presented by @JonMarkGo
A DEEP DIVE INTO
Sponsorship.
(deck by @SwiftAlphaOne)
Hi, I’mJON GOTTFRIED
CO-FOUNDERMajor League Hacking
@JonMarkGo
& formerly
Let’s talk about Sponsorship.Specifically, Hackathon Sponsorship.
MLH
1. Understanding Sponsors2. Laying the Groundwork
3. Following a Process
HERE’S WHAT WE’LL COVER TODAY
4. Protips, Pitfalls, & What-ifs5. Q&A + The Future
MLH
basicsLet’s start with the
a.k.a “Understanding Sponsors”
Why do companies
sponsor hackathons?
This is Business
MLH
1. Developer Evangelism2. Marketing
3. Recruitment
GENERALLY, THREE REASONS:
01. Developer Evangelism
Get developers excited about your platformand gather feedback and use cases.
OBJECTIVE:
VALUABLE PERKS:
Workshops/Demos1
Distribution2
Interactions3
02. Marketing
Raise brand awarenessand/or change brand perception.
OBJECTIVE:
VALUABLE PERKS:
Experiences1
Branding Position2
Positive Sharing3
03. Recruitment
Recruit top technical talentand develop employer branding.
OBJECTIVE:
VALUABLE PERKS:
Resumes1
Thought Leadership2
Interactions3
How do companies decide
which events to sponsor?
MLH
1. Cost per Attendee2. Attendee Value
3. Sponsor Landscape
SOME COMMON EVALUATION METHODS
4. Package Value5. The Force (a.k.a Their Gut)
CPA
osterttendee
“Bang for your Buck”
01. Cost per Attendee
CostPeople
minimize this ratio!
$1,500,000
135,000 Attendees
$1,000,000
$400,000
$150,000
$50,000
$25,000
$11.11
$7.40
$2.96
$1.11
$0.37
$0.18
COST CPA
$50,000
2,000 Attendees
$35,000
$17,000
$7,000
$4,000
$25.00
$17.50
$8.50
$3.50
$2.00
COST CPA
PyCon
$50,000
1,000 Attendees
$16,000
$8,000
$4,000
$2,000
$50.00
$16.00
$8.00
$4.00
$2.00
COST CPARandom Hackathon
02. Attendee Value
Fit, difficulty, & potential.
03. Sponsor Landscape
Quality.Quantity.
value.
Vs.
04. Package Value
Am I getting my
money’s worth?
05. The Force (a.k.a Their Gut)
Does this feel like the event
I should be sponsoring?
How do companies pay
for event sponsorships?
Usually different people handleTHE SPONSORSHIP & THE BUDGET.
Businesses usually operate onQUARTERLY BUDGETS.
The two best times to get moneyare Q1 and Q4.
Recruiting budgets for interns areHIGHLY SEASONAL.
What kinds of sponsors are out there?
MLH
1. Financial2. Presenting
3. Anchor Brands
TYPES OF SPONSORS
4. Strategic Partners5. In-Kind
for example
01. Financial
Companies that trade cash for value.This is your bread and butter.
Almost every company on every hackathon website.
for example
02. Presenting
A co-host / presenting partner.Usually co-brands the event with you.
for example
03. Anchor Brands
A company that other, similar brandslook for when sponsoring events.
04. Strategic Partners
Companies that help you withmarketing, distribution, legitimacy, etc
for example
for example
05. In Kind
Companies that donate goodsor services in lieu of cash sponsorship.
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groundworkLaying the
SPONSORS are like INVESTORS —
You should approach themWHEN YOU’RE DOING WELL.
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1. A Vision2. A Website
3. Pre-Registrations
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE
4. A Venue*
5. Other Sponsors*
MLH
1. A Vision2. A Website
3. Pre-Registrations
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE
4. A Venue*
5. Other Sponsors*
These might not be locked down,
but you should have progress to show.
Prepare an itemized
budget for the event!
Know wherethe money goes.
