How to attract a sponsor to start a business. Where and how to find sponsors? Finding and attracting a sponsor for a business or project. The main goals of sponsorship relationships

Any non-commercial project or organization is interested in the question: how to find a sponsor? In order to answer it, you need to understand why sponsors give money. As soon as we understand the goals and objectives of the sponsor, we will be able to outline the circle of potential sponsors whose interests our project can satisfy. So, why do sponsors give money, what tasks do sponsors solve at the expense of sponsored objects.

How to find a sponsor and why they give money

reference

The photo shows pupils of the social rehabilitation center of the Peschanokopsky district of the Rostov region. With the financial support of sponsors, children attend the Rostov Philharmonic, the Ice Show, the Octopussy water park, the zoo and other events. The picture was taken in front of the banner of the sponsor "Pure Vision", trademark contact lenses. Unfortunately, the information on the website of the Center is not dated and it is difficult to analyze the reasons for providing sponsorship. At the same time, on the official website of the lens manufacturer, I managed to find out that, as part of corporate social responsibility, the company provides financial support to medical communities and participates in the policy of improving the regions where Bausch & Lomb has major financial transactions. It is likely that sponsoring the events of the Social Rehabilitation Center in the Rostov Region was carried out as part of solving the following marketing tasks: stimulating demand and expanding the sales market.

The development of any business can be hindered by the lack of financial resources. If you manage to organize your own enterprise, the problem of financing it becomes a priority. In such a situation, sponsors can come to the rescue and help build your business the way you planned. Sponsorship is a winning mechanism for both parties. Sponsors provide you with finances, and they themselves receive a wide advertising campaign or advertising for their brand.

You also had to face the problem of attracting sponsors for own enterprise? You may not be using the best approach to prospective sponsors. Having put a lot of effort into planning and establishing your business, you can come to a real disappointment - the need to cut basic expenses due to the fact that you cannot attract investors to finance your business. If you want to be entrepreneurial and at the same time cut costs, or your funds are not enough to organize own business financial support is essential. Yes, attracting investors is not easy, and you have probably already encountered difficulties related to this issue. Market competition is great, the economic downturn is a vivid confirmation of this. When companies try to cut costs, they all want one thing: the best balance of price and quality. If your business is sponsored, then sponsors will expect decent advertising that is worth their cost.

First of all, you must interest sponsors. Tell them how their financial participation in your business will help them expand their customer base, inform a new segment of consumers about their services and products.

Give sponsors a clear picture of your partnership with them. Mark every detail related to business development, expected results, and emphasize the prospects that your sponsors will receive as a result of the investment. So you will be able to outline the reputation of your company, inspire greater investor confidence.

If you are raising sponsor funds to make or sell something in the future that you have not yet touched, you need to convince potential sponsors that their participation in the business is win-win, and financing it will be a very wise investment, and long-term The benefits of the deal are undeniable. First of all, you need to have excellent presentation skills in order to win the trust of sponsors. Tip: never lose faith in the success of the enterprise and constantly radiate confidence.

When offering sponsorship to an investor, do not rush to him with documents regarding the deal and expect the investor to immediately agree to your offer. You can be given many reasons why your offer deserves to be rejected. You need good speaking skills, you also need good equipment for negotiations. You need to provide possible changes, be flexible, you need to anticipate the questions of investors, assess what they may be interested in in your business project.

So how can you make sure that a potential sponsor has considered your offer without looking a little aggressive? Professionals know one rule: it is necessary to "guide" sponsors in order to be aware of their intentions regarding the project, but this should not be done by e-mail or phone, but through personal meetings.

Remember the main thing: never lose hope for the success of negotiations with potential sponsors, even if there is one week left before the event or investment date. Know that any sponsorship is good in itself, any sponsorship has a beneficial effect on your finances. When you're negotiating with potential sponsors to find out their terms of financial support for your business, make sure you can reach out to a manager, if you have one, before the deal closes. Among other things, you must have legal proof that the sponsor agrees to fund your event or venture. It is also desirable to receive half of the sponsorship funds before the sponsored event. This provides a certain guarantee. But there is another approach to business, when only reliable business partners, managerial skills and dexterity are required. Such a case requires a separate discussion. Good luck in finding sponsors and business development!

Prepared by the editors: "Business GiD"
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Sponsor... An image of a man in an expensive suit appears in his mind, who is sitting at a large table smoking a cigar and assessing you with his eyes, leaning back on the back of a leather chair. In the imagination, a person appears on whom your well-being and future in the business world depends.

Question: Is it so?

Answer: Not always!

A sponsor is a person who has what you need and from whom you intend to get what you need. And it doesn't have to be the person described above...

For most people, this image is associated with money. But after all, anything can be the subject of sponsorship ... even information.

Anyone can act as your sponsor and in absolutely any sphere of your life and activity. Your parents, teachers, friends, relatives, colleagues (and kids) - Everyone shares information (and possibly something else) with you

In the information age, information becomes a commodity ... has its own life cycle, your customers, your supply and demand...

(For reference:

In the agrarian age, in order to achieve financial well-being, one had to own land;
In the industrial age, in order to achieve financial independence, it was necessary to build production;
In the information age - financial independence goes hand in hand with information ... and this is logical. Truth?)

Find a sponsor

"He who seeks will find." Popular wisdom says.

For instance. When I came across network marketing, and when I started to understand its system, I saw a very interesting opportunity ... The opportunity to learn ... And learn from people who already have something to brag about in their lives. I also found that these people can easily give me the information that can help me in business, and very often in life ...

An MLM sponsor (more precisely, an information sponsor) is a person who has information that will help you move up the career ladder in network marketing. For me personally, my sponsor is a mentor not only in mlm, but also in other types of business and in life. If I feel in doubt or I am faced with a difficult choice, I always seek the opinion of my mentor. We have been working together for 2 years already and this person can really be called a Friend with a capital “D”.

Whether you listen to your sponsor or not is up to you. But I know one truth: your sponsor is both morally and financially interested in the development of your business. But don't relax! The attention of the sponsor also needs to be earned... Sponsors for business (those who help you in business) are busy people and do not waste time in vain. If they see your passivity, they will simply switch their attention to other, more promising people.

Become a sponsor in mlm

Ready to become a sponsor for those who want to learn, grow and develop. For those who know that "work" is not the limit of human capabilities, who believe in a better future for themselves and their loved ones.

The Theory of Success says that in order to receive, you must first give. I am ready to share my knowledge and skills only with those who really want it. Are you afraid to start changing something in your life? Test your strength... Make one phone call to me and you will see what you are capable of...

And finally: Look for “quality sponsors” in life. Look for, and most importantly, choose the right people with whom to communicate! It has long been proven that your success is 10% dependent on your skills and knowledge, 40% on your thoughts, and 50% on your environment. Don't drag yourself into the abyss. You, as a sane person, can choose with whom and how to spend your time.

“Tell me WHO your friend is and I will tell you who YOU ​​are” – remember this……. I wish you success!

Coming up with an idea for a business is one thing. But putting it into practice is a completely different thing. Many business ideas remain unrealized for one simple reason - lack of money. One category of people, we will call them failed businessmen, leave their idea until better times or completely forget about it. The other is looking for all sorts of ways to bring the project to life. They gut the "stash", take loans or think about how to find sponsors.

How to find sponsors for your business: 5 search options + 3 steps to fundraising

Before asking yourself the question of how to find sponsors for a business, you need to understand for yourself how we imagine these same sponsors, what you yourself can offer them. Just because no one will give money. The sponsor must always be confident in the profitability of the project, so it is necessary to provide him with full information about the business idea.

Therefore, we will divide our story into two blocks: the first - we will find out where to find sponsors, as well as who can become them. Second, we will define the main steps of how to find sponsors for the project.

Where to find sponsors: 5 ways to raise money for business development

So, who can act as a sponsor? Who can you ask for money? As they say, where to start, where to run? And let's start with the simplest - with our relatives and friends.

Relatives and friends

You need to contact friends or relatives - entrepreneurs, and those involved in a business close to your idea. Sponsors give money for a reason, firstly, they must be sure that your project will be profitable. And secondly, you will need to advertise the sponsor's services. This can be done both at the presentation of your project and after it.

For example, you are going to open a beauty salon, and your relative is engaged in the production of cosmetics. Consider that you have found each other - he gives you money for promotion, and you not only advertise his products, but also use them in your activities, i.e. here the sponsor also acts as a supplier.

Big businessmen

If among relatives or acquaintances there was no one suitable, contact the entrepreneurs of your city. Gather the necessary information about the companies you are interested in and come up with a proposal to their leader. In our example, we are looking for organizations related to cosmetology: cosmetic products, specialized equipment, and so on.

By the way, entrepreneurs themselves are often not averse to sponsoring profitable projects. If they have free funds, then they would rather invest them in a profitable business than keep them just like that. The main thing is to prove to them that "the game is worth the candle." For more information on how to convince sponsors that the project will be successful, read the chapter "how to find sponsors for a project".

Regional state structures

If you think that your innovation will help for the development of the region, or maybe it is connected with some scientific discoveries, then feel free to contact the city administration with a request for a grant.

A grant is a kind of gratuitous amount for starting a business. It is clear that many start-up entrepreneurs apply for a grant, but not everyone who wants it receives this grant. The main thing here is to prove that your project will not only bring you profit, but, first of all, it will be useful to society.

For example, if you want to open a car rental company, then you don’t even have to think about a grant. But the idea of ​​opening a mini-bakery specializing in the so-called "healthy" bread: dietary, whole grain, BIO or "live" may well qualify for the help of the region.

Technopark and business incubator

Structures such as business incubators and technology parks that help young entrepreneurs have become widespread. Sponsorship here is to create favorable conditions for the start of business development.

New businessmen are offered training services in the basics of entrepreneurship, accounting and other important sciences. Also provided is a fully equipped office with furniture, office equipment and other favorable conditions. Assistance is provided both in writing business plans and in finding sponsors.

Banks and credit organizations

If you don’t seriously think about the question “how to find sponsors” at all and you are confident in your creditworthiness, then you can simply contact the bank for a loan. But then you will need to find guarantors, you must have a good credit history, you will need to find property secured. As a rule, the amount for business development is not small, and whether this business will be profitable is still unknown.

The pitfall when contacting the bank is the high interest on the loan. Therefore, this option is Money on business development is very risky.

How to find sponsors for a project: 3 main steps to sponsor money

So, we have decided where to look for sponsors, now we will write down the steps that will help us “reach out” to them.

Step 1. Decide on the amount, develop a business plan

Before we ask ourselves how to find sponsors, we ourselves must have a clear idea about our future project. It is necessary to clearly know how much we will need, to put all the costs on the shelves, to plan the profit. Of course, for the sponsor, the project that involves a larger amount of planned profit will be more attractive. Equally important is the payback period of the project.

The inclusion of a section on possible risks and their assessment in the business plan, as well as a development plan for this type of activity with all calculations, can increase the attractiveness of the project to the sponsor. Do not be too lazy to draw up a business plan in a beautiful and high-quality way - you have yet to submit it. The printed paper must be of high quality. Accompany the material with graphic data.

A well-designed business development strategy is the first step to a successful search for sponsors!

Step 2. We attract sponsors

Where can I get money to start my own business? This is the problem faced by 95% of new entrepreneurs! In the article, we have revealed the most relevant ways of obtaining start-up capital for an entrepreneur. We also recommend that you carefully study the results of our experiment in exchange earnings:

Sponsors will not know about you until you declare yourself. How? Now we'll find out.

1. Post information

Business associations or business associations have been established in almost every city. Apply there. Maybe that's where there is a person who wants to invest their money.

Stopped at borrowed funds? Apply to banks and credit organizations. You can place ads looking for sponsors through some business publications. Moreover, it can be both electronic and printed sources.

1. Visit the "right" places

What shall we include here? Business forums, meetings aimed at helping new entrepreneurs. You can find out about such events through the Internet or online forums.

Step 3. Project presentation

So, the sponsor is found, the stage of persuasion begins. The business plan has been drawn up, now it is necessary to present it correctly. That's right, it means not to leave any doubts with the sponsor about the profitability of your proposal. It is necessary to inform him both about your goals and plans for the future, and about the benefits that the sponsor will receive by investing in your project.

Plan your presentation to fit within 5-7 minutes. Don't forget about visual material. Slides are the best. Prepare answers to possible questions that you will no doubt be asked. For your part, also prepare a number of questions that interest you. Any person likes to be asked about him. By asking questions, you will make it clear that you have inquired about the sponsor and its activities and are interested in mutually beneficial cooperation.

