Hollywood, CA – July 31, 2011. I had the chance to attend the Hollywood Music in Media Awards Sponsor Success Summit held at Hollywood & Highland/Kodak Theater Center this week. Among the opportunities to meet new and long-time leading music industry innovators, I was fortunate to hang out with songwriting legend John Braheny for most of the day while gaining valuable information from the lineup of presenters. Those who impressed me most for their expertise include Ben Reiss and Mark Nguyen (Planet LA Records), Sara Griggs (Sara Griggs Media), Bernard Baur (Musicians Institute), Mark Allee (Soultone Cymbals), and Joe Solo (Solo Productions). You should click the links I’ve provided, become familiar with their work, and follow their excellent advice. Topics addressed in detail included modern brand partnerships, brand integration, sponsorship procurement, endorsement deals, product placement and public source funding (such as Kickstarter–which I’ll be trying out soon for a new project).
Some people say getting sponsors means “selling out” but partnerships can help you create more music, merchandise, and opportunities than you could do on your own. Companies also realize that consumers are incredibly savvy and are resistant when sold to. As an influencer to your fans, you can introduce or reinforce their product or brand and get paid for it. Here are nine lessons I learned (sequenced in a way that gives you a process) for getting sponsors to back you with money or goods in exchange for helping them reach your niche market:
1) Understand your potential. You are a media channel. Your physical and virtual presence reach markets like traditional television and radio channels do. Your ability to reach niche or mass markets based is your audience reach. You may have a small or large reach, but you do reach someone.
2) Define yourself. Before approaching a company, make sure you have a clearly written definition of your product or service.
3) Define your audience reach (consumer base). Are you able to show proof by your “footprint” of success that they can see? Where do you show up in search engine rankings? What are other people and businesses saying about you? How involved are you in the activities of others around you?
4) Create a “One Page.” Feature information about your service, product, audience reach, and testimonials. Make it look excellent. First impressions are everything.
5) Research businesses that fit your brand. Do you like their products? Would you promote them anyway? Sponsors want natural fans to endorse them, so it helps if you already love what they do.
6) What are the benefits? How do you and a sponsoring company fit together? Ask yourself how you can help them.
7) Create a proposal. Create a benefits and features package to help them clearly understand what you offer to them and what you need from them.
8) Get information into the right hands. Find out who is in charge of sponsorships and partnerships. Reach out and develop relationships with those people in the companies you want to approach.
9) Be persistent and have tenacity. I liked it best how Linda MacKenzie of HealthyLife.Net – All Positive Web Talk Radio stated her experience on this, “You are never rejected. They just didn’t understand you.”
Have you had success at getting sponsors? What has worked for you?
Resources:
Link to the Presenters
Link to Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA)