Prospecting and Getting Meetings Brent Barootes October 19, 2012

WHITE PAPER Presented by

Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists ™

BC FAIRS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012 Friday October 19, 2012

PROSPECTING AND GETTING MEETINGS

Mobile Devices

Staying connected in the session

Twitter: #partnershipgrp

#sponsorship@partnershipgrp

BRENT BAROOTES President and CEO Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists

Phone: 403-255-5074 Fax: 888-486-3407 Toll Free: 888-588-9550 Email:

brent@partnershipgroup.ca

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Session Agenda

ü  Prospecting ü  Suspect versus prospect ü  Where to look for prospects ü  Qualifying prospects

ü Getting Meetings ü  How to approach ü  Focusing on the meeting ü  Closing the meeting “sale”

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Background Information

ü  Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists™ ü  Sponsorship Connections™ - Selling Services ü  SMCC One Day Workshops ü  Private Workshops and Educational Training ü  SMCC Western Sponsorship Congress™

Industry Update and Trending

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Our Definition:

A cash and/or in-kind fee paid to a property (typically in sports, arts, entertainment or causes) in return for the exploitable commercial potential associated with that property.

Prospecting

ü  Critical to know if you can get directly to the decision maker or not – if not – Plan B

ü  Critical to know who is the decision maker ü  It is critical to know who you are competing

against

Prospecting Who is “the” decision maker?

ü  Travel 60% - 70% Time ü  Receive approximately 120-150 emails a day ü  Read / Return 25-40 emails daily ü  Attend 6-10 meeting/teleconference weekly ü  Uses 3,000-4,000 wireless minutes monthly ü  Receive approximately 20 phone calls daily ü  Return approximately 4-8 phone calls daily

Prospecting

Who is “the” decision maker? ü  President / CEO / Owner ü  Marketing Department ü  Community Investment ü  Donations Committee ü  Advertising Manager ü  Sponsorship Director ü  Human Resources ü  Sales VP ü  Agencies – Sponsorship or Advertising or PR

Prospecting

Who is your competition? ü  Local / Regional / National TV, Radio, Print,

Outdoor, professional sports and entertainment ü  Other fairs and exhibitions locally, provincially or

nationally ü  Other community events ü  Internet ü  Direct mail ü  Social Media

Prospecting

Difference between a “prospect” and a “suspect” ü  Suspect – someone that should sponsor us /has

lots of money / they are doing the other organization

ü  Prospect – someone you have a relationship with, you have researched, they align with your organization or you have something they want / something you can deliver to assist in their business development

Prospecting Who do we traditionally seek out?

ü  Financial Institutions

ü  Crown Corporations

ü  Oil & Gas

ü  Large Retail

ü  Industry leaders

ü  Telecoms

Prospecting

Supplier lists – the benefit if you grow ü  Look at your check ledger – who do you spend with?

ü  Can you grow their business?

ü  Office supplies, electricity, food and beverage, office equipment, automobiles etc.

Prospecting

Donor lists / Member lists – individuals work / own companies

ü  They already support you individually, can their companies benefit as well?

ü  What about parents or family associated to the organization?

ü  Can associated suppliers be targeted from competitive purposes – going after Agri - Business only?

Prospecting Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Banana Republic Clothing (GAP)

Prospecting

Ford / Toyota – Canadian Western Agribition

Prospecting

ü  Winners engages in a multi year soccer sponsorship as title sponsor of women’s soccer and women’s youth (under 20) soccer

ü  Sponsoring 225 grass roots soccer teams across Canada

ü  “This will allow us to build even stronger relationships with the communities we serve” – Michael MacMillan, President Winners Merchants International

Prospecting

People related ü  Go outside what you do or are related to based on your

audience

ü  Agribition – Farmers and deodorant or shaving cream

ü  Soccer – Egg Marketing Board

ü  Theatre – Wealth management companies

ü  Event like a walk that allows dogs – pet food company

Prospecting

ü  Business contacts – who do you know…who do they know that can benefit from your organization

ü  Friends and Family – Ask your “mom” / “church pew companions” – you will be surprised

Prospecting

ü  Check within your own organization – who does your board know, what about that receptionist…is her father in law Jim Pattison?”

ü  Newspaper stories – Read the newspaper, watch / listen to the news…what about major announcements for namings / sponsorships…do they have more money…does their competition have money?

Prospecting

Other similar events – fairs and exhibitions ü  Go to their events / web site / publications

ü  CIBC (Run for the Cure AND Weekend to End Cancer)

ü  Dodge and Rodeos

Product specific – Do you offer something unique that no one else can offer a specific industry?