How to find sponsors for an event: 3 steps to what you want

Another issue that I would like to highlight in this article is how to find sponsors for the event. Let's say you open the same beauty salon and in honor of its opening you decide to hold a local beauty contest. A competition is a competition, but money is also needed for it. How to find them?

Again, we are looking for sponsors, especially with an event interconnected with the main activity, you can kill two birds with one stone: find sponsors both for the planned event and for further cooperation.

Preparatory work

First, before looking for sponsors, you need to provide all the information about the event. Describe both the purpose and duration of the event, describe in detail the program and participants of the event.

Do not forget to mention sponsors in advertising. For example, place advertisements for sponsored products on invitation flyers. You can also use their products as prizes in the competition. Even if other prizes are used, they can be placed in bags with the sponsor's logo.

Working with sponsors

The next step in how to find sponsors for the event will be direct phone calls to potential patrons. Feel free to both write them letters and make calls. And do it regularly. Keep up to date with how the preparations for the event are going on, which of the authorities supported your event, where the advertisement was given.

Do not forget also about direct meetings with sponsors. Show them promotional products with their logo, listen to both comments and wishes. Show a sincere interest in their activities, make inquiries about them, follow their achievements.

Many sponsors are not satisfied with only advertising about them during the event. They need direct access to customers. Try to make this way out! And the first step will be, of course, the distribution of prizes from sponsors. If people are satisfied with the products or services, then in the future they themselves will turn to the right address.

After the event

At the end of the event, do not forget to thank the sponsors in writing, as well as give some statistical data characterizing the event. For example, tell how many people were present, reflect the number of both donated and purchased products, give them a copy of the promotional product. By the way, don't forget to include your contact details.

If the sponsor is satisfied with the advertising campaign carried out as part of your event, then the next time he will contact you.

Afterword

So, if you decide on your own project, but do not have finances at all, do not hesitate to turn to third-party resources. We hope you find our tips on how to find sponsors helpful.

The request “we are looking for sponsors” is relevant for any beginner and growing business. Modern technologies made available many convenient options for attracting investment in the company, but at the same time increased competition. Everyone is looking for sponsors, but only a small part of startups manage to really attract investors. We tell you how to get sponsors interested in your project and build productive relationships with them.

Finding a sponsor to start a business is a very difficult task. It is difficult to convince someone to invest in a project that is just starting up: it is not known whether the investment will pay off. No one wants to suffer losses, even those who, in the opinion of others, can afford it. The market is full of ambitious young entrepreneurs, confident that it is their company that will “shoot” and make them rich after a few months of work.

In reality, everything is much more complicated. Most of the new projects are closed, and the vast majority of those who have survived receive not at all the income that they originally expected. Potential sponsors understand this well and are in no hurry to share money with every first one.

To overcome this situation, a novice entrepreneur must work simultaneously with several channels of raising funds, as well as be able to present his business, differ from others in a favorable way. Consider the main types of sponsors and ways to find investments for a startup.

Any novice businessman dreams of finding a sponsor, but only a few succeed

Invite relatives or friends

The easiest way to find a business sponsor is to reach out to family and friends. The advantage of the method is that you will be greeted warmly and praised for your desire to create your own business and will most likely help. Minus - the help will be very modest, unless, of course, among your relatives there is no oligarch.

You should not count on the help of relatives, although there are examples when parents helped children start a business: they bought equipment, gave start-up capital, and used connections. This channel is very personal and not available to everyone. Practice shows that most startups are launched without relatives, through other means of attracting investors.

Other entrepreneurs

If a business needs a sponsor, it can contact a working entrepreneur and arrange support with him. This is a rather risky and not promising business: entrepreneurs earn money on their own in a competitive environment and are not ready to share it just like that.

But there is still an opportunity to attract investors in this way: you need to interest them and promise benefits. Moreover, to promise not in words, but to show plans and calculations. This will be a more productive communication, beneficial to both parties. If relatives are sometimes ready to give money free of charge, then the entrepreneur needs to explain how and when the investments will be returned to him.

How to start a dialogue? Most The best way- send directly to a businessman/company via email:

• a letter of request;
• presentation of the project with calculations and payback periods;
• Contact details;
• another important information, which can stimulate a positive decision.

