Integrated marketing delivers strong association sponsor revenue

June 7, 2011; Mark Buzan's PR and Public Affairs Spot on the Web: Why would a potential sponsor wish to support your nonprofit organisation or association? Sponsors and corporate supporters are going to be looking for the answer to the question of "what's in it for them"?  More importantly, they will also be looking for communications are all-encompassing, 360-degree, 3-D channel.

To increase your association's revenue base from corporate sponsorships, it is your responsibility to magnify their marketing communications presence far beyond anything they would have been able to attain on their own (an article from 2006 points to the trends in corporate marketing).  It's said that for an organization's marketing message to be received, appreciated and acted upon, prospects need to hear about your NGO, charity or association's cause at least 7 times.

I would go one step further.  It is critical for nonprofit organizations to ensure their prospect audiences receive and NGO message multiple times AND from multiple different sources.

For example, where is your NGO planning to showcase their support?  Your association has likely given consideration to placing an advertisement on its website, in the coming conference promotional material, or even within its newsletter.  Those present good visibility for corporate sponsors of associations but the really successful associations are those that go the distance and integrate into their less passive marketing the support they receive from major revenue contributors.

Here are some ideas to consider:

• Mobile/ SMS text message marketing is going to become the next wave in succession of social media marketing.  Has your association considered what can be possible in promoting your nonprofit organization and the support it receives by pushing its message out to the smart phones of your many members and supporters?
• Your association undoubtedly engages in public relations and media relations.  Still a powerful means of building awareness, mentioning the support of sponsors in PR and press releases goes one step further in demonstrating commitment to sponsors.
• Social media marketing: If your charity or association has been anywhere at all in the last 5 years, you have begun to build a social networking presence and a following of supporters across the internet. Leveraging this presence for your sponsors is one more way to get out the word.

These are just some ideas of how you can go the distance for potential sponsors and as a result, grow the revenue and corporate sponsor potential for your association.  The bottom line relates to delivering and over delivering on service and marketing reach.  What is your association doing to grow its revenue base with the corporate world?

If your are interested in learning more, Action Strategies' association marketing webinar partner, CEPSM, will be delivering a complete webinar on this subject.  Click here to learn more about nonprofit association sponsorships.

Mark

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Mark Buzan is the Principal and Chief Magnifying Officer in Action Strategies.  His work in association marketing communications and stakeholder engagement has facilitated major sponsor support for national associations.

Related posts:

1. Maximizing Non-Profit marketing, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities for more revenue
2. 5 Reasons Why and How Public Relations Impacts Non-Profit Revenue Generation