Key takeaways
- Call the person who owns sponsorships, community relations or marketing, not the general line.
- The goal of the first call is a meeting or a request for your sponsorship deck, not a check.
- Lead with the audience and the fit, then the opportunity.
Who to call
Start with companies that already know you: those whose employees give or volunteer (check your matching gift records), past sponsors and local businesses that sell to your audience. Look for titles like community relations manager, marketing director or, at smaller companies, the owner.
Before you call
- Know your audience in numbers you can back up, such as event attendance, newsletter subscribers or members.
- Have two or three sponsorship levels and what each includes.
- Prepare a one-page sponsorship overview to email after the call.
The first call
“Hi, [name], this is [your name] with [organization]. I'm calling because [company] [reason for fit, such as: serves many of the families we work with in Montgomery County]. We're looking for a few sponsors for [event or program], and I thought it might be a fit. Do you have a minute?”
[If yes:] “[Event] reaches [audience, with a real number]. Sponsors get [two key benefits]. Would it make sense to set up 20 minutes next week to see if it's a fit?”
[If they ask for information:] “Absolutely. I'll send a one-page overview today. Could I follow up on [day]?”
If you reach the main line
“Hi, I'm [your name] with [organization]. Could you tell me who handles sponsorships or community giving? I'd like to send them some information.”
Common replies
- “Our budget is set for the year.” Ask when they plan next year's budget and offer to follow up then.
- “We only give through our foundation.” Ask for the foundation's guidelines and contact.
- “Send me something.” Send the overview the same day, with a specific follow-up date.
How KFG helps
Kensington Fundraising Group runs corporate sponsorship outreach: finding the right contacts, making the calls and setting meetings for your team. See all our call scripts.