It's no secret that sports sponsorship is a highly effective way to develop your brand. Sport garners enthusiasm around the world. There are various marketing opportunities offered by aligning with a sporting organisation. Capitalising on these possibilities, however, is not as simple as just paying someone a bunch of money. There are a few key steps involved, we've listed 3 major ones here to help you get started.
1. Find a brand which aligns with your target audience
Every company has a target audience. This is the group of people at whom your product or service is intending to catch the attention of. In choosing a sports sponsorship, it is vital that you choose an organisation whose target audience reflects your own. For example, if you are a group targeting adolescents, opting to sponsor your local lawn bowls team is unlikely to work for you. Your target audience will probably never come into contact with this relationship, and as a result your money will quickly tumble down the drain. Ensure you select the appropriate group to sponsor.
2. Ensure your sponsor partner has a brand image which aligns with your own
This is a similar concept to point 1, however it varies in exactly what it is that you need to align. Having a sponsorship partner which shares your brand image means having a partner with whom you share values. If your product focus is on prestige, select a sporting team in a league which is equally focussed on this idea. If your brand image is focussed around up-to-date trends, then sponsor a group which stays ahead of the curve in this regard.
3. Commit to your partner
While this may sound like cliched relationship advice, it is actually highly relevant to sports sponsorships. Many organisations make the mistake of delving into sports sponsorship, and then doing nothing else. It is not sufficient to simply sponsor a team. Nor is it enough to sponsor a team, declare an interest in them, and occasionally stick your brand on something related to them. You need to fully commit to the sponsorship. Base your advertisements around the relevant sport. Show dedication to their cause. If you can illustrate that it is a committed partnership - pardon the continual relationship jargon - then you will reap the rewards.
Branded by Disrupt offers custom made sports equipment on which you can advertise, to help you more closely align to your sponsored sport.