Design a goodsponsorship prospectus
MLH
1. Standard Tiers Document2. PowerPoint Deck
3. Custom Proposals
THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES
01. Standard Tiers Document
Usually 1 - 2 pages long.Provides an overview of event & sponsorship tiers.
bitca.mp | [email protected] | @bitcmp
Evangelist Recruiter Corporate Co-Host
Contribution Amount $2,500 $7,500 $20,000 $50,000
Technical
Mentors present ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Tech Talk during event ceremonies 2 min 4 min 10 min
Tech Talk in private room 30 min 1 hour
Recruiting
Distribution of recruiting materials ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Reserved booth at event ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Access to resumes, online profiles ✓ ✓ ✓
Recruiters present ✓ ✓ ✓
Private interview room ✓ ✓
Branding
Logo on website, marketing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Logo on shirt ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Distribution of swag, marketing materials ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Thanked during event ceremonies ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ability to provide a branded prize ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Logo on step-and-repeat banner ✓ ✓
Private room to host special events ✓ ✓
Acknowledged as "Co-Host" in all media ✓
Best For: Sponsors who ask for it or are ready to buy.
02. PowerPoint Decks
Usually 5 - 10 slides long.Provide an overview of the event & team.
Best For: Cold Emailing
03. Custom Proposals
Usually 1 - 5 pages long.Provides an overview of the event and
Best For: Tiers without fixed pricing & sponsors offering more than cash.
outlines a custom package & price.
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1. Event Name2. Event Date
3. Event Location
THINGS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS INCLUDE
4. Projected Attendance5. Website URL
6. Contact Email / Phone
Let’s talk aboutsponsorship tiers.
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1. How many tiers should I have?2. How much should my tiers be?
3. What perks should apply to each tier?
QUESTIONS TO ASK
THE RULE OF 3 TIERS:
1x REASONABLE1x MODERATE1x EXPENSIVE
01. How many tiers should I have?
02. How much should my tiers be?
There’s no easy answer here.Use CPA, your budget, & instinct.
03. What perks should apply to each tier?
Sponsors will valuewhatever YOU SAY is valuable.
MLH
PROCESSFollowing a
Stop me if your sponsorship processsounds like this…
Cold Email1 ??????2 Profit3
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
MLH
1. Set Targets & Do Research2. Get in Touch
3. Exploratory Phone Call
THE MLH SPONSORSHIP PROCESS
4. Make a Proposal5. Follow Up
01. Set Targets & Do Research
Figure out which companies you want to sponsorand who the decision makers are there.
OBJECTIVE:
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
LinkedIn1
Data.com2
CEOEmail.com3
02. Get in Touch
Get an introduction from someone in your networkor send a well-crafted and thoughtful email.
OBJECTIVE:
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
LinkedIn1
Facebook2
Google3
03. Exploratory Phone Call
Get the decision makers on the phoneand find out what their success metrics are.
OBJECTIVE:
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
Sell your team & the story1
Ask about past sponsorships & budget2
Let them do the talking3
04. Make a Proposal
Send over a well crafted proposaland an explanation of why it fits their company’s needs.
OBJECTIVE:
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
Set a deadline1
Ask for a follow up call2
Less is more3
05. Follow Up
Follow up with all prospective sponsorsand keep the event on their radar.
OBJECTIVE:
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
RelateIQ1
Boomerang2
followup.cc3
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1. Not Iterating2. Not Practicing
3. Not Highlighting
THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR
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pro-tipsHere are some
UNDER PROMISE and OVER DELIVER.
Follow up with your Sponsors.
POST EVENT SURVEYSTHANK YOU NOTE
EVENT RECAP & PHOTOS
Sell the TEAM & EXPERTISE.
“We’re working with
Major League Hacking.”
Getting sanctioned goes a long way.You’re working with the experts.
REGULAR & TIMELY COMMUNICATIONbefore, during, & after the event.
Be willing to NEGOTIATE,but don’t give away the keys to the castle.
SPONSORSHIP CONTRACT.Use a standard
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PITFALLSHere are some common
MAYBES.
Not understanding PAYMENT CYCLES.
Not VALUING what you’re SELLING.
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QUESTIONS!It’s time for
Thanks!@JonMarkGo @MLHacks|