How to approach a company for sponsoring

[newyorker]

Hi all,

I am thinking of running a contest on my forums to get more visitors and signups = members

Now i was thinking of approaching a few companies requesting some free goodies to give away in the contest. Otherwise people would not participate in the contest. No prize - no contestants.

How to approach these companies? What would i say? What strategy to use?
I guess i have to brag a bit about the forum? Tell them what they get from it? But how?

Is there anybody with experience with this who can give me a push in the right direction?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Gnet]

Same here ive asked this question here quite some times but no response.
Would love to know about this.

 

[newyorker]

Not a single person who has experience with this?

 

[DanR]

Well lets face it... its common sense. Put yourself in a potential sponsors shoes. Would you give up free stuff for nothing? What would you expect in return etc...

Remember you have to be able to offer something in return! Nothing is free these days... nothing!

 

[BMFX]

Well i have done things like free game servers but you need to show just what they are going to get in my place for the free game servers i put..

* There company name i server title - I.e. Company | {RaD} Clan Server
* We had there ads on our site and we sent people to them when asked about what company we us.
* In the server we had auto messages saying sponsered by company name.

But it helps to have a existing good record or at lest a some what large site make them see that you are a real forum and that you won't just leave on them.

with the servers we had to show TWL (gaming ladder) stats to show we have been around long enough and we were a pretty good team.

It's pretty much making you look as good as possable. With out puting down your compeaters.

Also if you need some refals i can help you out contact me by PM. I am pretty good at that.

BTW sms2bid where the heck is Perth lol i live in wa 2 but never heard of perth... =/

- John

 

[namenut]

Hi :hi:

I work in tradeshows and conventions. These "shows" usually put out a "show book" If you tell me what industry you are looking at I can try to get you an exhibitors list from the last show. These books list contacts for promotions and marketing depts. These people have tons of free give-always they may share with you. Link back them with a good word and do not sell any of the items.

Here is a link to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors web calendar. You can look an industry show. Go to that show's website and ask for a show book. Some will....some wont.
http://www.lvcva.com/meetings/convention-calendar.jsp


If it will help you out I can send you some promotionals but you would have to pay the shipping. I get boxes of these kinds of things. They trash them, after a show, rather than pay a teamster, a forklift operator, a shipping company then receiving dept. to handle an item they have tons of.

I have a ton of cell phone accessories from SANYO with permission to do what I wish with them. Leather covers, chargers, headphone, plugs etc... You can have a box of them free (shipping).

I have bi-cycle rims, from "Alex rims", you are welcome to a few of them free. (shipping)

Let me know. I have boxes of stuff your welcome to. Pay the shipping. I also get tons of cables, cords, connectors etc.... what kind of items are you looking for?

Also you can buy lots on ebay of store returns that have cool little gadgets in them.

namenut

 

[newyorker]

Great info people
Namenut:

I have a mobile phone website. I am looking to run a contest on my forums and want a cool prize to give away. Like a mobile phone or coupons for some mobile phone stuff. Things like that. Can you help me out with that? Only thing is that i live in the Netherlands...

 

[namenut]

Great info people
Namenut:

I have a mobile phone website. I am looking to run a contest on my forums and want a cool prize to give away. Like a mobile phone or coupons for some mobile phone stuff. Things like that. Can you help me out with that? Only thing is that i live in the Netherlands...

I can drop ship them for you if it's viable on your end. I'm in Las Vegas, NV. Shipping in the states on these items would be about $4.00 (USPS 2/3 day priority air mail) much less in general mail.

I think there are 15 to 20 different items and several of each. I'll forward a list of what I have if you like. You can make pakages if you like.

Let me know

namenut

 

[L146705]

paste them all over your site, show them a sample screen shot, that should do it also include your stats.

 

[aing]

thx all, i need this info too
and thx for you newyorker i dont need to make a new thread for this