Geting local sponsorship from business

[leftie]

I had no joy out of this on the business forum so thought I wopuld try somewhere where I know the views are more forthcoming:

I support a local group who keep our village looking nice for the 'Britain in Bloom' type competitions. This year we have won the county nomination to be in the finals of the nationals next year, which tends to be expensive (planting bulbs and plants, getting the grass cut, having the roads swept, buying planters, restoring hedges, covering up the ugly bits with trees and plants, putting in bird boxes etc).We came prety close to winning the national title a few years ago, so want a special effort this year to win as it really galvanises the village when the competition is on and all the social events revove around the organising committee fund raising events (BBQ, carol singing etc).


We have never had much in the way of corporate sponsorship.



To date we have asked for the cash, and got a few hundred quid from companies where staff live in the village and have twisted arms but I think it might be possible and easier to get support from a wider local audience via requests either for goods (e.g. compost from the local garden centre or a sprayer/shreddeer from the local hire centre) or services (get them to pay directly for the roadsweeper, printing or for footpaths to be dug out).

If you were approached by such a group as a business, what would sway you to stump up a couple of hundred quid and what for? We cant put sponsorship signs up (spoils the idea of a pictuesque village of flowers)and although we have a web site I don't think the click through is exactly Amazon. We could do a few sponsorship pictures for the local media, invite the manager to our village socials etc.


Any ideas?

[alexkp]

I think one of the problems is that businesses are constantly being approached to sponsor or donate to stuff.

The one thing that does appeal is publicity - so if you did an accompanying printed guide that had features on them / money saving vouchers etc that might go down well.

The problem with local papers is that you can never guarantee coverage, and understandably they are wary of being used for fundraising purposes.

>> Edited by alexkp on Monday 28th November 10:20

[HiRich]

You are correct to go for supplies over cash:
- Go for donations
- If not, at cost
- If not, trade
Be creative. Of course you want garden supplies & tool hire. But if you are holding fundraising events, how about the local shops? What about getting an organic meat supplier to donate stock, or indeed sell "hog roast buns" and fresh meat? You take either a cut, or rental space.

For the garden centre or tool hire shop, what the business would like is some positive exposure. Press is possible, but tricky to get a namecheck. But you can make an impact at the point of sale. How about a poster at the checkout "Fred's Toolhire supports Bridlington in Bloom - National Finalists, 2002"
Think:
- Poster for them to put up
- A logo thay can add to any press work
In turn find a decent creative to donate design work
Try your print centre for help with one-off prints
If you need multiple prints (e.g. leaflets), try to find a friendly printer. 1-colour !5 is just a few hundred quid, which he might donate for a decent credit at the bottom. Even full colour could be less than a grand (especially if you give him a lot of time, in which case it might accidentally get added to another paying customer's print plates).

Do make a list of goods & services that you want. It would be far better if you can sit down and say "we will need 1 tonne of compost, 50 hanging baskets, etc.", even if you then add "and perhaps plus £100 at retail for unknowns". Go for a proper sit down meeting. Doesn't need to be fancy, but:
- This is who we are
- This is our success
- This is what we can offer you, and why it will increase sales
- Here's a list of what we need for 2006 (a nice typed list)
- How can you help?
- Highlight deals you have already cut - "We've got a guy who will dress the hedge up in the old traditional style, and we're going to get villagers helping in a workshop-style. The guy's done it us a great deal, but we still need to pay him £200 for the day. In fact, why don't you come along and join in?"

[a911dom]

Have a word with your local radio station too, this is the sort of thing they are likely to get behind because of the national coverage with the competition! That way you can publicise not only the competition and its aims, but the local spirit and THE WEBSITE.

[leftie]

I did think about this from the other side with larger comapnies with local branches, that somethimes the motivation to get good coverage for the branch in their internal mag might appeal to local managers (before and after pics of the clean up of a derelict srea with smiling local manager and sweaty locals).

I think the poster thing is a good idea, as the village is renowned for miles aound for this and it might make sense for people to think their plants and products were being used to create the look (some people make annual trips to the village in summer just to look around).

Many thanks

[simpo two]

If I was in charge I'd sack half the wasters at your local Council and give you a chunk of the money saved to buy what you need etc.

Flowerbed or expensive non-jobber? Take your pick

[leftie]

They have just spent.wait for it...£150,000 putting up a bloody big TV screen in the town centre, right in front of the Minster, in a conservation area. They also found money to employ a Dance Development Officer, but shut the town horticultural unit who grew the flowers for the town displays and the OAP cumputer club. Makes you weep.