ü  Food product for concessions

ü  Grain and feed product for 4H shows

ü  Massage services for around the midway

ü  Sampling to a teen audience or a seniors audience

Prospecting

Internet ü  Research through Google, company web sites, Facebook,

LinkedIn, Twitter

ü  Look at competition sites, similar events or properties elsewhere in the country / region / world

ü  Drill down for specific sectors you may be targeting at the time

Prospecting

Audience Surveys ü  What are your members/patrons/ticket holders

/donors telling you

ü  Do you survey them to find out their feel on sponsors

ü  What are their likes and dislikes

ü  Do they shop at DIY stores

ü  How many cars do they own/how often do they buy/lease

ü  Do they have children under 10?/12-18?

ü  Do they have pets?

ü  Do they drink wine or beer?

Prospecting

Work with a team, not a silo ü  As noted, talk to people within your organization,

family, friends and business contacts

ü  Ask for suggestions, determine who they know

Prospecting

Who is your demo? ü  Men, women, children, teens, seniors…?

ü  Rich, poor, single, married?

ü  Drive to work, events, take transit?

ü  The more you know, the better you can target sponsors and for sponsors

Prospecting

Who needs to reach your demo? ü  Retail?

ü  Drug companies / veterinary services?

ü  Financial Institutions?

ü  Feed or grain suppliers?

ü  Equipment sales companies

ü  Companies with a bad image

Prospecting

Who needs to reach your demo? ü  Your suppliers?

ü  Is it B2B or B2C?

ü  Companies looking to recruit employees?

ü  Companies looking to retain employees?

ü  Organizations with brand image concern?

Questions

Discovery Session Definition

What is a “Discovery Session” ü  Determine what their needs are

ü  Where do they “hurt”?

ü  How can you take the “hurt” away in part or in whole?

Getting the Meeting

ü How do you get the meeting? ü  Always make it convenient for the prospect ü  Their office, your office, coffee or lunch ü  Be flexible ü  Remember this is a “discussion” not a pitch ü  Put them at ease from start “I have nothing to pitch

you…just want to learn more about your organization to see if there is a way we can assist you to reach your goals”

Getting the Meeting

ü How do you get the meeting? ü  Know if there is “gate keepers” ü  They can be your biggest ally or

worst nightmare ü  Befriend them ü  Make them your champion ü  Work with them to get the meeting

ü  Find a champion in the company

Getting the Meeting

ü How do you get the meeting? ü  Know when to call (early morning, early evening to

reach decision maker/lunch or late night with responses) – Gatekeepers not there!

ü  Know when to hold them and when to fold them ü  Don’t waste anyone’s time ü  Don’t try and fit a square peg into a round hole ü  As noted, put them at ease…not a pitch but a

“discovery” or “exploratory” session

Getting the Meeting

ü How do you get the meeting? ü  Bring up any linkage there may be when trying to set

the meeting ü  Make a connection ü  They are a donor or member ü  They are a parent or supplier ü  You see they sponsor “X” and you feel there may be a

way for you to return even better

Getting the Meeting

How do you get the meeting? ü  Friday morning meetings are excellent ü  Usually in a great mood – weekend approaching ü  Have the entire weekend to “think over your

discussion” ü  No weekday crisis to get in the way

Getting the Meeting

How do you get the meeting? ü  Ask for the meeting ü  Suggest a date and time (focus then becomes the date

and time and not the topic) ü  “How about Thursday May 10 at 2 pm at your

office?” ü  If answer is no, suggest an other day and time ü  Focus on getting the meeting…not pitching your

organization

Getting the Meeting

Once you have the meeting? ü  Thank them for the meeting ü  Come prepared to listen ü  Re-confirm day, time and location ü  Call or email a day or two before ü  Do not bring a proposal or ask to the meeting

Questions

Getting the Meeting

MOCK EXERCISE TO GET MEETING

ü  You are a business (local or provincial) ü  I am with a fair ü  I am going to try and get a meeting ü  Focus on how I handle objections here versus

actually getting the meeting

Questions

Wrap Up

1.  Ensure you build a prospect and not a suspect list

2.  Determine the “decision maker”

3.  Get the appointment for a “Discovery Session” ü  Make the call ü  Focus on “not a pitch” ü  Ensure you put them in a comfort zone ü  Discuss why they should meet from a business

perspective – why you are calling

Wrap Up

You now have the tools and knowledge to: ü  Build a prospect list ü  Get a meeting

Go for it… do the discovery session!!

Questions

Thank You