Six weeks before a national concert, I accepted the offer to sell sponsorships during the sprint phase. This was a field I had never participated in, but considering my network and the value of expanding relationships in the entertainment industry, it was a worthwhile opportunity. I set a challenge for myself: to test my ability to handle high-pressure situations and to create a stepping stone for future sponsorship projects.
The nature of entertainment industry sponsorships is very different:
- The decision-making cycle is only 3–5 days. Sponsorships have a specific nature: if the need aligns, negotiations proceed quickly, but if not, such as a lack of budget or an unsuitable program, it’s a quick and decisive rejection.
- In the two weeks before and after the concert, there were almost a dozen other major concerts taking place (it was the festive season after all). If you also count the end-of-year entertainment shows, brands were receiving too many sponsorship invitations.
A Difficult Start
- Mass emails were almost ineffective: The response rate was less than 5%, even when targeting senior-level contacts within my existing network.
- Cold calling C-level executives didn’t create a breakthrough: Over 100 calls only opened up a few conversations, most of which were just for reference.
- Budgets were already locked in: Most brands in my network had already committed to shows at the same time.
A Change of Course: Re-evaluating Industry Leaders vs. Challengers
I re-categorized my entire pipeline into Leader vs. Challenger brands:
- Leader brands: large market share, frequent sponsors, clear benchmarks → difficult to negotiate flexibly.
- Challenger brands: smaller market share, willing to invest in marketing to compete for position → they prioritize opportunities that offer a unique positioning. In addition, each brand has its own priorities for sponsorship; the highest benefits are not always the most attractive. I customized the sponsorship benefits based on the industry’s specific characteristics and current marketing campaigns (e.g., F&B focused on onsite experience, banks prioritized appearing at peak moments). The response rate increased by nearly 3 times — from <5% to ~15%.
Offer Help First
A method I often apply and that is usually successful is to proactively offer to help the customer with a small task first. By natural reaction, customers will want to reciprocate because they do not want to feel indebted. For example, in this case, the initial contact person at the client’s end was silent after receiving the information because she was not in the main department in charge. Afterward, I shared some important information with her related to her work that she might need to know. She helped introduce me to the actual department in charge. In another case, even after leaving her job, a client still connected me with the current employee in charge, thanks to this method. However, to do this, I needed to build a network and understanding of the entire industry, including how the work chains of customers, myself, partners, and suppliers interact.
A Last-Minute Pivot
Two weeks before the concert, the situation was quite tense as 4–5 deals dropped one after another due to depleted budgets or delayed approvals. In particular, a crucial deal was almost completely lost. I adjusted the benefit package to be more compact and easier to close, while also dealing with the event organizers to get additional last-minute benefits for the client. The client, seeing my sincerity, managed to get approval for a moderate sponsorship package that suited both sides. 48 hours later, the deal was signed.
The Final Results:
- Expanded data and network into new industries.
- A treasure trove of insights from the feedback of dozens of brands.
- A few quality sponsorship deals.