Bank participation

Banks give loans to start-ups and existing entrepreneurs at a better interest rate than individuals. But to get such a loan, you need to prepare:

• business presentation;
• an accurate estimate justifying the amount of the loan.

Entrepreneurial loans are given only to registered businessmen (IP or LLC, each lender has its own conditions). Therefore, it will not work to attract money in this way before the certificate is issued. The bank, of course, cannot be considered a sponsor, since all funds received from it will have to be returned with interest. But it is reliable and guarantees the receipt of funds.

For the best result, it is better to use several ways to find investors

Venture funds

Venture capital funds engage in "risky" investing. That is, they invest in such projects, the payback of which is in question. Usually it is a business in the field of high technologies and innovations. Venture funds do not cooperate with companies that duplicate services and products already on the market.

Investors in venture funds are ready to invest in projects that promise them high profits after the sale of shares and securities. They are not interested in the work and competitiveness of the company, more precisely, they are interested in them only within the limits of increasing the value of shares.

Venture capital funds have a lot of money that they are willing to invest in potentially successful projects. But from an entrepreneur looking for sponsorship, a strong presentation and accurate calculations are required. Insufficiently accurate business plan, errors in calculations, inflated profits - all this is quickly calculated by venture investors and they refuse to sponsor.

Governmental support

But entrepreneurs and companies whose sphere is connected with the solution of social and economic problems of the population are entitled to count on state support. For example, agricultural producers, builders, pharmaceutical and medical institutions.

Government support is usually in the form of loans and tax breaks. Loans are issued through state-owned banks, where you will have to provide a set of documents for applying for a loan.

Recipients of state support often have special requirements: a certain age, place of residence, etc. Keep in mind that support is not only state, but regional and municipal. Up-to-date information information about programs can be found on the websites of the authorities.

It is perfectly acceptable to write to the local or regional administration on your own: tell about your business, its social significance, benefits for the region and the amount of assistance needed. In this way, you can gain support, attract attention, or at least learn about existing programs.

Private investors

Attracting private investors is similar to finding sponsors among entrepreneurs: they need to be interested. If entrepreneurs are interested in profit, then private investors can count not only on money, but, for example, on increasing fame, a positive impact on reputation. This may be useful to them in a political or other career.

The initiative, of course, comes from the entrepreneur seeking funds. You should not expect that one of the private investors will become interested in the project and offer money himself. It is much more promising to offer yourself, present the project and its benefits.

Sponsors support only those projects in which they see prospects and benefits

Business incubators

Under the funny name "business incubator" there are organizations that help young entrepreneurs start their own business. The amount of assistance is always different: from consultations and a little advertising to the selection of premises on preferential terms and cash loans. The purpose of such incubators is to help create a profitable company that will compete in the market.

This a good option for start-up entrepreneurs without work experience: the incubator is really able to give them a lot. The parties conclude an agreement, where they prescribe the terms of cooperation. It is important to understand that a business incubator helps for a reason: like all investors, it plans to benefit for itself. This may be the payment of a fixed amount after a certain period of time, deferred payment of rent, and so on. All conditions must be contained in the contract, that is, the entrepreneur understands before the conclusion of the transaction how he will pay for the assistance.

What is required to enter the incubator? Usually this is an application, a small package of documents and a business plan (sometimes they help with its development). Before concluding a contract, you should study the website of the business incubator, find out what projects it has already implemented and, if possible, communicate with the “graduates”. This can approach the transaction more thoughtfully and not run into scammers.

Search for a sponsor on the Internet

How to find a sponsor for a project online? There are two effective ways:

1. Specialized sites for finding sponsors for business.
2. Promotion of your own website and pages in social networks.

There are a lot of sites for finding sponsors, as well as those who want to get money for their business. To start the search, you need to register on several sites, upload a presentation and a business plan of your project there. Visit the site regularly so as not to miss the feedback and answer potential investors.

Another option for finding money for a business via the Internet is associated with your own website and social networks. The site is business card companies. It is difficult to imagine a modern entrepreneur without a website. The better it is, the higher the probability of attracting customers and sponsors.

For the second you need to do special section "Investors", where to tell what kind of help you are counting on (this is not always money, it can be equipment, land, real estate, a car, and even advertising) and why it is profitable to cooperate with you. It is necessary to provide several forms of sending funds, as well as feedback.

