Partnership Process

POSITION

Who are you?, What you got? and what are we trying to do?
Who are you and why are you important?
Why should I take the time to listen to you?
What is your platform?
What exactly do you want to do?
Why do you want to do it?
What do you need to do it?
What do you need from them?
What are all the moving parts?
What's it going to take to pull it off?
Why should someone help you specifically?

PROSPECTION

How do know who to go after?
Who is already targeting your demographic?
What are their values?
What is their mission, strategic priorities and marketing initiatives that will define this year?
How do they reach your audience?
Do they have other partners or sponsors?
What infrastructure can you leverage?
Do they have stores we can tie into?
Identifying Non-Profit Partners

• http://charitynavigator.org/ 
• GuideStar.org
• Give.org
• Chamber of Commerce
• IRS.gov/charities
• Talk to friends

Identifying Corporate Sponsors

• Websites and Annual reports
• Hoovers
• sponsorships.com
• Look at ad's in your demographic 

PACKAGING

Pay package, What Benifits can we bring to them?
What print benefits could you deliver?
What web benefits could you deliver?
What event benefits could you deliver?
What experiences could you deliver?
What comp benefits could you deliver?
What media benefits could you deliver?
"How are we going to get attention for doing good or making a diference?"
Survey Benefits,  We'll ask these 5 questions to our audience both before the event and after the event.
What benefits can we create of the Employee's?
What can we generate for the most profitable customers/Giving donors?

PRICE  

How much do you charge a sponsor?
★ It's not what it's worth to you, it's what it's worth to them!
What is the cost?
What is the time?
What is the expertise valuation?
What is the exposure?
Use the 10 cent rule (Web, Signage, Samples)
  Leprechauns are a Signature platform
Contract Time, 1 year deal or a 4 year deal?
What is the ROI and measurement system?
How big of a problem and pain are you solving for them?

PROPOSAL

Clarification or Prospectus or Sponsorship Package.  Same Outline for a Corporation or a Non-Profit
Cover letter that is short,aligned,intoxicating
Cover with headlines and quotes
Table of Contents
Executive summary (1-2 pages)
Project Overview
Talisman's Profile
Your Profile
Promotion Plan
Partner/Sponsor Benefits
Partner/Sponsor Requirements
Order form and agreement come separately

PITCH

1. Why are you contacting them? (Show alignment)
2. Who are you?
3. Whats the project? 
4. What's the benefit to others?
5. What specifically do you want that person to do?
6. How do we proceed and by when? 
★✩ " The most important thing we need to do soon is assign a reliable point-of-contact for me to work with at ___ who I can count on to help plan and execute the details of our donations and promotions.  I'd also like to schedule a meeting with you at your convenience" ★✩

Collaborate and work together,  This means a Live Meeting
Call the nonprofit; Email the corporate
Keep it short
It's about purpose,passion, personality and a plan
Naming matters... just ask the prunes
Million Dollar Positioning: "Every year we select"
Focus on what you are going to do, NOT on what you need.
43% Budgets chosen 4Q(Oct-Dec) 26% 1Q (Jan-Mar) 21% 3Q (Jul-Sep) 10% 4Q(Apr-Jun)

Who do you talk to?

Non-Profit

• VP of Development
• VP of Sponsorship Sales
• VP of Corporate Development/Relations/Corporate Partnerships

Corporate

•  Dir of Sponsorship
• VP of Strategic Alliances/Partnerships
• VP of Marketing Alliances
• VP of Partnership Marketing
• VP of Community Development/Outreach/Social Responsibility
• Dir Brand Experience and Sponsorship

Last Resorts

• Director of Marketing and PR
• Dir of ... 

AUTOMATE

How do we make the Leprechaun programs so easy that our partners and sponsors LOVE US, What takes the Dum stuff off the table.  A way that they can work with us without working with the Talisman Directly
Make it Easy for them to help you!
Create a website with EVERYTHING they need!
Get out of the way - think middleman
Do it before they ask.  Send them everything in advance
Generate reports FOR them

ACTIVATION

The Leprechauns Doing what we say are going to do.
Rule 1. Keep them Informed
Rule 2. Perk the partner
             What can you do free for them?
Rule 3. Over deliver and make them see it
Rule 4. Give them 4 surprises.  Be very tactical and strategic about it.

ANAYLIZE 

How do we know the project succeseded or not?

• Immediate post activation report
• Benefits breakdown
• Sales and bouncebacks
• Exposure/Media Analysis
• Internal Partner Feedback
• Surprises
• Evaluations, Dealer/Trade Response
• Even better if's
• End with testimonials and teaser

ACKNOWLEDGE

Follow up thank you gift
Follow up Letter
Follow up Press Release
Follow up marketing materials

ANNUALIZE

Get the Same sponsorship year after year
Get feedback
offer insight on audience/competitor
Learn more about the allocation process
Learn how to submit better
make the ask for a personal submission to the best person next-year
make the ask for a multi-year relationship

AMPLIFY 

Double the Income
  Get coaching
Spread the word and get more partners
Include full acknowledgment package in proposal
The Big Idea: Figure out how to double-down
Build a team or outsource