I love it when people call or email me for a bit of ad hoc advice. I really enjoy it. I know a lot of other sponsorship consultants do, as well. It makes me think on my feet, even on days when I’m not in “strategy mode”. Plus, I just like being helpful.
If you’re going to contact me (or another consultant), I do have some tips. There are a few things you should avoid that will make much more likely you’ll get advice you can use.
The top secret, groundbreaking event
If you’re looking for my free advice on getting sponsorship for an event, you have to be willing to tell me about it. I have lost track of the number of phone calls I get where the caller wants detailed advice about sponsorship, but will not divulge even the most basic details about the event – like the category – for fear I’m going to steal their “groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting, once-in-a-lifetime” idea.
Time to get real, people. There are very, very few ideas that are that different, and if you did your research, you’d probably find someone, somewhere in the world has already done something similar. And frankly, no credible consultant would ever think of stealing an idea you may have. Being cagey while asking for a favour is insulting.
Too general
I have received hundreds and hundreds of emails that are more or less identical to this:
Dear Power Sponsorship –
I have an event and need sponsorship. How do I get it?
Steve
Talk about “how long is a piece of string”! This kind of general, big picture stuff is not the kind of advice you should be seeking gratis, and there is absolutely no need to. How-to advice abounds on the internet (and this website!) and there are some excellent books. Once you’re into the process and have specific questions, that’s the time to seek out some feedback from specialists in the area in which you work (see “do your research”, below).
This is how I usually answer those emails:
Steve –
Buy The Sponsorship Seeker’s Toolkit 3rd Edition.
Kim
Sales disguised as advice
Asking for advice on an issue is one thing. Sending a form email to who knows how many consultants, asking them for “feedback” on your event, and including 10mb worth of attachments is just a sales manoeuvre, and you know it. Other consultants may have a higher tolerance for this crap, but I can guarantee, you will never hear from me, so just knock it off.
Not doing your research
Before you call or email, take a look around the website and figure out what the specific areas of expertise – or limitations – are. Some consultants represent elite athletes and may not be particularly open to providing free advice to arts organisations.
For me, I don’t sell sponsorships on commission (AKA “broker”). I make this clear on my home page, my “about us” page, and on my “broker registry” page – a page we set up specifically because we get so many calls looking for a broker. So when someone calls me up asking me to broker for them – which happens several times a day – they are really telling me that they haven’t put even an ounce of effort into finding out what I can provide.
Doing your homework shows the person you’re approaching that you respect their time and their expertise. When looking for free advice, that’s a good thing. And while this lack of diligence may be a mild nuisance to the consultants you’re approaching, the bigger issue is that if you don’t do your homework, it doesn’t bode well for your ability to find reputable, professional advice, and not someone who will take advantage of you.
Not knowing when to call (and being a jerk about it)
I live in Australia, but I do have a US phone number in addition to my Australian number. The US number always appears in conjunction with my Australian number, and usually in conjunction with Power Sponsorship’s Australian address. I think I make it pretty clear: I am located in Australia. And amazingly enough, Australia is not on the same time zone as North America.
I have no issue whatsoever with someone calling from America whenever it is convenient to them and leaving a message. I will call them back at a time that is convenient to both of us. I am quite happy to do the math.
What annoys me to no end are the few who call at 3:00 AM every day for a week, don’t leave a number or email address, and leave increasingly abusive messages about me never answering my phone. I’m asleep, people!
There are top consultants all over the world and there is no reason to limit yourself to advice from only your region. I will say that if you’re approaching someone, at least be aware if there is a time difference. That way, you can leave a message with some good times to call back. Or, you may just want to outline the issue you’re trying to solve in an email and take time right out of the equation.
Offering lunch to “pick my brain”
I am super happy to take a five minute phone call or respond to an email, but if you want an hour or more of my time, it’s going to cost you more than lunch. This is not a personal slight against you, but the reality is that consultants are busy, and we earn a living by giving advice. Expecting me – or any other consultant – to give you that much advice at no charge is unrealistic.
I’m not saying it doesn’t happen occasionally – catch me at lunch or drinks at an event where I’m speaking and I’ll give you advice until I’m blue in the face! – but it’s not something I’m going to rearrange my schedule for.
If you really do need that much advice from me, and you need it now, you can get a sponsorship coaching session.
Looking back over this, it is making me sound a bit like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, but I promise, I’m not trying to deter people from contacting me. Instead, I want to ensure that you maximise your chances of getting a bit of good, free advice when you need it – from me or any other consultant.
If you do want to drop me a line, I can guarantee that I will answer my own phone and my own emails and will be perfectly pleasant. In fact, here are the details:
Email: admin@powersponsorship.com
Phone (AU): +61 2 9559 6444
Phone (US): +1 612 326 5265
Skype: kimskildumreid
You can also get me through LinkedIn and Twitter. My username for both is KimSkildumReid.
I look forward to hearing from you!
