Research the prospective sponsor company before starting your proposal. Go through its websites, blogs and social networking pages and learn about its company core values and mission. Find out the products or services of the company and its audience. Go through the "Chairman's Address" and "Investor Relations" page on its websites to know more about its mission and objectives. Learn what it does to demonstrate social responsibility and the causes it takes up to support brand image and audience. Website sections that carry such information are mostly "Philanthropy," "Community" or "Reaching Out." This research gives you insight into the type of activities the sponsor is likely to support. As a result, you will be in a better position to highlight how your cause can align with their mission and values.
Start the opening paragraph of the proposal by introducing yourself. Inform the sponsor of whether you are an individual, a team or a club and of the activities you are involved in. State that you are seeking sponsorship and explain why you have chosen the prospective sponsor. Mention briefly the type of benefits the sponsor is likely to get by sponsoring you. Keep your benefit descriptions general, such as increased visibility for the company, greater sales and more website traffic.
Discuss your benefits for the sponsor in detail in the next paragraph. Use your initial research to highlight benefits that align with sponsor objectives. Consider this example from Sponsor My Cycling Club website where the prospective sponsor's objective says, "We will open a new store in an effort to gain market share and increase sales in North County." If you are a cycling club, you could highlight here how your club's cycling activities and its participation in charity and fundraising can improve customer awareness about the sponsor's new store. You can also add how your relations and good reputation in the local community can add to the credibility of their brand.
List other specific benefits for the sponsor in the subsequent paragraph. Start by offering to add the sponsor's logo to your team uniform, stationery and promotion materials, such as websites and brochures, to increase visibility. Offer to further their brand visibility by inviting them to your project press meets and by working closely with their public relations division to promote an image of a company with a conscience.
Summarize sponsor benefits in the last paragraph. Request a follow up by asking if you may contact the sponsor by phone or by seeking an appointment for a meeting. Close the letter by thanking the reader for his time.