5 Tips For Securing Holiday Sponsorships
By Victoria Hudgins. Artwork by Les Deux Garcons.
While we are just starting to see the leaves turn and the fall chill set in, it is not too early to be thinking about your holiday blog sponsorship. The coming months are the busiest shopping months of the year, and your advertisers are waiting and ready to connect THEIR products with YOUR readers. Here are five tips to make the most of the season by strengthening your advertising partnerships:
1) Share vision
Whether you are talking with current sponsors or interested new companies, be sure to share a compelling vision for the season. What are you excited about showcasing during the holidays? What is your blog aesthetic, and how will you bring something unique to the blogging world this holiday season? If you are planning a special series or focus, then share it! Advertisers want to know that you are committed to growing your site and reach. A strong vision compells them to come on board.
2) Offer something special
As eager as companies are to advertise this season, everyone is counting their pennies. A company will want to know they are getting a good investment with your site. It is a great time of year to offer up a little something special to entice a partnership. Are you doing a gift guide? Consider including your advertisers (with proper disclosure of course). Are you throwing a party? Perhaps they have products you could use. A featured post or giveaway can be great incentive for sponsors to come on board. Even something as simple as your Christmas Cards can be the start of a strong site sponsorship.
3) Reach out
If you have never reached out to a new company before, this time of year can give you the perfect chance. Make a list of companies you would love to work with, and reach out to them. Depending on your stats, this could be for a monetary or a product exchange. Be honest about your stats, bold about your vision, eager to work with them, and you will find the right match for your readers.
4) Focus
When planning your editorial content for the holidays, think about what specific themes you could highlight. This is a good starting place for connecting with sponsors. If you are doing a focus on Christmas Trees, you could reach out to a local nursery as an advertiser partner. They could sponsor specific posts, provide you with the necessary elements for the series, or do a sponsored giveaway that week. This is where having a particular niche can help you connect deeper with certain sponsors.
5) Celebrate together
If the holidays are a win for bloggers, January can often feel very dismal. Put together a plan to follow up with your new and existing sponsors after the holiday season has passed. Gather stats as you go, and be sure update/celebrate the success your blog has had during this busy season. This will help encourage their continued partnership into the new year.
For more specific advice on casting vision and securing sponsors, sign up for Media Kits That Will Make You Money with me, October 17th at 9pm EST.
Oct 12, 2012
Reader Comments (2)
Great information! Thanks!
Writers and marketers tend to go wild with the approach (to the point that the idea is smudged up) when holiday season kicks in, so it's good to remind them that focus on a single theme must always be maintained for positive results.