When presenting, bring your own ideas to the table
I recently gave an athlete sponsorship presentation to the head of PR at a major restaurant chain. The purpose of the meeting was for me to present a few ideas on how they could get the most ROI from their sponsorship with our client.
To really make this a 'low' pressure meeting, the head of PR opened it up with this exact line: "We've worked with athlete ambassadors in the past. Some with millions of followers. It's been 'okay'. What can you present to me that is different from what we've already done?"
How's THAT for getting you to think on your feet!
Here are a few tips to incorporate into your next sponsorship presentation:
Prepare a few original ideas: Remember, they are buying YOU as much as they are buying your athlete. Come to the table with some creative ideas of your own. Even if they don't end up implementing them in the final contract, it shows that you took the extra time to think outside of the box and bring your best to the pitch meeting.
Smile while you present: You are the one guiding them through the presentation. Like any good tour guide, SMILE at your guests. This will help keep the meeting as more of a friendly discussion versus a hard nosed negotiation. Plus, it makes them feel that you have been there before and they are in the hands of an experienced professional.
Initiate the follow up and secure the next meeting: When the presentation and Q&A is all done, simply pose these two questions to the customer: "What are the next steps for you?" After they answer, follow with "I have my calendar open, when should we schedule our follow up meeting?"
To recap: Be creative, it shows you care. Smile while you present. Secure the follow up meeting right then and there.
