Association sponsorship program success is driven by focusing on SALES and SERVICING.

SALES

When I interview sponsor company executives on behalf of association clients, companies say they are interested in doing business with associations, however, they are frustrated when they are contacted by 3, 4, or 5 different staff departments and outside agencies pitching various offerings: à la carte sponsorships, partnerships, advertising, exhibits, etc.

To address this and position associations for success, I recommend consolidating sales into one “ask” for each company or corporate department.

SERVICING

When I interview sponsor company executives on behalf of association clients, companies say they sign up to be a year-long sponsor, however, they are concerned that the association doesn’t follow-up for discussions about sponsorship strategy and fulfilling benefits.

To address this and position associations for success, I propose adopting a marketing agency account executive model. Marketing agency account execs serve as the liaison between each client and the agency’s creative team.