Who to target The first consideration is who you should target for your offer, and there are definitely roles you should avoid and roles that will be much more productive.
People you want to avoid...
Sponsorship manager -- You'd think somebody called the "sponsorship manager" should be right person to receive your sponsorship proposal. That's just what the company is hoping you'll think, as one of the sponsorship manager's biggest roles is that of gatekeeper -– keeping you away from the real decision-makers. Yes, there are a few exceptions to this, but not enough to make this a good first entry into a company.
Online sponsorship submission forms -- These are nothing but automated gatekeepers and don't give you the scope to showcase what you really have to offer. Avoid them at all costs.
Agencies -- It's just not a good idea to volunteer to put a third party between you and the decision-maker. Stories of this working are rare, and I've never seen it happen myself.
CEO/MD/President -- Please hear me when I tell you this: The CEO is not going to say "yes" to you. They aren't going to say "no" to you, either. They'll pass your proposal down the line until it gets to the sponsorship manager and then s/he'll say "no." Meanwhile, you've burned a ton of time.
People you want to seek out...
Brand manager (or a member of the brand team) -- In most companies, this is who has the authority, flexibility, and budget to say "yes" to you, and is who you need to target. As a bonus, because so many sponsorship seekers are wasting their time with the CEO and the sponsorship manager, very few are targeting the brand manager.
General manager -- This is often the right person to target in a smaller company, particularly a local or regional company. The good news is that you can call to confirm, as smaller companies tend to be less cagey about providing details to sponsorship seekers.
Regional marketing manager -- If what you're offering has a primarily local or regional focus, you could opt to approach the regional marketing manager. S/he may have the budget and authority locally, and can be a strong advocate in home office if your offer outstrips their budget.
Important
If you contact one of these people and are referred to the sponsorship manager, an agency, or an online form, you're going to need to accept that you've probably just been told "no."
Getting names and contact details
There are a lot of strategies for learning who to approach and how to contact her/him. How you go about it is a matter of the resources you have available and your own personal style. These are a few of the strategies you can use.
Use your network
Sponsorship isn't anywhere near six degrees of separation. Chances are, you'll only be a couple of degrees away from someone who can tell you who the actual decision-maker is and how to reach her/him.
Scan their media releases
Most corporate websites have a media centre, featuring their media releases from recent months or years. Find that page and scan for releases having to do with brand announcements. Chances are, there will be a quote from the brand manager in charge of that brand and voila, you have the name and correct title. You should also note if there is an email address for the media contact, as the syntax will likely be the same for the brand manager (e.g., firstname.lastname@company.com).
Search marketing publications
If you are selling a significant number and amount of sponsorships, you need to subscribe to your national advertising/marketing weekly -- or at least their email alerts. Examples are AdAge, Adweek, AdNews, Media, and more around the world. Why? Because every time a new marketing initiative is announced for a major brand, it will be covered in one of those publications and will feature a quote from the brand manager in charge.
LinkedIn is a good way to find out the correct name and title for the brand manager, as well as some background information that may assist you with preparing for a meeting or phone call. I'm not convinced, however, that LinkedIn messaging is a great way to introduce yourself. Ditto asking someone that you have never done business with to make a LinkedIn introduction. I get asked this all the time, but if I don't have personal experience working with you, sorry, but I'm not going to vouch.
Ask
If all else fails, call the switchboard and ask for the name of the (insert brand here) brand manager. Don't then ask to be put through. You need to prepare before you make that call.
Directories
I am aware there are some directories available, but their value is really patchy. If it's sponsorship-oriented, it's the sponsorship manager (gatekeeper) that is usually listed. There are more general directories, listing brand managers. The biggest problem with directories, though, is that the turnover in marketing roles is high and the lists go out of date quickly. This is my least favorite option.
Now, don't screw it up!
Once you've got the correct name, title, some background, and possibly an email address, you still have quite a lot to do before you're ready to make contact. Don't screw it up.
(Source: Kim Skildum-Reid, Power Sponsorship, 11/08/13)
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