Sponsorship Alliance

What do the Top 20% of Sponsorship Sales Execs do differently? (2 minute read)

After 18 years of experience working with a number of organizations and several top sponsorship sales executives, I’ve narrowed it down to a pretty simple matrix that articulates what the top 20% do differently. The best sponsorship development executives focus on creating relevant stories that resonate with brands. Sure, it’s easy to sell …

Selling Sponsorship in less than 850 words (2 minute read)

Last time I checked, there wasn’t a manual for selling sponsorship; and how could there be when every sponsorship by its very nature is fundamentally different. Based on my experience, the best sponsorship development executives use a balance of creativity combined with the persistence, patience and relationship building skills that you …

Off the Field and into the Boardroom- What I’ve Learned from Pro Athletes

What did it take to win gold in Sochi; find the mental strength to sink a 20 foot putt on the 18th at Augusta to win the Masters; or contribute to one of only four teams to battle through immense pressure, at such a young age, to reach the Final …

Mazereeuw’s Guide to Selling More #Sponsorship in 2015 – Part 2/2

Part 2/2-Through my experience, feedback and hard knocks, I’ve learned a few things about Sponsorship Sales and know first-hand the ups –and downs of selling. This is the second of two posts (click here for part 1/2) dedicated to those on the business development side of the sponsorship marketing landscape. For the …

Mazereeuw’s Guide to Selling More Sponsorship in 2015 – Part 1/2

Through my experience, feedback and hard knocks, I’ve learned a few things about Sponsorship Sales and know first-hand the ups –and downs of selling. This post is dedicated to those on the business development side of the sponsorship marketing landscape. For the experienced pros, you can probably relate. For those …

Survivor: Sports Marketing Intern Survival Guide

Thinking about an internship in sports marketing or reminiscing about your experience from the past – and how it was different back then? Well, times have definitely changed and I can’t think of another industry that has hundreds clamouring for a chance to work in sports marketing (and it’s not …

Just add Super Glue: Sponsorship Activations that Stick

There have been moments throughout my career when I’ve questioned whether or not sponsorship works – do people really notice, care or remember the sponsors – days, months or years later? I notice all the time, but then again, I spend more time watching the sponsors then the game, itself. …

Do Sponsors Really Grow on Trees?

Last year I decided to plant a “sponsor tree”. It’s a great tree – one that I picked up at a local nursery. If you have kids or can remember the classic: The Giving Tree (by Shel Silverstein), this a tree that keeps on giving. You wouldn’t believe it …

The Great Debate: Does “Sponsorship” need a new Name?

“Are you calling about a sponsorship?” “Um, no, I’m calling about a corporate partnership… I mean strategic alliance. Sorry, it’s actually an associative marketing opportunity”. “Isn’t that the same thing?” This has been an ongoing debate in our industry for as long as I can remember. I made a reference …

I could never sell sponsorship…or could I?

People ask me all the time why I’m still selling sponsorship. Then they follow-up with a “wow, I could never do what you do”. I ask myself the same question all the time. Then I remember that I love to build creative marketing solutions for brands that can be leveraged …

Don’t close the door on your Dream Job in Sports Marketing until you read this

It still amazes me how many applicants we get for an entry-level position here at the CFL. It was the same in my previous roles at IMG and Molson Sports and Entertainment. My friends at MLSE, NHL, NBA, NFL, Toronto Blue Jays or any other Tier-1 Sports property in …

Sponsorship Tango Part 3: Dance Steps

Before you dive in to this third and final installment of the Sponsorship Tango, be sure to check out Sponsorship Tango Part 1 (Top 10 things that frustrate me as seller) & Sponsorship Tango Part 2 (Top 10 things that frustrate me as buyer) for context. Here are the five …

Apples and Oranges – sponsorship vs. traditional media

I was inspired to write this blog post based on a recent call with an agency. The genesis of the conversation involved the comparison of a fully integrated sponsorship opportunity with a traditional media buy. It went something like this “when we compared the opportunity with a media buy, …

You know you work in Sponsorship when…

1. You have too many creative ways to say “sponsorship” 2. Your kids’ names are grassroots and experiential 3. You use terms like IP, property, leverage and activation all the time 4. Intangible somehow becomes tangible in your mind 5. You have an encyclopedia of adjectives to describe your property …

Want to work in Sports/Sponsorship Marketing…but don’t know where to start?

I recently had coffee with someone I met at the Western Sponsorship Conference, last year. He was very eager and interested to learn more about the Sponsorship and Sports Marketing industry. He didn’t have any relevant industry experience, however, he had intuition and more importantly, wasn’t afraid to …

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