Steal These 45 Sponsorship Ideas

Author:

Michele Trice

We hope all of you who attended the ACCE annual convention were at the 60 Sponsorship Ideas in 60 Minutes session we sponsored. I know it’s likely been a whirlwind since you returned home, so we’ve gathered together a list of the ideas that were presented at the session.

As always, take the ones of these that best fit your chamber and tweak them to make them your own (and yes, we know there are only 45). We’d love to hear how you integrate these ideas.

  1. Pints & Porters – This was held at a local brewery and was geared toward small businesses. 
  2. Digital Billboards – Purchase a board and create a co-op for small businesses to share.
  3. Sponsorship Book – Combine all sponsorship opportunities into a bound book.
  4. Podcast – Feature a live podcast at your CEO Summit. If you have a regular podcasts, offer those as sponsorable opportunities.
  5. Lip-sync video – Write a song about your Chamber/community & have sponsors pay to appear in and sponsor 6-8 seconds of the video.
  6. Office Collaborative Workspace – Many of you may already sell sponsorships of your boardrooms or office spaces, but offer your larger spaces as collaborative workspaces for longer periods (think 3-5 years). The business that purchases the sponsorship also receives complementary rentals of the room.
  7. Collaborations with local restaurants – Have local restaurants host your New Member Orientations each month.
  8. Create a retail shopping card – Encourage the community to shop local.
  9. Holiday Open House – Invite your local caterers and small business owners to supply the holiday open house. It is a great way to show off their skills. 
  10. Mayor Calls – Work with the mayor, city manager, and Chamber representatives to visit community business leaders each week to discuss concerns and needs of small businesses.
  11. Create new levels – Consider your existing events such as a golf tournament and review the sponsorship levels. Are there ways to change them or update them?
  12. Roast and Toast – As the outgoing Board chair prepares to leave, plan a roast for him or her.
  13. Sponsorship Book Ad – Sell ads for your annual sponsorship book.
  14. Highlight Small Businesses – Create a sponsorship level (for all events) just for businesses with 10 employees or less. 
  15. Raffle Tickets – Sell raffle tickets for businesses to have the opportunity to be the spotlight sponsor of a community night at a local sporting event.
  16. Flash Drives – Instead of making paper new member packets, put all of the necessary documents on a flash drive and sell branding rights for the flash drives.
  17. Windshield Bus Patrol – Highlight your community to residents.
  18. Surprise Patrol – Purchase small treats and deliver them to local businesses. Video the deliveries and post them on social media.
  19. Back to School Buzz – If there is a business that expresses that they are having difficulty, ask how you can help. For example: a craft brewery was having trouble getting the community to visit them more often, so the chamber sponsored a school supply drive. It brought people to the brewery and benefited those in need.
  20. 5K – Be sure to share the charity which receives the proceeds on social media. 
  21. Non-profit Business After Hours – Once a quarter, focus your After Hours on local non-profits. Let them tell about the work they do in the community.
  22. Sponsorship Bundles – Offer a discount to those businesses which purchase several sponsorships.
  23. Chamber Casual Friday – Local businesses have the option of purchasing a Friday during the year for $100 and providing branded tee shirts for the chamber staff to wear on that day. It allows for chamber staff to have a casual day & for businesses to have additional exposure. 
  24. Fancy “Potty” Sponsor – Take photos of your chamber staff and leadership according to your annual meeting theme and post them in the bathrooms. Don’t post the same photos in each bathroom. Have all of the photos sponsored. 
  25. Federal Opportunity Zone Education event – Tap into what is important in your area and help explain it to those in your community.
  26. Community Table – Bring your community together to share a meal and ideas.
  27. Restaurant Week – Highlight the restaurants in your area.
  28. YP Awards Video Program – Consider how the videos could market by the awards and the businesses.
  29. Christmas Parade – If your chamber has the capabilities, consider streaming the parade or having it broadcast.
  30. Banner Display – Create a logo banner and display it prominently in the chamber window.
  31. Report Card – Repackage your reports and distribute with a sponsor logo
  32. Digital Signboards – Co-brand with the chamber and a sponsor business
  33. Embrace the Unexpected – Ask member businesses for bids and quotes. You might be surprised when one offers to sponsor the job.
  34. Networking – Offer networking opportunities and panel discussions for non-profits which might not have those opportunities as often as more traditional businesses.
  35. When Pigs Fly – Purchase small, plastic squeaker pigs that can be used in driving competitions for golf tournaments. 
  36. Women’s Conference – Remember to tell your potential sponsors and vendors that women have tremendous purchasing power.
  37. Thank You – If you send Thank You mentions to people after events, offer sponsorship of the cards/notes.
  38. Pulse on Policy – Focus on advocacy sponsorship.
  39. Social Media Sponsorship – Sell the sponsorship of social media during each event. Consider unique hashtags.
  40. Business Expo – Consider having tailgate sponsors at each end of the expo.
  41.  Themed Annual Meetings 
  42. Valet Sponsor – Sponsor the valet stations at your events
  43. Coat Check Sponsors at signature events
  44. Parking Sponsor – In addition, consider branded air fresheners from the sponsors.
  45. Valet Sponsor for Business Expo – Assist vendors in bringing in and removing their booth materials. 

We hope you are able to glean some helpful options from these ideas.

You Might Also Like

Anissa Starnes, IOM, joins the YGM team as Chief Impact Officer.

Anissa Starnes Joins YGM as Chief Impact Officer

Anissa Starnes, IOM, is joining the YGM Total Resource Campaigns, LLC, team as Chief Impact Officer, YGM President and CEO Jason E. Ebey, IOM, announced today. “We are beyond thrilled...
Dr. Melissa Furman, MS, DBA, appears in business attire. She writes about women in leadership, leadership development, and chamber leadership programs.

Are Your Leadership Programs Relevant or Outdated?

Organizational leaders have been navigating uncertain times for over a year, and many changes have occurred at an accelerated pace. As a result, leaders need to evaluate their abilities, preferences,...
testimonials-wooten

Dana Wooten

The YGM TRC is a strategic process for a larger reach and opportunity in spreading the message and mission work of the Chamber. As we initiated the YGM TRC and...
stripe-wide - orange

Get Started on your Total Resource Campaign!

Sign your chamber up today and get step-by-step training on Total Resource Campaigns, online resources, and volunteer coaching backed by years of experience.