ROI.
Return on investment. That's the bottom line.
That's what businesses and marketers want when they spend money on something.
If you are asking a company for money, make sure there is some ROI for them.
For many businesses, especially small businesses, the ROI is measured in how many new customers you can send in their doors.
Many business owners and marketing directors have told me getting their logo on a banner or the back of a t-shirt in and of itself does not get them a significant return on their investment.
They want to put something in potential new customers' hands that will drive those would-be new customers into their business - like a gift certificate, coupon, or sample of a product.
It's really pretty simple. When is the last time you went into a business you had never been to and spent money because you saw their logo on the back of a t-shirt?
But I'll bet you can think of a time when you went into a business and spent money because you got a two-for-one offer, sampled a product, or got a free appetizer card.
Think about giving businesses a return on their investment rather than the standard logo placement benefits in a traditional sponsorship package and they will return to invest more money in your initiative.
