Associations, Nonprofits & Corporations

Most corporations no longer limit their community support to sponsorships. However, if constructed carefully, these sponsorships could be important sources of visibility and engagement. In this episode of Messaging on a Mission, we talk to an expert in bridging the gap between associations/non-profits and the for-profit partners who support them.

Key Takeaways

Move from the transactional to the transformational with your corporate relationships.

Engage sponsors in a conversation around what they want to achieve with their sponsorship. Do let them feel like an ATM machine.

Find that sweet spot of what the members need, what the companies need, and then by extension, the association comes out the winner.

Focus on the substance and the partnership and the exchange of information.

Partner with corporations around member research.

Creating more engaging partnerships with companies usually means sponsor fees are higher, which means that more engagement with fewer sponsors can still bring in the same if not more support.

Find ways to align your members’ or attendees’ goals with the sponsor’s goals.

Episode Guest

Bruce Rosenthal has advanced corporate partnership programs for more than 20 years. He is a strategic advisor, consultant, and educator to associations and not-for-profit organizations, creating corporate partnership programs that increase revenue, add member value, and foster sustainability.

He demonstrates leadership in identifying and cultivating sponsorship and partnership best practices, opportunities, and solutions as Convener of the Partnership Professionals Network (PPN), a national sponsorship/partnership organization.

As VP of Corporate Partnerships for a national association, Bruce directed a successful corporate partnership program. He innovated the program by revising the positioning, benefits, packaging, collateral, etc. to keep pace with changes in the economy and the marketplace.

Bruce does presentations at national and state conferences, and on webinars – in addition to writing articles and blog posts. Rosenthal understands the “ins and outs” of association structures, governance, and programs—so he’s the perfect guest for this episode.