Need more sponsors for your next event? It’s time to show them exactly what they’ll get in return. As the competition for event sponsorship heats up, your sponsorship requests must be specific, need-meeting, and tailored to each potential partner on your list. 

In this article, we’ll share the latest best practices to help you secure more event sponsorships, plus a done-for-you sponsorship request sample letter and email template to help you seal the deal.

A sponsorship request letter is a formal proposal that individuals or organizations create to ask for financial support or in-kind sponsorship for their events. It outlines the benefits, exposure, and recognition potential sponsors can expect in return for their support. It may also include details on available sponsorship tiers, packages, and other incentives.

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Whether you’re sending your sponsorship letter by post, email, or carrier pigeon, there are a few key elements you’ll want to include.

Here’s a quick list of everything that goes into an effective sponsorship letter:

• Header and contact information
• Personalized greeting
• Mission-aligned description
• Strong social proof
• Perks and incentives
• Available tiers and packages
• Compelling call-to-action
• Strong closing

Of course, the types of sponsorship letters you send will also depend on the demographics of your audience and the nature of your upcoming event.

For example, if you’re a nonprofit organization making a donation request, your formal fundraising letter will look pretty different from that of a sports team doing outreach for secure corporate sponsorships or a fundraising event featuring a variety of rare auction items.

Whatever the scenario, the ideal sponsorship proposal will quickly communicate what’s in it for your recipient, highlight the key ROI drivers, and inspire complete confidence in your events.

When seeking out partners for your event, start by pinpointing the organizations that have a natural messaging and audience fit.

Here are some effective strategies to find the right sponsorship opportunities for your next event.

Previous sponsors are likely to support your event again, especially if they benefited from the partnership before. Start your search by reaching out to organizations that have sponsored your event in the past and had a positive impact on your audience.

Nothing’s worse than a sponsor presentation that hits an offkey note. Seek out organizations not just with similar target audiences, but similar brand values and mission statements. Companies that share your values are more likely to sponsor your event because they know it’s relevant for their audience and yours.

Use social media, LinkedIn groups, and Slack communities to research potential partners and sponsors. Review through their social media posts to see if they’ve sponsored similar events in the past. And while you’re there, why not engage with their social media content to get an even deeper feel for their brand culture and values.

Explore organizations with parallel industries or similar business goals. Networking opportunities and mutual benefits can arise from collaborating with companies that share common objectives, even if they are not direct competitors.

Review potential sponsors' social media profiles and websites to pinpoint any patterns in their marketing plans and strategies. Tailor your pitch to align with their objectives and show them exactly how sponsoring your event can contribute to their goals.

With the right intel on potential partners, you can secure sponsors whose values, goals, and target audience align with your own.

When reaching out to potential corporate sponsors, the primary goal is to make sure the value of your event is crystal clear.

Make sure that every touchpoint in your outreach strategy makes it clear that the event will be well-planned, well-run and well-executed. Potential sponsors should have zero doubt that your event is worth linking their name to.

Ready to draft a corporate sponsorship letter that gets the yes? Let’s break it down, step by step.

Always start your sponsorship request letter with a personalized greeting that gets your prospective sponsor excited about your event.

Here are a few simple rules to follow:

• Address each potential sponsor by name
• Add details from their LinkedIn profile, social media, or company announcements
• Highlight the event’s mission or “big why” reason for being
• Share a few words on the impact your event has had on your community

The goal is to keep your event description concise and mission-aligned.

It should be clear that your letter has been tailor-made for each potential sponsor, with a clear and unmistakable synergy between their organization’s values and your own.

Remember, a great sponsor is a valued partner—not just another name on a list.

Paint a picture of how their sponsorship will fuel your mission, including the tangible difference they can make for your shared community.

Have you hosted successful events in the past? If the answer is yes, save yourself the extra word count and let your existing sponsors do the talking.

You can use past sponsor testimonials to kick off your intro and add credibility to your packages, or even share a longer past sponsor success story to help your recipient visualize the benefits for themself.

No matter how you approach it in your letter, real social proof from real sponsors is always going to be more persuasive than endless paragraphs about all the logo exposure in your promotional materials.

Here are some key ways to add more credibility to your sponsorship request:

• Highlight past success stories: Name drop highly recognizable past sponsors and share examples of times you exceeded sponsor expectations at past events. Include metrics and facts like the number of attendees, social media reach, deals or contacts made, etc., to demonstrate the real-world impact and success of the event.

• Add past sponsor testimonials: Nothing carries more weight than happy sponsors singing your praises. Sprinkle in any glowing testimonials or statements from previous sponsors for an instant boost in credibility.

• Share links to recent press coverage: Include links to any press releases or articles that have covered your events. Address the recognition you received, highlight what’s unique about your event, and cement your case as a trusted event organizer.

