An Introduction to Sponsorship

Understanding What Sponsorship Really Is — Before You Ask

Almost daily, we receive sponsorship requests from individuals, clubs, teams, and events across Australia and around the world. These requests range from athletes seeking support, to clubs looking for uniforms, to events asking for backing.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of these requests reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of what sponsorship actually is.

Many are simply requests for free products, sent without any clear plan, structure, or understanding of how a business sponsorship works. That is why we have created this Introduction to Sponsorship — not to discourage requests, but to educate those making them so that future proposals are professional, realistic, and mutually beneficial.

Our goal is simple:
To help you understand sponsorship from a business perspective before you approach any company.

What Is Sponsorship?

Sponsorship is a commercial, mutually beneficial business relationship between two parties:

• The sponsor (the business investing money, products, or services), and

• The sponsored party (the athlete, team, club, or event providing value in return).

It is not a donation.
It is not a reward.
And it is certainly not an entitlement.

True sponsorship is an exchange of value.

Many people mistakenly believe that sponsorship means receiving free gear, wearing it, and posting a few photos on social media. In reality, this provides little to no benefit to a business. Companies already receive organic promotion from customers who buy their products and proudly share them online.

Requesting free products without offering measurable value does not constitute sponsorship — it is simply asking for freebies.

Sponsorship, when done properly, offers far greater opportunities than basic exposure. It can include:

• Access to new audiences

• Strategic brand alignment

• Data and customer acquisition

• Networking and relationship building

• Event activation opportunities

• Influencing public perception through trusted association

When a sponsor and sponsored party work together strategically, both sides can achieve outcomes that would be difficult to reach independently.

This is why the word “mutual” is so important.

 

What Does “Mutually Beneficial” Actually Mean?

A mutually beneficial relationship means both parties gain clear value.

From the sponsored party’s perspective, the benefit is obvious — products, financial support, or services.
From the business’s perspective, the benefit must be clearly defined, realistic, and measurable.

Before you approach any business, ask yourself one critical question:

“What does the business get in return — and is it worth more than the cost of supporting me?”

If you cannot confidently answer this, then you are not presenting a sponsorship opportunity — you are asking for free items.

Consider it from a business standpoint:
Would you invest thousands of dollars’ worth of stock, time, and resources with no clear return on investment?

If the answer is no, then it is reasonable to expect businesses to think the same way.

A legitimate sponsorship proposal clearly outlines how the business benefits, such as:

• Increased sales

• Brand exposure to a relevant audience

• Meaningful marketing opportunities

• Content creation with real reach

• Event access or experiential marketing

• Long-term brand alignment

If those benefits are vague or unquantifiable, the proposal is unlikely to succeed.

One Important Reality Many People Overlook

Another common mistake is requesting sponsorship from a brand you do not already support.

Approaching a business for sponsorship without ever having purchased, worn, or promoted their products signals a lack of genuine interest. From a business perspective, this raises a simple question:

Why should we invest in you if you have never invested in us?

Businesses are far more likely to support people who are already loyal customers and authentic advocates for their brand.

What Should You Do Before Requesting Sponsorship?

Before contacting any business, you should have a well-prepared, tailored sponsorship proposal.

This means:

• No generic copy-and-paste emails

• No mass-sent proposals to multiple brands

• No vague promises of “exposure”

Your proposal should be customised specifically to the business you are contacting. A generic proposal often appears lazy and signals that you are not genuinely interested in a partnership.

You must clearly outline:

• Who you are

• What you do

• Who your audience is

• What assets you offer

• How the business benefits

• Why the partnership makes commercial sense

A simple benchmark to keep in mind:

For every $1 a business invests in you, it should reasonably expect at least $5 in return through exposure, sales, or brand value.

If you cannot justify that return, your proposal is not ready.

Performance, Credibility & Influence Matter

Sponsorship is not given based on effort alone — it is based on impact.

If you are an athlete, club, or team:

• Your performance matters

• Your ranking matters

• Your consistency matters

Sponsors invest in credibility. That means training seriously, competing consistently, building a profile, and demonstrating professionalism.

If you do this well, sponsors will often approach you — not the other way around.

“But I’m on Social Media…”

Having a social media account does not automatically qualify you for sponsorship.

From a business perspective, meaningful sponsorship potential usually begins when someone reaches micro-influencer level, typically around 10,000 followers or more, combined with strong engagement and relevant audience demographics.

Follower count alone is not enough. Businesses also look at:

• Engagement rates

• Audience relevance

• Content quality

• Brand alignment

• Professionalism

A few hundred followers, even with good intentions, does not justify a sponsorship investment.

One Final (Very Important) Point

Do not contact businesses via social media asking for sponsorship.

This approach is often perceived as unprofessional and lazy, especially when no proposal is attached.

Instead:

• Research the company

• Visit their website

• Understand their brand and objectives

• Look for a Sponsorship or Partnerships page

Most professional businesses clearly outline whether they offer sponsorship and what they expect.

If you cannot find this information, send a professional email with a well-structured proposal attached.

In Closing

Sponsorship is a business decision — not a favour.

Those who understand this and approach sponsorship professionally stand out immediately. Those who do not are rarely successful.

If you take the time to:

• Understand sponsorship properly

• Prepare a strong, tailored proposal

• Offer real value

• Build credibility and performance

You dramatically increase your chances of forming meaningful, long-term partnerships.

If you have questions or would like advice on approaching sponsorship correctly, feel free to ask.

Cheers,
Planett