Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

How To Gain Corporate Sponsors

Posted by Anonymous on 8/18/2008 at 1:18 PM ET 125 Points
I am a student at a small college in Memphis, TN. I am in the process of starting the very first student-run investment club in Memphis. My first major assignment at this is to gain some major sponsors for the club (such as Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Wachovia). My pitch to the banks will be that if donations are given to the club it will allow the students to not only learn about investments but to manage a portfolio with actual money. This in turn will give the members of the club a slightly better chance at being a more knowledgeable employee versus those who didn’t get the opportunity to invest in a rather large portfolio. What are the ramifications to presenting a plan to the banks and actually getting it approved for donations? The club will be an organization under the college therefore meaning that the donations will be tax deductible. What are entities such as investment banks looking for in terms of donating money? If anyone has experience in this matter please give me some pointers.
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  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/18/2008 at 1:31 PM Member
    First, you need a plan of what you will do with the money and a good business plan. And you need a good structure to the org, with good controls. While the bank may find the purpose you define above attractive (future employees) they'll also find the prospect of future savvy depositors more attractive. Sponsors want exposure, and to be aligned with an org that enchances their brand.

    I would organize it under the guidelines of https://www.better-investing.org-- the National Assoc Investment Clubs. they have a great step by step guide to your regular meetings and define a topic to undertake and learn. I started a club once and found them useful. They have courses in many cities-- and they are very affordable. When I first started learning about stocks I took their basic course for a whopping $25.

    Really, there is no magic in this. Call and get in front of their face to discuss how this can be mutually beneficial. Do not come with a firm proposal in hand. Have a conversation and build what will be a relationship. I always advise people to treat your sponsors like gold-- they are your lifeline.

    Sell Well and Prosper tm
  • Posted by Mikee on 8/18/2008 at 2:37 PM Member
    If you are looking at it more from the connections/job opportunity standpoint you may want to ask the investment firms/banks for mentors for the club. Perhaps they could send a broker once a month to go over some investment strategy or asset class. You are more likely to get connections this way versus the sponsorship route. Sponsorship can be very impersonal and may not create many connections.

    My 2 cents.

    Mike
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/18/2008 at 3:56 PM Accepted
    I think if that is your goal-- you should approach banks that this is a self guided internship or better words to that effect. When I got my 1st degree we were the first class to create a program where we worked in actual projects-- and now its mandated part of the ciriculum. Let them know upfront the skills those in the program would gain and how it will benefit the bank as their future employer. Call it what it is and it will be a stronger program. As Brian Tracey says, "Begin with the End in Mind". Get a strong mission statement-- you don't want to just get jobs for graduates, you want to create an elite class of future bankers.

    I absolutely do not agree that sponsorship is impersonal or cannot create connections. Do it right and you'll have plenty of buy in by your sponsors and a lifetime of connections. On my last nonprofit, many of our sponsors got involved in the board level. But be warned, nonprofit boards are like herding cats. You have no carrots and no sticks-- to manage you must lead vs traditional managing skills. Which is another skill that will make you a better candidate for any position you pursue.
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