Selling sponsorships is not merely a matter of buying a list of potential buyers, writing a direct-mail letter, assembling a "package," and waiting for the telephone to ring. In her new Professional Development Series book, How to Be Successful at Sponsorship Sales, author Sylvia Allen details the information you need to become a sponsorship sales pro. Here’s a sample of what’s inside:

1: Take Inventory
List all of the elements in your event that have value to the sponsor. Be creative! There are lots of possibilities.

2: Develop Media and Retail Partners
Treat these partners the same as other sponsors: In exchange for the benefits they provide, they deserve a post-event report documenting benefits they get in return.

3: Develop Sponsorship Offerings
Work up a sheet that clearly explains the various levels of sponsorship; avoid too many levels and "cutesy" level names.

4: Research Your Sponsors
Do your homework on specific prospects; the more you know about them, the better.

5: Make Initial Sponsor Contact
Find the right contact at your target company; ask them several questions to make sure the company is a viable sponsor.

6: Go for the Appointment
Once you’ve determined that the prospect is a good fit for your event, schedule a meeting to explain the particulars to the contact person.

7: Be Creative
At the appointment, demonstrate your knowledge of the prospect’s business by offering a sponsorship that meets their specific needs.

8: Make the Sale
Once you have agreement to proceed, prepare a detailed contract that spells out each party’s obligations, to prevent misunderstandings later.

9: Keep the Sponsor In the Loop
Once you have closed the sale, you’ll want to keep your sponsor involved up to, and through, the event to keept them committed.

10: Involve the Sponsor in the Event
Don’t let a sponsor just contribute financially to an event and then leave the details to you... get them to participate!

11: Give Sponsors A Post-Event Report
This should include samples of all collateral from the event and complete documentation of the sponsor’s participation.

12 Renew for Next Year!
If you’ve followed the other 11 steps, this one should be easy. Go get ’em!

Selling isn’t easy; however, if you follow these 12 steps, it will be easier. These 12 steps make selling fun!

To order How to Be Successful at Sponsorship Sales or for more information, please call the RAB Member Service Helpline at 1-800-232-3131 today!