Get The Proposal Right
The Proposal Format
There are very few "absolutes" in sports marketing, and the format of the proposal is no exception. Although I will provide some general guidelines, the most important thing is to use what works. In my experience, the following suggestions will help you develop proposals that work.
You should develop a letterhead for your program. In fact, you should make sure your sports marketing class or program has a name. I worked with an advertising professional years ago, and we developed the name, logo, etc., for Sportainment. This was the name we used to identify our sports marketing program. (A name, by the way, that has been pirated by other programs!).
Decide on your name, develop a logo, and then place that logo on professional letterhead. With the availability of color printers, it is not necessary to have reams of letterhead printed. Instead, print it as you need it, along with business cards. As you might guess, all proposals should be typed (or whatever word we use to mean computer-generated and not handwritten!).
There should be a heading at the top of the page that identifies the event and the potential corporate partner. Even though you have not reached an agreement, use every opportunity available to create a psychological tie between your event and your prospect.
The first paragraph provides background on your organization. The business is "buying" your organization (sports marketing class/club) as much as they are buying the event. Let them know who you are.
In the second paragraph, tell about your event. A great deal of detail is not necessary, just enough to paint a positive picture.
Next, explain how the partnership will work, followed by a list of the sponsor rights or benefits.
This general format may vary to some degree based upon the relationship you develop with the business. Some proposals are less formal, while a great deal more detail may be necessary in some instances.
On the following several pages, you will find suggestions for developing a winning proposal and examples of simple proposals that have been used for Tip-Off events.
Keep in mind that the actual rights and benefits offered will undoubtedly change based upon your individual circumstances. You may not have a local television station. You may choose not to advertise on the radio. You might have a ton of social media followers and fans. Be sure to use the samples for formatting purposes and generating ideas. You will need to make some changes for them to work for you and our school.
