Written by: Marie Hernandez, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Every time you pitch to a sponsor, you are building up an image of your brand. A wrong tone of choice of words can reflect poorly on your business and reputation. Although you should always stay true to your style, there are still things you need to avoid when presenting your company.
1. Can’t establish your expert field.
You should always establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field, regardless of what it is. I have seen so many failed pitches. Most of them couldn’t identify themselves correctly. Don’t just say you love traveling or you are a creative mind. What exactly is your niche?
Do you do sculptures for destinations? Are you an expert in backpacking or luxurious stay? What details can you give about your work?
Failing to identify your niche will result in an instant rejection. Sponsors want to know how your specialized skills will benefit them.
2. Sounding too arrogant.
Don’t get me wrong. You need to sound confident when presenting your business. You’d want your sponsors to trust you and not let others challenge you easily. But there’s a fine line between sounding confident and sounding like an arrogant jerk.
For example, your sponsor may not always know your field well and may have questions for you. Sometimes, you know your sponsor is wrong about something. That’s because it’s not their expertise to know. Don’t jump on them and point out that they are wrong. You don’t need to be the smartest one at the table.
Calmly explain to them why their suggestions may not work and use your experience to drop some examples. Be an educator. Teach others what you know without dumping your knowledge on others as if they are all stupid.
Attitude matters a lot. A bad attitude will get you out of the door in no time.
3. Without a concrete plan.
Some people mistakenly think being too flexible is good for business. Well, it’s not. Never pitch to a sponsor saying you want to say at their place whenever they can. No, pick a specific time for them.
Sponsors are not your babysitters. They will not come up with a schedule for you. If you can’t provide a concrete plan as to when you expect to arrive, what type of sponsorships you want, they will move on to the next candidate.
There’s so much to talk about when presenting your business. That’s why I have my Facebook group, Coaches! Expand Your Brand with Sponsored Travel!!!, where I share free tips often and let ambitious business owners ask questions to take things up a notch.
I have my Mastering Travel Mastermind, a fantastic Mastermind that helps students land their dream sponsorships. Over the years, I have secured over half a million worth of sponsorships and helped students do the same.
Marie Hernandez, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marie Hernandez is a women's empowerment and digital entrepreneur business coach. After a devastating divorce at 50 that left her jobless, 10 thousand miles away from family, with 16 cents in the bank, she knew she needed to rewire her thinking. She has dedicated her life to the service of women who want to become empowered to alter the course of their lives. The owner and CEO of Marie Hernandez Coaching, LLC., she travels, lives, and works globally and offers women’s empowerment coaching programs that help women 45+ bridge the gap from where they are to a place of love and strength and live any life they choose.
Download her free workbook "Rewrite Your Life Story," which will help guide you to understanding the lies we believe and shift your mindset from limited to "anything is possible."
