Public Relations: How to Clinch a Media Sponsorship for Your Fund-Raiser or Special Event

Lining up a media sponsor can be one of the most powerful ways to attract attendees, donations or volunteers for your fund-raiser or special event.

The media co-sponsor these events for many reasons. Yet competition is fierce in the event-planning world for media sponsors. Some TV community affairs directors routinely get several dozen requests a week for sponsorships. That’s why your pitch must stand out in the crowd.

First, however, you need to understand why the media are eager to team up with community groups like yours and co-sponsor events:

• It makes the media outlet look good in the community
• It can sometimes mean additional publicity, even by competing media
• It’s an inexpensive way for the media outlet to spread the word about its good deeds.
• It gives the media a chance to sell more newspapers at an event.
• Having its name associated with successful community events enhances the media’s credibility.
• Sometimes media celebrities such as news anchors are asked to serve as emcees, thus elevating their profile in the community. 
• It’s the right thing to do.

Now, here are the main reasons why you should go after a media sponsorship for your special event:

• It will save you thousands of dollars in advertising costs because newspapers magazines, and TV and radio stations typically donate free ads.
• A media sponsor will give your event more credibility.
• The media sponsor might give you more publicity than it would have otherwise, particularly if it’s a TV station. This is not necessarily true with print media, however.

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