Sponsorship Outreach
The Kellogg Corporate Engagement (CE) team offers resources and best practices for speaker and sponsor engagement. We provide industry connections and strategic support to assist student groups and to advance the Kellogg brand.
The sponsorship co-chair works closely with the CE team on conference sponsor solicitation strategy. The co-chair is responsible for leading the sponsorship process from company outreach to sponsor activation, ensuring appropriate benefits are offered and that all promised benefits are delivered.
In preparation for your role as co-chair, please review the following best practices on the sponsor solicitation process:
Prior to Sponsor Outreach:
- LEVERAGE CONNECTIONS. When developing a list of potential sponsors, utilize business contacts, recruiters, recent graduates, and past organizers of your activity. We also encourage you to prepare a few bullets specific to each company you are soliciting thoughtfully articulating the value they will get out of their sponsorship.
- START EARLY. Securing sponsors takes time. Begin solicitations 3-4 months prior to the event and no less than four weeks beforehand to ensure sponsor benefits and materials can be produced. 75% of your sponsorship goal should be met six weeks out from your conference. Additionally, If your team cannot reach your funding goals, you may need to make modest budget cuts.
Sponsor Benefits:
- UNIFORM SPONSORSHIP LEVELS AND BENEFITS. CE has developed standard sponsor pricing and benefits for Kellogg student conferences (Your CE contact will provide). Additionally, companies receive tax credit for their gift and therefore there are limitations to benefits provided to a company for their support.
- TIERED APPROACH. To provide exclusivity at the higher sponsorship levels, we recommended limiting the number of sponsors at each level:
- Platinum sponsors (2)
- Gold sponsors (5)
- Silver sponsors (unlimited)
- SPEAKER BENEFIT. One of the most valuable benefits offered to a conference sponsor is the opportunity to provide a speaker (typically offered at platinum & gold levels). Please collaborate with the Speaker Chair to fulfill this benefit.
- COMPANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS. The placement of promotional materials at the conference is a benefit of sponsorship and therefore only available to sponsors. (Speakers from non-sponsoring companies may ask, but should not be granted.)
Once a Sponsor Confirms:
- INVOICING. Please email CE with the following information so an invoice can be sent. Once received, the funding will be deposited into your conference gift account. Please note that it may take a few weeks to be posted once received.
- Company Name & Address
- Invoice Contact Name
- Contact Email
- Conference Name
- Event Date
- Sponsorship Amount
- COMMUNICATIONS. Please provide sponsors with a timeline of when information and collateral will be needed to fulfill sponsorship benefits. This can include company logos for marketing materials, promotional materials for conference, list of company representatives who will use complimentary tickets. The CE team has developed a suite of sample communications and timelines to share.
Sponsorship Activation:
- INTERNAL COMMUNICATION. Ensure your sponsorship timeline is in synch with the overall conference timeline and that deadlines are being met. Additionally, we recommend setting up a review process with your marketing co-chairs to ensure marketing materials include promised sponsor benefits.
- LOGOS AND LOGO DISPLAY.
- Please confirm sponsor logos are in the correct format(s) for your marketing team needs.
- When placing company logos (emails, virtual banners etc.), please list logos:
- sized and placed by level. Platinum logos should be listed first and be larger in size than gold, and gold listed before and larger in size than silver, etc.
- in alphabetical order within each sponsorship level
- DAY OF THE CONFERENCE. Please arrive early to ensure that all day of benefits are fulfilled. i.e., banners hung, conference table set up (if applicable).
Post Event:
- THANK YOU. We recommend that you send a personal thank you note, within one week following the conference to each sponsor contact. The CE team will send a thank you email to all conference sponsors at academic year end.
Other:
- BUDGET. Please work with Student Life on your conference budget and be aware of conference spending guidelines. There are restrictions on use of funds and spending limits per line item. Additionally all vendors require pre-approval and contracts.
- SURPLUS FUNDS. Conference funds remaining at the conclusion of the conference, including sponsorship funds raised on behalf of Kellogg, will be directed to the Kellogg Inclusivity Fund. These funds will be used to ensure Kellogg students, regardless of personal circumstances, have equal opportunity to engage in the many co-curricular experiences designed by the administration, student organizations and outside organizations.
Contacts:
