How to Get Local Sponsors
for Your Region
(And Have Fun Doing It!)
AYSO Marketing & Development
Workshop #504
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Workshop Objectives
• Get you started on securing sponsors
• Share success from those who’ve done it
• Tips on selling & servicing sponsors
• Understand the sponsor’s point of view
• National Rules & Guidelines
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Let’s Share!
How many here have
Region sponsors?
What sponsors do you
have?
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What Are Your Region’s
Sponsor Goals?
1. A specific cash
amount?
2. Funding for a special
project?
3. Increased engagement
with the community?
4. Partners for
registration outreach?
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WARNING
Your basic Region expenses should be covered
by your registration fees
Why?
• delivering sponsor benefits takes volunteer time,
• sponsor dollars can be unpredictable,
• business climate changes,
• selling capabilities come and go
Use sponsor dollars for ‘extras’
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What Is a sponsorship?
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A Sponsorship Is…A Relationship
• Business gives cash or
product in exchange for
the ability to build a
relationship with your
parents and players.
• It’s a type of advertising
program.
• Only very occasionally is it
a no-strings donation. 7
What ‘ROI’ Is A Sponsor
Looking For?
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Some Possibilities for a Sponsor’s
Return on Investment...
Increased sales
New customers
Develop media/PR
Create positive association
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Let’s Share!
What have been your
most successful
sponsor activation
programs?
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More Activation Ideas
Sponsor ‘Expo’, vendor alley
Logo/ad on website,
newsletters
Name & web address on tshirts, sweatshirts, uniform
sleeve
Articles in newsletter
Coupons, flyers fields,
registration
Field signage, ‘headquarters’
tent
Ad space
Joint promotional event or
activity
Registration or clinic at their
location
Press release
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You’re Ready to Get Out There!
Now What?
• Find one lead volunteer to manage sponsorships. But
many can sell them.
• Start small.
• Develop a list of appropriate local businesses
• Gather testimonials from local businesses you have
worked with in the past. They will be your best
advertisement!
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‘Packaging’
Develop a simple list of sponsor benefit ‘packages’.
Start small. Consider $50, $100, $200 and $500.
Package samples:
$50 -- framed team photo for
their store (always hand deliver!)
$100, add a team banner, website recognition
$500, add names on Region t-shirts, on-site booth, email.
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Qualities of a great salesperson
Enthusiastic about your Region
Speaks well
Self motivated
Comfortable asking for money
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The 5-Point Proposal
Keep it short & sweet
1. Brief description of AYSO and
history of your AYSO Region
2. Region data – # of families, # of
players, geography served, income
level
3. List of sponsor benefits
4. The specific reason(s) why/how the
opportunity meets the sponsor’s
needs/ROI
5. The price (in cash, product, service
or a combination)
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Pricing For Major Region
Sponsors
No magic formula
Higher impact for a business = higher price
Research what other local programs charge
The more you charge, the more you must
deliver
What is your experience?
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Who Would be Good Sponsor
for Your Region?
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Think Local!
Typically, it will be local businesses that find the most value
in a sponsorship. Here’s a list of businesses to approach:
• Accountants
• Beauty salons or spas
• Banks
• Family restaurants
• Fast Food restaurants
• Contractors
• Insurance agents
• Pizza parlors
• Real estate agents
• Car dealerships
• Supermarkets
• Local newspapers
• Local corporations
• Soft drink bottlers
• Local manufacturers
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• Local hotels
Take Advantage of Registration
A lesson from Region 168, El Cajon, CA:
 Set up a table to talk to parents about sponsorships (make
a sign, add balloons, sparkle it up!)
 Many work for (or own!) companies that would be great
sponsors
 Give them each a sponsorship flyer
 Chat them up!
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Let’s Share!
What does your Region
include in sponsor
packages?
Do you have tiers or
levels of sponsorship?
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You have a sponsor!
Now what?
National Rules & Guidelines
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Finance
Supply sponsors with AYSO’s tax exempt
number :
95-6205398
AYSO is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation
registered with the IRS, the Franchise Tax
Board and the Registry of Charitable Trust
AYSO is 501 (c) (3) non-profit
Proof of non-profit letter is available in
www.AYSO.org/Resources (Finance in
menu...Documents)
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Sponsors are not allowed to:
Purchase uniforms, warm-ups, bags or special
gifts directly for an individual team
 Select a team coach or
impact rosters
 Control Region admin details
 Favor an individual team
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Major National Sponsors:
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National Sponsors & Region
Sponsorships
1. Please support National Sponsors!
2. They fund 12% of the national budget
3. There are still plenty of local sponsors available
to you
4. Honor the AYSO National Rules & Regs
concerning uniforms. (Region sponsors only
allowed on left sleeve and shorts leg)
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How to Keep Happy Sponsors
•Deliver 110% -- an agreement
is just the place to start
•Always go the extra mile
•Make it feel personal
•Quantify, quantify, quantify
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Make Sure to Say…
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Bonus: Sponsorship Success =
Customer Service News for
Your Families!
“Customer Service is not a department,
it’s an attitude”
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Parents are our Customers, Too.
1.Your sponsorship success = news for parents
to know
• For the sponsor’s benefit, and
• So parents know what you’re doing for
them and how it benefits their AYSO
Program
2.Parents deserve the same level of attention to
customer service as any sponsor
• The same lessons apply!
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