The Inches: A Podcast About Sports Sponsorship

Nothing is worse than sitting through an unenthusiastic partnership pitch. I take that back...it feels worse when you give one and get no engagement from the prospect. Just blank faces. This week on The Inches we dive into how you can JAZZ up your pitch meetings to drive more conversation & engagement from your prospects (and close more dollars). ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that look...

As Rich always says, people buy from people they trust. The same goes for your prospective sponsors. But how can you help them build trust with their prospects through your sponsorship assets? Hospitality. In this episode, we dive into how your hospitality assets can make or break your sponsorship packages and help you get more dollars over the line. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that look...

Healthcare is a HUGE category in the sports sponsorship space, and it makes sense why. Athletes and sports are a perfect sync up to drive health messaging. But what assets and activations should you be looking at in the packages you build for sponsors in this category? This week we dive into what it takes to close a healthcare partner in sports sponsorships. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast t...

We all saw the Coinbase Superbowl commercial and some may have played along. QR codes have made the ultimate comeback in technology history. But what are the true strengths and weaknesses of QR codes? Can they be overdone? This week on The Inches, we dive into a conversation on QR codes and their future in sports sponsorships. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event...

Our goal in sponsorship is to maximize revenue for our team. Most of the time, this comes with a strategy to sell the most amount of assets and brands. But are our stadiums becoming too crowded with sponsorship messages? Are our sponsors truly standing out to fans? This week on The Inches we dive into our thoughts on overcrowding and how your team can adjust your assets. ------ The Inches Podcast...

Many times in the sports industry we start in ticket sales. It's a key first role to get your feet wet in the industry. But how can you transition from a role in ticketing over to the sponsorship side of the business? In this episode, we dive into how you can frame your experience in ticketing to help you close a new role in sports sponsorship. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that look...

How are your team's assets different? How do they stand out? What makes your sponsorship packages jump out to partners and make them want to buy? Knowing what your killer asset is in sponsorship can be the difference between closing a deal and losing it. This week on The Inches podcast, we dive into why having a killer sponsorship asset is vital to growth and how you can find yours. ------ Th...

More & more we are seeing the opening of jersey and uniform sponsorships in sports, particularly in the U.S. But should we take any sponsor who wants to put their logo on our players and uniforms? In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how context and authenticity are vital to a successful jersey partnership. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsors...

When we think of influencers, we think of people with high status. Ones that are famous, maybe. But it doesn't mean that regular fans in your fan base can't help tell your sponsor's story and drive other fans to make a purchase. In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can create opportunities for your fans to become influencers and drive brand value. ------ The Inc...

At some point in our sponsorship careers, we will deal with sponsors that are competitors looking to partner with our team. But how can we make sure that a partnership is beneficial for both competing brands? This week on The Inches podcast, Rich & Nick dive into how to manage and deal with those competitors in your partnership portfolios. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at s...

It's always fun to look back at predictions to see what you got right & wrong. Sometimes looking back and analyzing can reveal even more opportunities for the following year. In this episode of The Inches, we dive into our 2021 predictions for opportunities and how which ones are still relevant today. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and...

A new year brings new trends, predictions, and things we should be looking at as a sponsorship department. In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the 5 things we are looking out for in 2022 for the industry. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , Sr. Director of Part...

Some of us may have some flashbacks to March 2020 with the current run of postponements of games. Our sponsors are probably getting those same flashbacks. With this, it is vital to make sure we are building trust and confidence with our partners no matter the status of attendance. In this episode, we dive into an action plan to deal with game postponements. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast t...

Many times in sponsorship we get put into the position of being a one-person show. It's all on one to prospect, activate and close revenue. But how can we make sure we are thriving despite not having a full team? This week on The Inches we dive into some keys to making sure you crush it as a one-person team in partnerships. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & eve...

Today sponsors need more than eyeballs, they need reactions and participation. This shift means we have to adjust the assets and campaigns we offer sponsors. But how can we do so without adding an enormous amount of work to our team? This week we dive into how you can easily add engaging assets to offer your sponsors today. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sp...

Sometimes we get that sponsor that spends a fixed amount year after year, never looking to spend more. I call it Partnership Plateau. So how can you break above the plateau and get them to spend more? This week Rich & I dive into how you can use context and creativity to up your sponsor's spend each season. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorshi...

Sometimes the holidays are great times to sit back and reflect on our work in sponsorship. What better time than Thanksgiving to reflect on the things we are thankful for in the industry. In this episode, we dive into the 3 things we are each thankful for in the sponsorship industry. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting th...

As Rich always says, "Why did they rob the bank? It's where the money is." Sometimes we can look toward how much a category is spending on sports sponsorship to help plan our prospecting strategy. But is that enough? This week we dive into what other factors come into play when building a prospecting strategy around category spend in sponsorship. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podca...

Many times in sports our off-season doesn't align with a sponsor's budgeting season, which leaves you scrambling to unlock more spend after the fact. But what are some strategies to help you get their ear while you are still in season? This week on The Inches we dive into some tactics and strategies to ensure that your sponsorship is a part of their budget strategy for the following year...

Nothing is better than a warm intro. And it's because as Rich mentions " We buy from who we like and trust". But how can you build referrals into your prospecting strategy for sponsorship? This week we dive into a few tips to make sure that referrals are a big part of your growth strategy. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how di...

In sports, we change teams. It's part of the carousel of the business. This means we jump from one geo-market to another to build relationships and sell. So how can you get a headstart when you enter a new market in sponsorship? This week we dive into the actionable steps to thrive when you switch cities and teams in sponsorship. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports &am...

We all know how important relationships are in sales, but how can you make sure you are laying a foundation for each prospect you engage with? In this episode, we dive into how to build long-term relationships with clients and how they can benefit you as you transition to new roles. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the...

So you're in a big market as a smaller organization. Some might just fight for the scraps left behind from the bigger teams. Our goals should always be to punch above our weight class. This week on the Inches we dive into 3 pillars for being successful in earning deals in a big market with limited resources & reach. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event s...

How we sell has changed in the digital age has changed. With Zoom calls, we can share our screen and jump into our perfectly crafted deck to close our sponsor. Most times though...this is the wrong way to go about it. In this episode, Rich & Nick dive into why you should be listening more than selling in your meetings and what questions to ask. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks...

Outside of our game day, what are some ways we can build new inventory that drives new revenue & customers? Events. This week on The Inches we dive into how calendar events (Halloween, etc.) and trends can help open up new ways to generate revenue from new partners & old ones. ------ The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting t...