Question

Topic: Strategy

How Do I Get Sponsorship For My New Company?

Posted by Anonymous on 2/15/2006 at 12:55 PM ET 125 Points
Hi everyone.

I just recently started my own elegant evening fashion line and I need to launch the line with an event at a venue. I have seen so many designers in the industry have sponsors. Does anybody know how to get these sponsors to sponsor their events? How do I apply? Is there also other ways to acquire finances for my company at the launch event? I need to raise about $5,000 for coverage on copyrights and expenses. If anyone has any tips and advice on starting out I'll be more than glad for your help! I need ways of fundraising at the evnt as well and ways to get funds and sponsors to sponsor the initial event.

Thanks!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by darcy.moen on 2/15/2006 at 4:38 PM Member
    Where are you located? I know some folks who may have some connections that could help you if you are located in New York or L.A.

    To get sponsors, you have to ask. You have to pound pavement and make sales calls. What do you have to offer? Do you have a large audience? Large following? Its the numbers of exposure that counts if you don't have a brand that lifts your sponsors. I wonder if the sponsors aren't paying to be seen WITH a big name, as opposed to the sponsors PUSHING someone else's name.

    Darcy Moen
    www.customerloyaltynetwork.com
  • Posted on 2/15/2006 at 4:46 PM Author
    Yes I should clarify. I am located in NYC. I'm asking for advice on where I should look. Do companies just march up to a business and ask them for some sort of donation and in return they get all the exposure and advertising? Where do I start? May I email these companies? Or will they just throw away my letter? Also if anybody has input as to what to do during the event to raise extra funds. That would be great. What I have to offer is for them to advertise their company to my audience which will be about 500 guests. If anybody has any names of companies that you know attend to fashion icons and the industry in general I'd love for you input!!! Thanks!
  • Posted by darcy.moen on 2/15/2006 at 8:05 PM Accepted
    You can email companies, you can write them letters, you could call. There is also every likelyhood that they will trash the letter and not take the call. Why? Because, you have to sell them on the concept of sponsorship.

    These 500 guests...who are they? Why should they be important to a sponsor? Is it 500 extemely wealthy folks who are looking invest money?....or did these 500 folks come out to see your new line? What I'm getting at is: you have to offer more value to a sponsor than simply hanging their name out on a banner for people to see. Simply hanging a banner is of no real value to anyone buy you for collecting a fee for doing so.

    Now, my friends in New York who may be interested...well, they have a vested interest in fashion. In fact, fashion IS their whole business. They also are receiving business from perhaps the same fashion concious folks you are....or perhaps you have people who are not doing business with my friends. y friends may have an interest in associating their brand with yours because they want to be seen as supporting the fashion indistry, and at the same time, it may benefit them to hook up with a young designer now to expose your lines to their customers. You see, you both win.

    I will email my buddy and see if he is into local sponsorship. It may be a bit of a stretch for him, and perhaps you may not like the business he represents...or is not exactly what you are looking for in a sponsor. But then again...who knows? Can you email me your website and other contact information, and I'll pass it onto John and see if I can't get you together.

    He is a member of this organization: www.leadingcleaners.org

    There is another group out there, but they may be too far away to take a role. www.americasbestcleaners.com

    No promises, but what the heck, they may know people who know people. You know how it goes.

    Darcy Moen
    www.customerloyaltynetwork.com

  • Posted on 2/17/2006 at 12:00 PM Author
    Thank you Darcy and Panfred. I still need a little more input as for is it okay to ask a company to donate things to make gift bags out of? And I was also told about tax reduction opportunities for companies who decide to participate. How do i go around doing that?
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