There are no magic recipes when it comes to finding sponsors for clubs. While there is a foundation and established methods, they can vary according to the club and the company in front of us.

Speed and adaptability in particular will determine not only the length of the process, but also the opportunity to manage and develop the relationship with the company once the deal is done.

Here we will give you the stages that usually follow a process of finding and closing a sponsorship deal.

Detection of potential clients and identification of contacts.

The first step is to identify the type of company that can sponsor the club. Here we can consider local businesses, acquaintances with businesses, or club parents who may have a relationship with a business.
It will be important to keep an eye out for companies of different types and sizes. Don’t think that just because a company is very small, it can’t contribute anything, and just because a company is very large, it won’t be interested in your club. Include as many companies as you can think of in your first list.

Determine what you are going to offer them in return.

It is essential to be clear about how we can return the investment of our club. Let’s not just focus on the logo on the T-shirt, but on what your value is as a club. Analyze how good your social networks are, how many members are enrolled and what interesting values the club could transmit to the company.

• The main thing will be to put your logo on the jersey. If you have sublimation products, you can include your logo on the items you want, at no extra cost. In addition, you have the possibility of putting a different sponsor for each team.
• Take advantage of your social networks, mention them in the victories and make a special post talking about the company.
• Put them on your website as an official sponsor of the club with a link to their page.
• If you have a first team, make special posts with a recommendation of the company.
• Offer your players a special sponsored product. Play with the design so that your brand is noticed and attractive.
• If you appear in any interview or media, it is a good opportunity to thank your sponsors.

Create a sponsorship dossier

Write a document with all the information you consider relevant for companies. Explain the values and people behind the club, and include a budget with different sponsorship options. For example:

• “Gold”: financial sponsorship of the entire club.
• “Silver”: financial sponsorship of a team.
• “Bronze”: material contribution.

You can customize this dossier for the company you are sending it to, in order to make them fall in love at first sight. At GEFF, we have a technology that allows us to create a 3D design in just a few minutes. Your t-shirt design and sponsor’s logo can be easily captured in your dossier.

Contact the brands

Here comes the most difficult moment: getting an interview. Write a personalized email that talks about your company and gets them thinking about the possibilities.
Try to get a video call or an in-person visit so that they can listen to you talk about the project with enthusiasm, which will make them as excited as you are.
If they can come to the club’s facilities, it will be an opportunity for them to see the number of people there and the great atmosphere.

Close the deal

Finally, once you have closed the deal, it is important to put in writing everything you have agreed and make it clear to both parties. Remember to include all the information you have so that the contract leaves no room for doubt (years of duration, amounts, termination clauses, etc.).

And you, are you getting sponsors for this season? At GEFF we are always open to new partnerships. If your club has more than 150 players, contact us!