• Nod to any awards and recognitions: If your events or company has been honored with awards or special recognition, now’s the time to shout about it.

Remember, your sponsorship request letter is not the place to be humble.

You and your event team have worked hard for your accomplishments. Now is the time to lay it all out on the table so potential sponsors can see that their money will be well spent.

Depending on the type and format of your event, your sponsors may be financial, meaning they put money towards the event in exchange for certain benefits. Or, they may be providing what’s known as in-kind donations, where they provide products or services for free in exchange for certain benefits.

No matter what kind of sponsors you’re looking for, the answer to the age-old marketing question, “What’s in it for me?” must be clear and irresistible.

Here are some ways to help make sure your potential sponsor understands the tangible benefits they’ll get from your event:

• Share all the ways in which the sponsor will be promoted at the event
• Put actual numbers to the reach and visibility they’ll receive
• Include perks and incentives beyond brand exposure, such as attendee lists, engagement data, and more

By going above and beyond the standard event sponsorship offering to include not only branding opportunities, but also dedicated sponsor booths and data packs including the full registration list and attendee engagement information, you can set your sponsors up to capture more ROI from your event.

This is especially beneficial for digital business events, where sponsors are looking for more opportunities to grow the connections made.

“The analytics part of the events right after it makes it really fast for us to contact the sponsors with this is who attended, who didn't attend, attendance rate, the questions asked, and what people clicked on,” said Eduardo Duarte Ruas, Marketing Manager at Modern Sales Pro. “Goldcast makes it really easy for us to collect the data and create a follow-up to the event that is very seamless and very fast.”

Eduardo and the team at Modern Sales Pro run 176 webinars with 25 sponsors per year. And they go far beyond the cookie-cutter sponsorship package with each and every one.

In addition to deep attendee data packs, he also puts together a “year end wrapped” style email for each sponsor with all the event data, plus eye-catching video snippets pulled from the event.

Gold, Silver, Bronze. Tiers one, two and three. Potential sponsors have seen it all before.

Challenge yourself to think of new ways to name your sponsorship packages to stand out in a sea of other sponsorship requests.

Here are a few tips to communicate your packages effectively:

• Be specific about what’s included in each tier, sponsorship level, or package
• Share details on how payment is made
• Highlight the packages that offer the most valuable opportunities, such as dedicated booths or VIP networking opportunities

Last but not least, don’t make vague requests.

While it’s always great to leave the door open for conversations around custom sponsorship packages, you also need to make sure potential sponsors are empowered to make a decision right there and then via a clear CTA.

Wrap it all up with a heartfelt thank you.

At the end of the day, your recipient has taken the time to consider your request for sponsorship—that’s no small thing.

Express gratitude and remind them of the next steps you want them to take:

• Sign off while thanking the recipient for their future support
• Remind them of your shared values to help deepen their commitment to your cause
• Use a compelling call-to-action that lets them know exactly what to do when they finish reading your letter
• Include your contact information and an open invitation to connect and discuss how they can become an active part of your event.

Once you’ve inspired them to get involved, make it easy by providing a clear path forward.

Goldcast makes it easy for event organizers to manage tiered sponsor booths, including custom logo placement, branding and video. Learn more with a free trial!

Once you’re done drafting your sponsorship letter, it’s time to pull out the fine-toothed comb and get ready to proofread.

Here are a few best practices to make sure you’ve nailed it.

Dive into the company's background to understand their target audience and industry positioning so you can establish key points of connection between their business and your event.

How can your event advance your prospective sponsor’s goals? Identify the mutual benefits and present a clear answer to the perennial question: “What’s in it for me?”

Your letter should never sound generic. Address the recipient by name, reference their specific projects or initiatives, and share a compelling and authentic reason for why their company would be a perfect fit for your event.

Keep your sponsorship letter easy to read and digest. Use concise language, break up the text with bullet points or small paragraphs, and ensure your each benefit is clearly communicated.

You’ve heard it before: the money is in the follow-up. While your initial letter is important, following up can be just as impactful. Be respectful but persistent in maintaining contact, pointing to the clear benefits of what’s in it for them with every touch. This goes for after your event, too. Sending a simple thank you letter to sponsors after the event can be a great way to encourage repeat sponsorship year after year.

It might sound counterintuitive, but a great sponsorship request letter does a whole lot more than ask for money. It gives potential event sponsors a clear understanding of your event—including its purpose, audience, and of course, the biggest benefits for them.

When you’re ready to offer a sponsor experience you can be proud of, Goldcast can help.

Goldcast’s digital event platform makes it easy to offer all the features sponsors want to see at a digital or hybrid event, including next-level branding, one-on-one networking opportunities, and dedicated booths.

After your event, use Goldcast’s Content Lab to generate high-impact videos to fuel your post-event coverage and win more sponsors for your next event.