How to Write a Winning Event Sponsorship Prospectus

Sponsorships play an important role in events. They provide nonprofits with donations and can increase the value of corporate and professional events — without raising the price of admission. But the benefits aren’t just financial. Sponsorships can present opportunities for novel collaborations and cross-marketing and, should you land a big-name, help give your event credibility.

The question is, how do you get your foot in the door with so many events competing for sponsorship dollars? A solid sponsorship prospectus is a good place to start. 

Here, we’ll break down the function and value of a sponsorship prospectus and provide you with everything you need to create your own, with a sample prospectus available to download via the form.

What is a sponsorship prospectus?

A sponsorship prospectus is a comprehensive guide to your event and the sponsorship opportunities that exist around it. Essentially, you want to answer any questions a potential sponsor might have about your event, such as the types of people that attend and the various sponsorship tiers or packages available, and clearly communicate the value of the proposition.

What is the value of a sponsorship prospectus?

A solid sponsorship prospectus will help you attract and secure sponsors. It provides a handy reference document to bring together all of the key information about your event and outline the value of the opportunity to sponsors.

The beauty of a sponsorship prospectus is that it can be used across all stages of the outreach process. Let’s imagine a few scenarios. 

One, you reach out to a potential sponsor but they tell you they are busy and unable to commit to a call. You send them your prospectus to read in their own time and eventually they get back in touch to arrange that call. 

Two, you meet a brand manager at a networking event and pitch the opportunity for sponsorship. They tell you that they are interested but ultimately need sign-off from their leadership team, so you send them a PDF of your prospectus which they share with their #sponsorship Slack channel. Another way you can use the prospectus is as a slide deck in pitch meetings.

What makes a winning sponsorship prospectus?

A winning sponsorship prospectus has three hallmarks. One, it establishes credibility fast through a combination of succinct storytelling, strong visuals, and compelling data.

Two, it demonstrates the value of your audience. Here, success lies in breaking down your audience with a forensic level of detail and highlighting how it is complementary to your would-be sponsor.

Three, and this follows on from the point above, it clearly communicates the opportunity. Keep in mind a winning sponsorship prospectus doesn’t just convey information, it moves the reader to act. The document should be professional, but also persuasive and engaging. You want to inspire the reader and compel them to join your journey as an event creator.

Similar to a resume, it’s a smart idea to create one master document that you can easily adapt for each lead. For example, if you are approaching a local business you may want to include a longer section on where your attendees typically reside and spend their money. Whereas, a national brand might be more interested in your mission and values in order to gauge the level of ‘brand fit’.

Let’s talk about design. Because while the content of the prospectus is ultimately what will seal the deal, it should look the part, too. At the very least you need to organize the information in a logical order and ensure key points jump off the page or screen. It’s also worth considering how effectively the design complements your event format and audience. Bold, neon lettering may work well for a late-night music venue but less so for a family-friendly workshop. 

What should every sponsorship prospectus include?

It goes without saying that sponsorship prospectuses vary according to the nature and size of the event and the scale of the opportunity. A one-pager may work for a small, community event but a world-famous festival requires something more comprehensive. However, there are some fundamentals that every prospectus should include. 

We’ve outlined them below along with commentary on what makes them fly:

Event Overview

Before you get into the business proposition, outline the key details of your event. Explain the format and concept, who it’s for, how often it takes place and how long it’s been running. Avoid straying too far into logistics. More than anything a sponsor will want to get a feel for the personality and tone of your brand. This could be achieved through a short film, graphics or written text — but make it punchy. 

Social Proof

Every pitch benefits from social proof. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it relates to the practice of using reviews, awards, endorsements and the like for validation purposes, based on the idea that people tend to base decisions on the actions of groups and influential others. 

You can sprinkle social proof into your prospectus in the form of attendee feedback (both qualitative and quantitative), notable media coverage and external recognition. If you have collaborated with influencers or well-known brands, mention them. Delivered great things for a sponsor? Include it as a case study. 

Audience Breakdown

You need to demonstrate a deep understanding of your attendees. Include as much demographic data as possible (you can source this from post-event surveys, social media audience insights, and Eventbrite analytics) along with any insights you have around their lifestyles and spending habits, particularly where they overlap with the sponsor. 

Consider creating visual attendee personas to bring your fans to life. Finally, don’t forget to highlight the size of your audience and the rate at which it is growing. 

Sponsorship Details

Your first job here is to show them the potential upsides of sponsorship. What co-branding opportunities might it unlock for them? Where will it drive extra revenue? How could the relationship evolve over time? Sell them the impact but be as specific as possible and tailor the content to each potential sponsor. 

Once you’ve covered the ROI, run through all of the sponsorship options and outputs. If you don’t have fixed tiers or packages, aim to present a clear picture of how you might collaborate using examples from previous sponsorships. 

Ready to create your own sponsorship prospectus?

Enter your details on the form to download an annotated sponsorship prospectus for the fictitious Neutral Ground conference. With commentary throughout, we’ll provide you with all the practical advice and examples you need to create your own winning sponsorship prospectus.