One of the reasons a sponsor may say yes to providing in-kind or cash sponsorship (or combination of these) to your project, event, or big dream is that they see the value you are able to bring to their brand through your social media connections.
In other words, sponsors see the potential to have ROI – return on investment – from their sponsorship and relationship with you. (Remember, it is important not to assume what sponsors want and need. Instead, ask them!)
Sponsors may have a goal of being seen in front of a particular audience and social platforms can create the targeted platform and buzz they desire. When done effectively, sponsorship social media strategies draw positive and desirable attention to both your sponsor (and your dream project).
More...
How to Create ROI for Sponsors Through Social Media: ​
Here are 7 tips to help you offer even more value to your sponsors through the power of social media.
Ask your sponsors for blogs, memes, and content that you can start sharing to introduce your sponsors to your audience and followers. Tag your sponsors and invite your following to engage on the posts. Ask your sponsor if there is a specific hashtag they would like you to use on your posts. Here are some of the tools we use to be effective with our social media.
Do a Facebook Live/LinkedIn Live interview with your sponsor. Then share the link through social media. Don’t just share it just once. Use a social media scheduling platform to schedule posts over a period of time. Your sponsors will notice! You can also create blogs and social media posts from the content discussed in your Facebook Live. This is a great way to repurpose content.
Provide sponsors with the opportunity to provide a prize that you then actively promote through social platforms. And, if you create a related, customized hashtag that includes their name, even better!
Do a Facebook poll that invites your following and connections to provide input to the sponsor.
Partner with a charity or non-profit that includes a social media focus. One of our Million Act of Kindness sponsors, The Original Poop Bags, did a great social media campaign for a non-profit event they were also sponsors of. They created a campaign to raise money for the charity by contributing $1 every time a specific post was shared. This supported the charity, brought tremendous attention to both the sponsor and the charity, and created fun social media buzz (and attention to an important issue/cause).
Engage on your sponsor’s social media pages. Comment, like, and share when their messages resonate with you. Invite comments and engagement from your community on any such sponsor posts you share. You can set up a Google Alert for your sponsors so that you see when they are appearing in different ways on the web. This is how we often see new press releases or media that our sponsors have been featured in.
Write a review for your sponsor’s product or service (must be authentic) or a review on how it is to work with them on the project.
Bonus Strategies for Supporting Sponsors:
​Keep loving on your sponsors on social media after the project, event, tour, or launch is done. This is a powerful way to keep the relationship going and stand out to sponsors.
Need more ideas on how to recognize sponsors? Here are 20 ways to thank sponsors.
If you need more help with building relationships with sponsors, check out the Big Dream Primer program. This 7-module program will provide you with the process, confidence, skills, and templates to put our sponsorship insider strategies into action.
Social media can be one of your most powerful ways to recognize sponsors and provide them added value. Make sure you make planning a social media campaign around your sponsor(s) a priority and talk about the ways you can support your sponsors through social media marketing. Take screenshots of effective so social media posts and track metrics and engagement.
These details and information will affirm the value you have to offer sponsors. and be most valuable to your sponsors in your post project debrief and help you continue relationships with sponsors.