Search and find a sponsor - Guide for clubs and athletes

Sponsors are very important for clubs, but also for individual athletes in the professional sector. With their support, training equipment can be financed. But many don't even start looking for sponsors because they don't know how to go about it. In our guide, we show you together with sponsoring expert Mona Schwarzkopf how you can effectively look for sponsors and what you should bear in mind.

spized / Mona Schwarz | Club management

July 24, 2023 |

Whats’ on this page

1. How and where can I find a sponsor for my club?

2. Which companies are suitable for sponsorship?

3. Find supporters: How to write to sponsors

4. Sponsor Cover Letter

5. Conclusion: Searching for and finding sponsors - with structure to perfect sponsorship

About Mona Schwarzkopf: Through her experience in sales, sports management, marketing and sponsoring (including at Holstein Kiel), she covers a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience. During her time with the international company hummel sport & leisure, she managed clubs in the handball and football sectors from the 1st Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga. In her professional career, she has worked with Handball-Bundesliga GmbH, among others, and has jointly equipped or organised the major tournaments REWE FINAL4, ALL STAR GAME and PIXUM SUPER CUP, including the opening ceremony. It looks after football clubs and handball clubs from the Bundesliga and top athletes from various sports.

How and where can I find a sponsor for my club?

When looking for a sponsor, you can proceed systematically. These steps are helpful:

Look around your town. Which businesses are located here? Are there any retailers or craft businesses? Is there perhaps an industrial area where larger companies operate?

If sponsorship is not primarily about finding a local partner, broaden your search. Can you find companies nationwide or even nationally that could be a sponsor?

Activate your association members. Many of them work in local or national companies. Ask your colleagues in their company for a contact person responsible for sponsorship.

If you are in a smaller town or city, you can also visit potential sponsors directly. Many companies are happy when a club introduces itself in person and asks for sponsorship. However, it is best to make an appointment in advance so as not to burst into work.

Of course, you can also start looking for sponsors on the internet. Mona has these tips for you:

XING or LinkedIn: Many companies post their own profiles on these portals. If you are active there yourself, you can write directly to those responsible and ask for sponsorship.
Instagram or Facebook: Many companies present themselves on social media. There you can often quickly find out whether the companies are sponsoring.
Internet search: Google & Co. are also a good starting point to look for sponsors. A tip: Especially in smaller towns, the homepages of the municipal or city administration usually contain directories with the businesses located there. You can use these lists for your search for sponsors.

Which companies are suitable for sponsorship?

Once you have compiled a list of possible sponsors, the next step is to check whether these companies fit your club or you. Of course, you don't have to make this selection alone. Members of the club or the board can help you here.

Important: You should not choose a sponsor for your club if it could damage your reputation.

Mona's tip: Together, set up knock-out criteria for companies that you do not want to ask to sponsor you, or set up criteria that a sponsor should fulfil.

Positive criteria could be, for example: The company is committed to sustainability; The company is socially committed; The company is fair to its employees.

Possible exclusion criteria could be: The company manufactures weapons; The company has no environmental certificates; Employees rate the company poorly on kununu or other platforms.

Here is an overview of the criteria you can use to select a sponsor:

What interests does the company represent?
Which products/services suit my association?
Is the company only active regionally or also nationwide?
What projects does the company implement?
Is the company involved in social projects?
Does the company operate sustainably?
Does the company itself have a high reach, e.g. via social media?

After going through this or a similar list, you will usually end up with less than a handful of candidates for sponsorship. You then contact them.

Find supporters: How to write to sponsors

With your candidate list of possible people, you now move on to the next step: Contacting them.

Similar to a letter of application for a job, it is also important when looking for sponsors that you write to the right person. Otherwise, your cover letter can quickly get lost in the nirvana of the mailbox or not even be opened. Possible addressees can be found in the management, the sales management or the marketing department.

It is best to contact us by phone beforehand.

Mona's tip: If possible, research the direct extension to the respective department. This will help you reach your destination faster and you might not be turned away first. A phone call also has another advantage: you talk to people personally. This way you can also score points with a good impression or awaken empathy in the other person.

As already mentioned, an on-site visit can also be useful. However, you should also call beforehand to make an appointment.

Our tips for contacting potential sponsors summarised:

Research the right contact person via various channels, e.g. on the homepage, via LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook or Instagram.
Call the head office and ask for the contact details of the sales or distribution manager for your region.
Contact the potential sponsor by phone beforehand to find out whether there is any interest at all and whether the company is open to it. There are always companies whose corporate philosophy excludes sponsorship.
Also check with other clubs in your town. Often the sponsors are listed on their homepages. Maybe you can ask there as well. Many companies sponsor several clubs.

Sponsor Cover Letter

We want to make it easy for you to find your new sponsor. If you are looking for a sponsor for the first time, you often don't have the right words or don't know where to start. That's why we've created a sample sponsor letter for you here. You can use this as a guide when writing to potential supporters.

This should be in the cover letter:

Write clearly what it is about and mention the sponsorship already in the title.
Briefly describe your association and your goals or priorities.
Maybe give an overview of your achievements.
Also indicate possible visitors to your games or events.
Also mention your reach via social media if relevant.

The main goal is to get the potential sponsor interested in sponsoring you. The more the company knows about you and your goals, the easier it is to decide on a short introduction.

Conclusion: Searching for and finding sponsors - with structure to perfect sponsorship

In order for the search for a sponsor to be successful, you should first and foremost approach companies that fit your club. Therefore, screening in advance is very important. It is equally important that you set clear criteria for deciding on a sponsor.

The cover letter and the first contact should be professional and open. Many companies are also grateful for a sponsorship concept that you present. During the personal interview on site, it is important that you present yourself authentically and sympathetically.

If you have several candidates, you could also organise a sponsor evening at which you present yourselves and your club in detail and the potential sponsors have the opportunity to make their decision on an informed basis.