As a business, you are a member of the community in which you operate. This is one of the fundamental reasons why reputation management occupies the time and resources of so many companies; especially large companies that may be seen as impersonal, or as more concerned with its profits than its people. These impressions, accurate or not, can drive away potential customers. Naturally, the converse is true. Positioning your business as an engaged, caring benefactor of the community can generate clientèle from within your home town and beyond.
Local Sponsorship Opportunities
1. The Arts
There are few demographics that don’t agree that the arts are an integral component of a thriving community. And patrons of the arts tend to have the sort of free capital that buys them purchasing power. These patrons also tend to be interested in philanthropy and are more likely to spend their money at companies that champion humanitarian causes. Investing in the arts represents an opportunity to demonstrate your company’s investment in the betterment of the community.
• Make a significant donation to the arts organization of your choice. This will get your name on the donor list, and oftentimes includes complimentary ad placement in programs, brochures, or newsletters.
• Event sponsorship—hosting an annual concert series, for example—can put your business in the good graces of the community.
• Commission a work of art to be displayed in a prominent public space.
2. Benefit Races
There is no shortage of races that raise money for great causes by asking participants to secure sponsors who provide financial backing. As a rule, these events are well-publicized, well-received, and well-attended. Participating in one way or another associates your company with issues that matter.
• Sponsor a group of participants or build a team to run the race (assuming you’ve got personnel who are willing to sweat for the greater good).
• Sponsor the race itself. Charities will partner with your company to organize and promote the race.
• Set up booths on the day of the event where you can offer promotional items like t-shirts, water bottles, balloons, and custom pens to participants and spectators.
3. Environmental Restoration
Many people automatically equate corporations with ecological damage, even if the evidence to support that association is lacking. One way to dispel this type of misconception is to host an environmental restoration project. Like benefit races, they provide a way to forge relationships with community members while working together towards a common goal.
• Organize stream clean-ups or tree plantings.
• Sponsor a local conservation organization’s research or special projects.
We are a leading marketing agency in London.Want to incorporate local sponsorship into your marketing strategy? Give us a call on +44 845 2264 247 or email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com to start the conversation.
We hope you have found this information useful. This guest post was written by Alice Jenkins. Alice Jenkins is a graphic designer and hopeless perfectionist. She writes for PensXpress
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Marketing Fundamentals Team
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