How will the sponsorship create new business opportunities?
Your firm should see a return on its investment. A University of California-Los Angeles study of 156 U.S. businesses revealed that businesses with higher levels of philanthropy have benefited significantly from their investments. This is no coincidence-sponsorships can shorten sales cycles. A reluctant prospect could change his or her mind about your CPA firm if you share a concern for a particular cause. Also, check the list of event sponsors and avoid events to which your competitors contribute significant amounts-unless you have a personal interest in the cause or the event is too important to ignore. Being selective can differentiate your firm from the competition. • How “fresh” is the event? Unique events get more attention. Sponsor those the media is most interested in covering. If the fifth annual five kilometer run (5K) you sponsor competes with several other events the same day, the media will choose the newer, one-of-a-kind, most visually appealing event. If your event is the
