Category Archives for "Relationship in business & sponsorship"

​We see so many entrepreneurs miss important opportunities, and it makes us want to scream, “Slow down! This could be the opportunity that makes the difference!”  

How many times have you attended a conference, trade show, or community event and either completely avoided the trade show/exhibit area or just visited the booths that totally excite you?

Ever walk around wanting to blend in with the audience so you don’t get “sold to”?

We totally get it. We’ve felt like that too. However, many successes that resulted from visiting the trade show, booth by booth, proved to us this was well worth the investment of time (and sometimes a bit of discomfort).

​Getting past the gatekeepers within companies, brands, and organizations to connect with decision makers can sometimes be the most difficult challenge in building relationships with potential strategic partners and sponsors.

How can you overcome this challenge that sometimes feels impossible?

It’s actually pretty simple.

Make friends with the gatekeepers.  

If gatekeepers feel comfortable with you, and “like” you, they are more likely to connect you with the person you need to know.

​It’s pretty disturbing that we even need to write this but… we do.

Charmaine travels extensively as a speaker and you would not believe the number of times she overhears women on the phone negotiating contracts, providing feedback, talking to their team or clients, and addressing conflict while in the bathroom!

There’s nothing like overhearing someone say, “Sorry for the background noise, I am in the washroom!” or “Yup, that was a toilet flushing; don’t worry it wasn't mine,” or, “Oh sugar… I didn’t think you’d pick up. I’m just in the washroom! I was going to leave you a voicemail,” or (our favourite),  “Can you hang on a minute… I just have to flush!”  

Imagine being the client or sponsor on the end of this phone call. Sneaking in a chat on a bathroom break is so disrespectful and inappropriate on so many levels, not to mention the discomfort it creates for everyone who happens to be in the washroom at the time of the call. This is the ultimate in disrespect to all parties involved.

​Stacy Lewis, pro golfer, recently won her first tournament since 2014. Prior to the tournament, she pledged that she would give her prize money to those affected by Hurricane Harvey in Houston, and true to her word she donated the winnings of $195,000.

Her generosity inspired a ripple effect, one that we often see in sponsorship. Her two biggest sponsors stepped up to the mound to support the hurricane relief efforts and victims. KPMG matched Stacy’s donation and Marathon Oil supported this by offering an additional million dollars. This was a great example of the power of collaboration mixed with sponsorship to support an important cause.  

In our work of raising dreams through our own projects and for our clients, we have the pleasure of witnessing this same type of ripple effect that results from having the right partners and sponsors, at the right time, for the right project or cause.

​What is relationship capital? What does it mean to be an influencer?

How do influencers build relationship capital? Are there mistakes that people make along the way to building their relationship capital?

One of the biggest assets an organization or business has is relationships, so much so that it is helpful to consider relationships similar to capital assets. Here’s one way to understand what “relationship capital” is and its importance to your business.