It is Election Day in the U.S. As of this evening, we will have a new president-elect! And you have to admit, this presidential election has been anything but typical! I am not saying that sponsorship should be outrageous, idiotic, vindictive, racist, concealing, or any of the many traits demonstrated and exposed during the past six months or so, but it needs to go beyond the typical. We have to move away from what we have always done and the way we have always done it.

That means being more engaged with digital as part of your activation plans, but also for properties to be engaged with fans/subscribers and guests. “Beyond typical” means creating holistic partnerships that fulfil the needs of the sponsor the year around versus event to event. Too often, we sell a sponsor three events in a year—separately. Why not combine them all into one? As sponsors, we need to think beyond the typical. That means understanding trends and opportunities, and being on the cutting edge when new ideas come along versus waiting for the pack to pass us by.

Looking beyond typical goes for prospecting too! Too often, properties go to the same old prospects:

• banks and credit unions—we all figure that they have buckets of dough to shower on our property or event.
• the airlines—all two or three we have in Canada.
• the big retailers such as Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons.
• technology giants such as IBM, XEROX, Apple, and Microsoft.
• automotive companies—Ford. KIA, BMW, and so on.
• telecommunications such as Bell, Rogers, TELUS, and Shaw.
• energy sector companies such as Esso, Petro-Canada, Shell, and before the bottom dropped out, the explorations companies, especially in the west.

Locally, we keep going back to:

• the local service clubs because they always support such events.
• the same Re/Max local realtor because he was a sponsor of several other events I know of.
• the local grocery store because we need food.
• the local car rental location because we need a couple of short-term vehicles.
• the local restaurant.

Perhaps it is time to think beyond the typical. Not all of these will be applicable to every property, but it is my hope that these suggestions will help you think beyond the typical and look for new prospects to whom you can deliver results! Here are some thoughts:

• The wild bird seed market is $1.15B—the number of birding tourism opportunities is incredible—plus the disposable income level is high. Is there an opportunity here for you?
• RVing—manufacturers to retailers—again a very affluent market and not restricted to seniors. How many people do you know who have a trailer, fifth wheel, or RV? Probably quite a few!
• Dating sites—ask around. More and more of your friends who are single are using these to find new partners. Could your organization help boost new memberships for those sites?
• Funeral homes—guess what? We all end up here at some point. The industry is competitive. Can you help any of these get more business (I mean through brand awareness when the time is right—nothing more. This is not the U.S. presidential election campaign trail!).
• Technology—but not the big guys—the startup and industry suppliers.

You have audiences that all these sectors want to reach. Think beyond the typical, and generate more money for your property and terrific results for your partners!

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