorship brokers are a great way to find local sports club sponsors, and they can be extremely helpful in securing deals that might not otherwise be possible. They have years of experience connecting businesses with organisations, and they know exactly what each party is looking for in a sponsorship agreement.
Brokers by nature take care of everything for you, and they’ll make sure that both parties are happy with the agreement. The cost will vary depending on who you use so be sure to investigate all options.
Method #07: Fundraising Club Events
Hosting a sponsorship event is a great way to connect with potential customers and show them what your club is all about. By inviting locals to attend your club, you’re giving them the opportunity to see what your support would offer them in terms of culture and dedication from supporters.
Method #08: Facebook Page Outreach
Social media is a great way to connect with companies around the country. By using a facebook page to promote your club, you’re giving businesses the opportunity to see what their community reach may be via your followers or facebook page.
Social media services offer another great way to raise money for your sport or organisation. Ask a company to donate items for a silent auction or raffle, and offer tickets as prizes. It should be a small investment, will help to bring in some extra revenue and give businesses the chance to get involved with your club.
Method #09: Sponsorship Websites
Sponsorship websites are a great way to find local sports club sponsors, and they can be extremely helpful in securing deals that might not otherwise be possible. They have years of experience connecting businesses with organisations, and they know exactly what each party is looking for in the agreement.
If you’re having trouble finding local sponsors, or if you don’t have the time to negotiate yourself, then a sponsors website could be the solution. They’ll take care of everything for you, and they’ll make sure that both parties are happy with the agreement.
Method #10: Sponsor Cold-Calling
Cold-calling a list of local companies is possibly the oldest way to find local sports club sponsors. By calling businesses directly, you’re giving them the opportunity to be a big part of something small, providing hope to parents and supporters.
Cold-calling can be a difficult way to find sponsors, but it’s still worth trying. You never know who might be interested in sponsoring your club.
Method #11: Local Networking
Networking is designed to yield connections! Sponsoring a team may not have been in the business plan, but by chatting in a low stress environment the cost and perks can be explored. The team promotion can be shown for its true merit, a positive spend towards kids community development and teams attitude. Exposure to potentially thousands of parents and contact with other participating businesses.
Method #12: Online Advertising / Google Adwords
Online advertising is a potentially complex but fast way to generate interest via paid promotion. A brand or company may see the advert as they’re searching for ways to provide their CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility. For example: A soccer club places an advert for awareness of their event and mentions sponsor opportunities. That soccer club provides promotion benefits for fixed costs and depending on the supporters may well open new business to the participating company. That’s well worth a trial from any progressive company.
Method #13: Direct Mail
Direct mail is a great way to connect with a company and show them what your club is all about. By using direct mail, you’re able to physically show in print what a big logo would look like on your clubhouse or uniforms.
Direct mail can be a difficult way to find sponsors, but it’s still worth trying. You never know who might be interested in advertising in support of your club.
Method #14: Sponsor Flyers
Flyers are a great way to connect with local support and show them what your club is all about. By using flyers, you’re giving businesses the opportunity to see what their logo would look like on your website or uniforms.
Flyers can be a difficult way to find sponsors, but it’s still worth trying. You never know who might be interested in sponsoring your club.
Method #15: Trivia Nights – Club Event
Trivia are a great way to connect with your greater community and show them what your club is all about.
Method #16: Sausage Sizzle – Social Events
Sausage Sizzles are a tried and true method of generating money for your sport or club. Unfortunately they require a great amount of labour for often low yields. Before covid they were a very common way of engaging with the local community and showcasing the local team throughout the season.
Method #17: Car Washes
Car washes are another mainstay in the sponsors bible – but just like sausage sizzles they are high labour/low yield when it comes to local sports club sponsorship.
Method #18: Lean on Strong Relationships
Lean on strong relationships you may have with local businesses. If you’ve done business with them in the past, or if they owe you a favour, then now is the time to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance; after all, that’s what friends are for!
Method #19: Kind Support
This is where a benefit maybe offered without the exchange of cash. ‘Kind’ refers to the provision of goods or services which have monetary value, but are provided ‘in kind’. For example, local sports clubs may offer free use of their facilities in exchange for sponsor services from a local business. This type of arrangement is common among sporting organisations as it helps to keep the cost of membership down for club members.
Method #20: Media Exposure
Is your club hosting an important celebration, or event? Inviting media to a planned event or newsworthy moment is a great way to get local businesses interested in sponsoring your club. If you can provide media exposure for a business, they’re more likely to want to invest in your organisation.
Make sure that you have a clear and concise media release ready to send out, and be prepared to answer any questions the reporters may have. You’ll also want to ensure that all of your event details are up-to-date on your club website.
Method #21: Team Uniform Branding
One of the best ways to provide quality media coverage is by having team uniforms that display their logo or name. This will give businesses some much needed advertising, and it’ll help your team look professional while competing.
If you’re looking for a new sponsor, or if your current sponsor is looking for some extra advertising, then team uniforms are the way to go.
Method #22: Targeted Drops of Sponsors Brochures
Club brochures are a great way to attract sponsors. They provide businesses with information about your club, including what it stands for, who its members are, and what events or activities it facilitates.
Conclusion: Finding local sports club sponsors can be difficult, luckily there’s iSponsor!
This concludes 22 ways to find local sports club sponsorships in Australia for 2022. If you have any questions or would like some more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at admin@isponsorapp.com. We can’t wait to work with you and help you fundraise into the future.
