In most events, the top source of profits is through sponsorships. Your team should have someone dedicated to working with your sponsors. This job is something that is not so usual, and it entails having someone with a set of traits. But what should be the key traits your staff should have? Here are some things that you need to look for when hiring someone for your sponsorship sales team.
First, you should look for someone who has a clear understanding of Return on Investment or ROI. There is no company who will shell out money if you do not have proof that they will get a return on the money they have invested. Someone who already has an experience with demonstrating ROI to possible sponsors is a requirement for your sponsorship sales team. This key trait includes knowing what a sponsor’s main objectives are and how they want to track the effectiveness of the business.
Second, your sponsorship sales team should have excellent communication skills. This includes the ability to write well, speak well, and have great conversational skills. They should be experienced when it comes to making a great proposal or sales pitch. You should know how to communicate well with your sponsors and help your sponsors and clients keep track of your project or event. When looking for someone to hire for this position, you can ask candidates to give a sample of a sponsorship proposal, give them situations on how they stay in touch with their sponsors or ask them how to get a potential sponsor’s attention.
Third, you should have someone who is an expert when it comes to the whole sponsorship sales process. Your sponsorship staff should know the whole process of sponsorship sales, from inventory building & valuation to activation and fulfilment of the sponsorship. Your sponsors should be working with a sales professional who knows your business well.
Fourth, look for someone who already has certifications when it comes to event sponsorship. Past experiences with sponsorship sales plus certifications show that a person is interested and has the passion for the job. Keeping tabs on the latest industry trends is important, especially that sponsorships are now moving towards a collaborative partnership with the event and the brand/sponsor.
Fifth, your sponsorship staff should be a good negotiator. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your sponsorship sales team should be tough. You need someone who knows how to collaborate well with the sponsors and this relationship with the sponsor starts during negotiation.
Sixth, your staff should be good in multi-tasking. Multi-tasking may seem like an odd characteristic to excel in but this trait is actually important. You need to be able to juggle different schedules, needs, and realities of your sponsors and your event. You should be able to lead the way for your sponsors, be able to see opportunities while managing the event making sure that everything is on time and on schedule, and within the budget.
Overall, your sponsorship sales team should have a complete grasp of what the best practices of sponsorship are all about. All these key traits serve as a guide on what you need to look for in a sponsorship sales staff. You may be lucky to find one that has all of these traits, but if not, you need not worry. There’s always room for learning and improvement. There are lots of training and coaching that you or your staff can do to improve their skills in sponsorship management. There are materials available online that can be of great help when it comes to improving your skills when it comes to sponsorship management.
