Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay Area

Corporate Sponsorship is a great way to help reach your fundraising minimum.  By sponsoring Team In Training (TNT), companies gain a valuable presence with an external and internal audience - in line with the company's reputation as a good corporate citizen and building brand equity at the same time.  By connecting company employees and clients with TNT, the company will benefit from increased employee and client satisfaction, loyalty, and community involvement. As a TNT sponsor companies will receive recognition through paid advertising, where more than 5 million impressions of the sponsor logo will be generated through direct mail, brochures, internet, event apparel and team correspondence.  Companies will also receive on-site recognition at team trainings and in team communications.  See the specific sponsor benefits and levels on the Sponsorship Matrix.

Steps to Securing a Corporate Sponsorship

Step 1 - Do Your Homework!

• Start with companies that you already have a link to.  This may be your employer, your spouse's employer, businesses that you do business with (i.e. vendors or possibly clients), businesses you frequent as a customer, etc.
• Brainstorm local companies that may benefit from exposure in a program like TNT.  Gear and clothing stores, health food stores, gym's, products that an endurance athlete may need or want.
• If you have a direct contact at that company, start with that person and tell them what you are doing and inquire who you should speak to about sponsorships.  If you don't have a direct contact, start by calling their main number, or possibly drop by in person depending on the busniess, and share your story of what you are doing and ask who you would need to speak to regarding sponsorship decisions.  If you are calling without a referrel, this method may take some time to track down the right person and a lot of follow up calls if you are not getting return calls.

 Step 2 - Prepare For Your Sponsorship Ask

• Once you have done the research, you may have an idea of a range of money that the company is likely to give you or that you feel comfortable asking for. Pick the dollar amount at the top of that range. 
• Gather as much information about the program, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and blood cancers in general that you can.  Review the TNT Sponsorship Proposal (which can be found below) and make sure that all information needed is in there. If you need additional information, ask your TNT Manager.
• Write a cover letter for the TNT Sponsorship Proposal. A sample cover letter can be found below. Make sure to include an inspirational reason why you are participating. The more personal you make it, the more likely a company will sponsor you.
• There are many levels of sponsorship, from $1,000-$50,000.  Each level has its own benefits for the company. Read over the Sponsorship Matrix and get familiar with the benefits at each level.  
   

Step 3 - Set A Meeting

• If the decision maker resides in your office, set a 30 minute face-to-face meeting with   them.
• You are more likely to get sponsorship if you meet with them face to face because it is a personal ask. 
• If you can't meet face to face due to them being in another office or time restrictions, continue to follow up via phone or email regarding sponsoring you and if possible and you are comfortable ask for a 15 minute phone meeting.
   

Step 4 - Present The Sponsorship Package

• In Person Meeting or phone meeting

Print two copies of the TNT Proposal and Sponsorship Matrix for the meeting. Make sure to read it over so it is fresh in your mind.

In the meeting, be prepared to talk about how sponsoring TNT will benefit the company, how TNT has benefited you, an inspirational story of why you participate, and what The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society does for cancer patients.

If you need to do a phone call or if they just want you to email them the information, make sure to email your Cover Letter, TNT Proposal, and Sponsorship Matrix at least one day before the call for them to review.

Use the Sponsorship Matrix, which has a visual representation of the sponsorship benefits, to make this conversation easier. Highlight the following benefits at each level:

• $1,000 - Logo on the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay TNT Website for 1 season (76,000 hits annually)
• $2,500 - Messaging on TNT Facebook and Twitter accounts for 1 season
• $5,000 - Logo on the TNT Event Jerseys for one season (2,200 annually)
• $10,000 - Logo on our TNT Brochures for 6 months, 1,300,000 distributed
• $15,000 - Logo on all marketing posters
• $25,000 - Couponing or Flyering to TNT participants for 1 year (4,000 athletes per year)
• $50,000 - Recognition as "title sponsor" in all radio advertisement and PSA's for a year

If email is the only way to present the proposal, make sure to email your Cover Letter, TNT Proposal, and Sponsorship Matrix. Copy your cover letter's body into the email.

Step 5 - Follow Up

• If you have not heard back from the decision maker, follow up by phone within one week.
• Don't be shy about reminding them there is a deadline to support your fundraising efforts.
• Keep following up every week to two weeks until you get an answer. Remember, this may be a long process, so don't get discouraged!
   

Step 6 - Turn In Your Sponsorship

• Email or fax (408-490-2663) your Sponsorship Commitment form (found below) so we know to provide your company with the proper benefits and so we credit it to your fundraising!
• Send in your sponsorship check the way you would turn in a donation check or have the company send the check to: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 675 North First St., #1100, San Jose, CA 95112.
   

Corporate Sponsorship Form

If you received a corporate sponsorship or partnership, please submit the form below to:

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Attn:  Kimberlli Walker
675 N. First St. Suite 1100
San Jose, CA 95112
fax: (408) 490-2663

Corporate Sponsorship Response Form

Sample Corporate Sponsorship Documents

General Cover Letter/Ask Letter

Corporate Sponsorship Letter

TNT Sponsorship Proposal

Sponsorship and Corporate Programs

Sponsorship Matrix