To find a sponsor, you need to be able to present the project well

How to build relationships between sponsor and sponsored

Suppose a novice businessman managed to find an investor who is ready to invest in his project. How to build a relationship with him, so as not to "scare"? Good relationships are based on several principles:

1. Mutual benefit. If an investor does not understand what he will get from cooperation, he will refuse to give money. The business plan should clearly state its benefits.
2. Honesty. Inflated expected profits, hidden costs and other circumstances that can affect the payback of a business repel investors. Even if at the beginning of cooperation they can be hidden, then they will appear and spoil forever business reputation startup.
3. Openness. The investor will be calmer if he gets access to the company's reporting documents, and the entire history of the project is transparent.

How to Negotiate

Negotiations to conclude a deal to help the investor are almost always initiated by the entrepreneur. How should he negotiate to attract a sponsor? First, you need to speak in the "language of benefit": focus the attention of a potential sponsor on what he will receive after investing. It is good if the business already has the first successes. Projects that exist only on paper inspire confidence in few people.

Secondly, speak confidently, competently, measuredly, demonstrating knowledge of your project and market realities. There is no need to "dump" a lot of information on the interlocutor, he will get confused and forget it. It is important to create a favorable impression, to show oneself as a person who owns information and knows how to communicate.

Third, ask for a little. It is better to find several investors and take a small amount from each than to ask a lot of money from one. A large loan increases the risks for the sponsor, which he will not like. Fourth, imagine yourself in the place of an investor. This simple technique will allow you to choose the most convincing arguments and even anticipate the response.

Project presentation requires a lot of preliminary work

What questions to ask

In negotiations, questions are mainly asked by the investor, and the startupper answers by talking about his project. But it's okay to ask a few questions that will put you and your business in a better light. For example, it is appropriate to ask what exactly the investor expects from cooperation with you and in what terms he expects to return the investment. This will help to better think over the development strategy and demonstrate to investors your balanced approach.

Correct self-presentation

Investors often encounter applicants who present themselves as "the best" and "the only ones in the market." V modern conditions this is ridiculous, and projects with such theses fly into the wastebasket. Do not try to look more experienced and weightier than you really are.

Proper presentation is a demonstration of your real strengths coupled with a willingness to acknowledge weaknesses and identify ways to address them. A novice businessman can say: “I am a good confectioner with 5 years of experience. I understand how the kitchen works and what customers are interested in. I didn't drive Accounting and I don’t know what taxation to choose, so now I’m looking for a reliable accountant.”

No-nonsense self-confidence, professionalism, and a businesslike approach work better than big statements.

Presentation of a business project

You need to prepare well for the presentation of the project. The presentation can only take place verbally or in a multimedia format. The second is preferable. Graphs, calculations, photographs and videos add visibility, that is, they give investors a more accurate idea of ​​the project.

The presentation is conditionally divided into two parts:

• the speech of the author of the project (the presentation itself);
• answers on questions.

The second part is much more difficult: not all questions can be foreseen. Therefore, a good startup presents the project himself. He knows him "from and to" and can answer any questions. On average, the part before the questions should take 7-10 minutes, with 7 being preferable to 10. How long the part with answers to the questions will last cannot be said. The pattern is as follows: the more the project is interested, the more questions there will be.

Sponsors say “yes” to projects with a high-quality presentation and great potential

When can you lose a sponsor?

The most common reason for a sponsor to refuse to cooperate is dishonest terms declared by the entrepreneur, or incorrect profit calculations. If the sponsor finds out that the startup has withheld important information from him, he will stop cooperation and take the money. This is a big blow to reputation and should not be allowed to happen.

The sponsor will leave if the project does not bring the promised benefits. It is important to understand that the search for a sponsor and an agreement with him is only the beginning of the work. After attracting money to the project, you will have to work harder: to justify the trust and create benefits for yourself and the investor.

Conclusion

The question of finding a sponsor and raising money for a project concerns any budding entrepreneur. Someone starts a business with the money of their parents, and someone proves the profitability of the project to venture investors, while others are connected to government programs. There are no clear recommendations. It is useful not to focus on one source, but to raise funds through several channels. It is important to present the project honestly and not deceive potential sponsors with inflated profits.