While many businesses are working on building themselves back up, sponsorshop remains a key beneficial way of doing this as part of an overall marketing strategy. Research shows that in the journey to boosting brand and sales, sponsorship plays a central role in bringing a range of other key benefits to your business.

Supporting other businesses at this time comes high on the list right now, which can also be a great way of marketing yourself.

And let’s get this straight: To start with, we’re talking about your business offering sponsorship to others. Offering to give other businesses or events promotion or some sort of mutual benefit.

What can I sponsor?

The opportunities are endless and out there. If you’re getting started, go for a local event, a sports competition or a local business of the same or a complementary industry starting up in need of support.

Start by looking locally to see what's happening around you. Go to your local library, read through the local newspaper or just get speaking to people to find out what events are coming up.

What can my business offer to sponsor?

There are generally a few different offers you can give as a sponsor. Generally speaking, these are:

  • a financial offering (this doesn't mean to be a large investment)
  • a material offering (such as lending a venue or providing food)
  • a promotional offering

For your restaurant, cafe or venue, a logical and easy start could be lending your venue to a local sports group or offering to host an event. Providing food or drinks to competing people competing in a local sports competition could be a good way to go.

Promotional offerings can take the form of publicising an event for free by offering to create leaflets or posters for free, adding a logo to your publicity or promoting through your social media pages.

In doubt? Here are some of the key benefits of offering sponsorship in your business:

It raises brand awareness

The more exposure your business gets, the more audience you reach. Sponsoring the right events, charities or projects can give your audience a positive association with your business. People tend to choose products and services that invoke positive feelings within them, so then they would be more likely to choose your restaurant over your competitors.

It establishes your position as an expert

Working with an organisation and a charity that align with your restaurant values and goals can help you position your business in the field. You want to choose who and what you sponsor strategically, and spread the messages you want to convey through the cooperation.

It can help reach your target audience

Understanding your target market is the first step to selling your food and services. Sponsorship serves as an excellent tool to reach your target audience because the right sponsorship helps expose your restaurant to more of your target market and attract more attention from the crowd you want to reach.

Many sponsors have grown their leads and had people reach out to them to ask about their services, as a result of the sponsorship.

It can bring new leads

While it can be hard to measure the ROI from sponsorship, one way of doing is this is through new leads that come through sponsorship. If you have a nice place for people to eat it, people may want to hire it out for a special event, book some tables for a group or ask about how they can order your food online. All of these can be recorded and a useful way of measuring

To maximise these, make the most of the sponsorship by promoting it through your marketing material, creating some new photos of the people involved in your sponsorhip and share their updates on social media. Create a form for people to fill in with their contact details for your email list so that you can get in touch with them later.

How do I get started?

Do some research and find out about some local events happening. Make a list of what you have to offer as a sponsor and if you can free up any of your budget realisitcally. It could be some money for drinks for a local sports team after their competition or paying for their medals. Whatever it is, the key is to make sure it's something they will find valuable that will not cost you too much.

Find out about local organisations or charities and the work they do. Which fit most with your values and what your business represents?

Sponsorship can't be overlooked as a key part of your business marketing strategy, so start looking around and seeing the opportunities abound for your business.