Guest post by Shannon Cherry.
Do you know how much your tweet is worth? Or your Facebook post? Or that wonderful visual you pinned?
Well, if you understand the value of your social media outreach, you actually can get PAID to continue using social media to get your message out to the world.
How so? Through corporate sponsors. That’s right. Companies have more than $17 billion to spend – paying you to create and execute your social media marketing – and then some.
As a matter of fact, one client I’ve worked with got a two year lease on a car as part of her YouTube channel promotions. (That’s pretty sweet, don’t you think?)
So why would companies want to sponsor your social media outreach when, often times, they have their own social media programs?
It’s as simple as this: You have influence they do not have. Your relationship with your friends and followers on social media is special. After all, if you are doing what’s right, you’re creating that ‘know, like and trust’ factor. Your friends and followers listen to what you have to say and your recommendations. And that influence is VALUABLE in the eyes of potential sponsors.
And the best part? It’s not a numbers game. Sponsors realize it’s better to work with someone who has direct influence on 500 people rather than have someone who has 10,000 followers with little or no influence on that group.
So how can you get a sponsor for your social media efforts?
Before I share this, I want to tell you one mistake I see consistently when others attempt to get sponsors: Asking for sponsors on social media platforms.
Here’s why that strategy doesn’t work well:
Everyone wants sponsors, so what makes you so special? Why on earth would a company pick you over another just because you made a post about it on social media?
Remember, social media is about building relationships. So just asking like a 5 year old saying “Gimme!” isn’t going to help you.
So how do you find the right people to talk to about sponsorships?
Use one of the best social media sites: LinkedIn. There, you can find some connections to major corporations easily.
And if you’re not connected? No problem. Ask someone who is to make the introduction. There’s nothing like a good referral to make the process of getting a sponsor a lot easier. After all, it’s about the relationships, right?
About the author:
Shannon Cherry, a business and marketing pro with more than two decades of experience, helps you to make more money in your business without adding more time.
She founded her business, ShannonCherry.com, in 2002 to help helped experienced and ambitious entrepreneurs grow the business they desire– without compromising on their principles. Her focus is to provide laser-targeted solutions to get fast results, including Sponsorship Made Simple program, which helps coaches and consultants get sponsors.
Shannon’s business has been debt-free since its inception and she consistently works only 25 hours per week to spend more time with her family in the capital of New York.
