In Sport Sponsorship

how does sponsorship work?

Why begging for attention if you can be worshipped by your customer?

There is no point in interrupting and begging someone for their attention when your brand can be embedded in something that your customers really want to watch and that they like. That’s exactly how sponsorship works, it’s a powerful marketing strategy utilized by many businesses, from small start-ups to global enterprises. Whether it be an in kind sponsorship or financial support, being a sports team sponsor, or working with media sponsors, these sponsorship opportunities provide exceptional reach and impact

Moreover, advertising after hindering what the audience has chosen to do (e.g. watching a movie) shows them products and services that most of the time they do not need and they are not looking for.

Advertising and Brand Awareness

Good for brand awareness you’d say…but are you sure that these continuous interruptions won’t generate resentment in the people on whom advertisers endlessly force insurance policies, biscuits, cars, holiday packages and funeral services (have a look at this commercial if you don’t believe me) www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxDD_qvFqvM  that they obviously don’t want to buy at the moment?
With a sponsorship the brand’s connection with the audience feels more authentic and less forced than traditional advertising. And the key here is finding the right sponsorship partner, whether that’s a financial sponsor, an official sponsor, or even a cash sponsor.

The 3% rule

This rule tells you that just 3% of the viewers are ready to buy https://stickybranding.com/3-rule-engage-customers-before-they-need-your-services/

So if only 3% of those watching our commercial is looking for our product 97% of people do not find the commercial relevant, they are not interested and maybe they will get up and go to drink a glass of water, make a phone call or looking at their social. That is why it is important to create a sponsorship agreement that keeps your brand top of mind for the remaining 97% of the people. Whether this is within the local community, through media coverage, or as a result of sports sponsorship, your brand will benefit.

May I?

Have you ever considered that when entering someone’s place it is good courtesy to knock on the door and ask for permission? And that the less invasive you are the better it is?

Obviously, this is not the way advertising works and that’s why the long love story between the public and commercials is finished. Even the relatively young Digital advertising industry is in trouble, and that’s why the savviest companies are looking very much for more efficiency on that side as well. www.thedrum.com/news/2018/03/06/marc-pritchard-says-pg-will-soon-have-slashed-wasted-digital-media-spend-50
This is where a strategic sponsorship proposal comes into play. Be it a sport sponsorship or linked to music and the arts, the sponsorship benefits should align with your marketing plan and lead to increased brand exposure and recognition, moving away from advertising’s sole focus on sales. The aim here is not just increased brand awareness, but creating positive associations with your brand that last.

How can we address this situation?

How can we communicate effectively and efficiently without wasting time, money and effort?

Let’s put our logo where 100% of the consumers’ attention is focused! It is a simple process, easy to understand: we put our brand on a show that they love to watch. This could mean sports teams, promotional partner collaborations, or even digital spaces where digital sponsors play a significant role.

If we do it, the viewers will connect said brand to something that they like and that, being associated with a show that is relevant to them will be perceived as positive.

We will show only the brand and we will not try to sell anything, (we also know that only 3 out of 100 people are ready to buy).
By doing so we will build a relationship with our target and in due time they will reward us with their preference for our brand.
The aim is to keep our brand top of mind and appreciated until the time they need it.

In fact, we will engage our target without interrupting it before it will need us, we will make ourselves known without being intrusive. We will be seen by our potential customers over time, in pleasant moments and we will become family members first and then favorites until our brand will become their choice when they have a need to satisfy. And they will satisfy that need choosing our products instead of the competitors’ one.

Let’s say that you have a friend who sells clothing and, today, you need a shirt.  I am sure that it is highly likely that you will go to your friend’s shop  before considering alternatives

To sum it up

By sponsoring you will be recognized and associated with something that your target appreciates. The target will remember your brand when it needs to buy the goods or service your company produces or delivers.
It is where sponsorships work to create a commercial advantage and positive benefit for brands. Not to mention the positive association that occurs in the minds of the consumers, effectively lowering consumer defense mechanisms.
By doing so, you will not only address the 3% of people that has an urgent need but you will talk to all the people who will potentially need you in the future.

With sponsorship, you will build a relationship based on the shared passion that leads to trust for brands and products that will ultimately result in increased sales: that’s how sponsorship works.

Clicking this link you can consult an interesting research that deepens the link between sponsorship and purchasing behavior.

Inside the piece, you will also find a link to download an abstract of the research.

A sponsorship expert can help facilitate this emotional connection and shape public perception of your brand, through both individual events and broader sponsorship programs. In this way, sponsorship helps bridge the gap between a brand and its target audience, offering a more personalized connection than traditional advertising and other forms of marketing.

Choosing the right sponsorship that aligns with past successful events and brand identity can create an exponential brand equity boost. Whether it’s a trade show, local music festival, or a sports event, these are all great opportunities for brand exposure. Media outlets, social media influencers, and promotional partners also play an important role in increasing your brand’s reach.

As we said earlier, Let’s say that you have a friend who sells clothing and, today, you need a shirt. I am sure that it is highly likely that you will go to your friend’s shop before considering alternatives. This is similar to how a sponsorship appears to your audience. It’s an extended brand extension, a business relationship that cultivates trust and loyalty in your target market.
If you wish to have more information on sponsorships read Sponsorship Activation and please contact us at our email address:info@rtrsports.com

 

 

Can we help you sign your best sponsorship deal?

Riccardo Tafà
Riccardo Tafà
Managing Director for RTR Sports, Riccardo graduated in law at the University of Bologna. He began his career in London in PR, then started working in two and four-wheelers. A brief move to Monaco followed before returning to Italy. There he founded RTR, first a consulting firm and then a sports marketing company which, eventually, he moved back to London.
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