As many of you know, sponsors are the lifeblood of a pageant. They are as important as contestants, judges, and the crown. Sponsors provide your pageant with much-needed funds and, in turn, you need to provide them with reasons to continue supporting you. One of the best, easiest ways to do that is by showing sincere appreciation for their efforts.
1. First of all, when we are promoting our local pageant we advertise for our sponsors by including them in our contestant packets. We encourage our contestants to utilize their services so they can see what is in store for them if they win the title. We work hand in hand with the hair salon, for instance, by encouraging them to offer "specials" for the contestants to get a pageant makeover. Our evening gown sponsor gives discounts to the titleholders who shop there before the pageant. We want our contestants to become familiar with the people who will be sponsoring items/services and vice versa.
2. Secondly, we invite our sponsors to our Orientation meetings for new contestants. Every year there are always returning pageant girls who come compete, but we try very hard to recruit first-year contestants. To help them become familiar with the system and the specifics of competition, we invite them to question and answer meetings. Then we follow up with meetings where we cover the areas of competition so they will feel competition ready. Sometimes "new" girls won't compete because they don't feel competitive with the experienced pageant girls. and these orientation/practice meetings definitely help the "new" girls feel comfortable. When the contestants get to meet the sponsors face to face it's great advertising for the sponsors. We have found this helps increase our sponsorships because once they get to see everything from the "inside" it becomes more personal and they want to sponsor more. Also, because our pageant team and the sponsors are working side-by-side the relationship builds and we find it encourages long-term sponsors.
3. We also try to a relationship with our sponsors throughout the year. We have a website, newsletter, and blog. We promote their businesses so they know that not only do we appreciate the sponsorship they give us, but we will also do our best to promote their business to our friends and associates. As an ED, I make sure I personally support their business during the year as well. We have a hair salon sponsor, so that's where I get my hair done. We have a tailor so I make sure if I need something tailored, I'm there spending my money and showing my support. I make it my responsibility to help build their business—because they are helping to build my pageant organization.
4. Every year we have a Wardrobe/Miss Texas Send-Off for our titleholders where they show off their competition wardrobe and show their talents for friends, family, supporters, and local residents. The purpose is to not only build up the titleholder to make her feel special and "ready to win," but we also use this as an opportunity to invite and show off our sponsors. We recognize them and let them feel like we couldn't do it without them—which is true! This puts them in front of many people that they might normally meet. We make them our VIP guests and show them off.
5. In addition, we invite our sponsors to actually be a part of our organization in our meetings, activities, and local pageant. We give them special seating at our pageant and invite them to the state pageant so they can watch "their" girl who they helped. It's all about personalizing their support. It's one thing to donate a competition outfit. It's another thing to get to know the girl who's going to wear the competition outfit and to be invited to come watch her compete in it.
The bottom line is you must build a relationship with your
sponsors. Even if the economy is bad, it's hard to say no to a "friend". Even if business is slow and one year they have to cut back on a donation or sponsorship; they still want to be a part because they know that we appreciate them, and they know our number one responsibility is to show our support for them by doing our best to promote them. Our goal is that their business will grow because they joined hands with us. It is a two-way street. We accept their sponsorship, but in return we want to give back even more.
