How to Get Sponsors for Your Event (Without Begging or Chasing) - Social Media Decoded

Podcast Summary: Social Media Decoded

Episode: How to Get Sponsors for Your Event (Without Begging or Chasing)

Host: Michelle Thames
Date: October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Michelle Thames unlocks the real strategies behind securing event sponsorships without resorting to begging, cold emailing, or last-minute pitches. She shares actionable steps and personal anecdotes, focusing on relationship-building, strategic positioning, and creating value-based partnerships that transform sponsors into long-term collaborators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Shifting the Sponsorship Mindset

Partnership over Asking:
Sponsorship is not just about asking for money—it's about offering a partnership where both parties benefit.
- "You don't get sponsors by asking for money. You get sponsors by offering partnership." (01:00)
- The common mistake is leading with requests instead of demonstrating how the sponsor’s brand will be amplified and integrated.
Sponsorship as Exchange of Value:
- "Sponsorship is not a donation. It is an exchange of value." (02:05)
- Michelle underscores the importance of viewing event sponsorship as a mutually beneficial media experience.

Relationship Building Comes First

Long-Term Connections:
Michelle illustrates how supporting brands long before making an ask is essential.
- Example: Chicago French Press—Michelle had supported, purchased from, and built a rapport with the founder years before approaching them for sponsorship.
- "They trusted me because they've seen how I can deliver. That's the foundation." (03:43)
Show Up Before the Pitch:
- "Show up for the brands that you love before you even pitch." (04:00)

Strategic Event Positioning

Tailored, Not Generic Pitches:
- Michelle avoids generic “can you sponsor my event?” emails and instead shares detailed insights about the event audience, exposure, and brand alignment.
- "Here's who's in the room. Here's the type of content and coverage you'll receive. Here's how your brand will connect directly with your target audience." (05:00)
Leveraging Corporate Experience:
Michelle draws from her background in corporate brand partnerships, emphasizing ongoing relationship cultivation.
- "Continue to build that muscle." (06:15)

Accessible Sponsorship Tiers

Variety of Options:
- Not all sponsors have big budgets—offering tiered opportunities (in-kind products, different visibility levels) allows participation from both small businesses and major brands.
- "Not every sponsor wants to invest $10,000, but everyone wants to feel included." (06:48)

The Secret Sauce: Creating Transformational Partnerships

Beyond the Transaction:
Michelle describes how her approach is more than transactional; it’s about creating visual, emotional, and storytelling connections.
- "Most pitches are transactional. Mine are transformational." (07:30)
- She makes sponsors visualize their brand presence and feel the event atmosphere.
Storytelling That Connects:
- Michelle personalizes pitches by narrating how the sponsor’s product fits the event culture.
- Example: "My audience is ambitious, multi-passionate women who love self-care. Having your coffee at the event represents their morning ritual before building empires." (08:00)
Organic Visibility:
- She consistently tags and celebrates sponsors with multiple content moments—unboxings, tastings, BTS—both pre- and post-event.
- "Sponsors want visibility that feels organic. And you know what happens when you do that? They come back." (09:00)

Building Long-Term Sponsor Relationships

Over-Delivery
- Go beyond your promise; e.g., if you say you’ll do 3 social posts, deliver 5.
- "I'm the over-delivery queen." (10:00)
Thoughtful Follow-Up
- After the event, send thank-you packages, recap emails, and professional photos that sponsors can use.
- "Let them see the impact of their contribution." (10:40)
Staying Connected
- Maintain relationships between events—DM on holidays, comment on posts, stay in their orbit.
- "I don't just build events, I build partnerships." (11:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Value:
"When you build integrity, alignment, and intention, you won’t have to chase sponsors. They'll chase you." (12:00)
On Relationships:
"Your relationships are your greatest asset." (14:15)
Advice for Listeners:
"Start by asking: How can I make sponsors feel a part of something meaningful?" (12:30)

Key Segment Timestamps

00:50 – Mindset shift: partnership over money asks
03:15 – The Chicago French Press sponsor story
05:00 – Detailed pitching and corporate partnership experience
06:30 – Tiered opportunity strategy
07:30 – The “transformational pitch” and storytelling
09:00 – Creating organic visibility for sponsors
10:00 – Over-delivery and strong post-event follow-up
12:00 – Building long-term sponsor relationships and memorable sound bites

Conclusion

Michelle wraps up by inviting listeners to prioritize relationship-building, alignment, and storytelling in their sponsorship efforts. She encourages entrepreneurs to aim for partnerships that are meaningful, valuable, and enduring—reminding them that with the right approach, sponsors will seek them out.

For more personalized advice or to join Michelle’s Elevate and Empower collective, listeners are encouraged to connect via Instagram or check the show notes for more information.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hey, hey, it's Michelle Thames, and you're listening to Social Media Decoded, the podcast that helps you get visible, get paid, and grow your brand with strategy and soul. Today, we're pulling back the curtain on something every event host wants to know. How do you get sponsors? Because listen, people see the logos on the flyers, the coffee from Chicago French Press, the glam details, and they think, how does she get all of that support? The truth, it wasn't luck, it wasn't begging, and it definitely wasn't cold emailing 100 companies. It was relationships built long before I ever made an ask. So if you're planning your next event, retreat or activation, and you want to know how to attract aligned sponsors, let's talk about the real strategy behind the scenes. So grab your pens and your notepads because you already know gems are about to be dropped. First things first, let's shift our sponsorship mindset. Let's start here. You don't get sponsors by asking for money. You get sponsors by offering partnership. That's the first mistake people make. They lead with, can you sponsor my event? When they should be leading with? Here is how partnering with us can amplify your brand story. Sponsorship is not a donation. It is an exchange of value. When I started thinking of my events like media experiences with visibility, alignment, and community storytelling, everything changed. My sponsors weren't just backing an event. They were joining a movement. That's what you want your partners to feel, right? That being connected to your brand expands theirs. Here's how I attracted my sponsors. We gonna talk about the specifics, how I got sponsors for elevating Empower Live. The first thing is I built relationships long before I needed them. For example, Chicago French Press wasn't just a random outreach. I have supported Chicago French Press for years. I've bought coffee, I've tagged them. I've also showed love. But I also know the founder. And we've done lunch together, we've done other. We've had other clients even together in her previous businesses. So relationships built, okay? They trusted me because they seen how I can deliver. That's the foundation. Show up for the brands that you love before you even pitch. Step two. I position my event as a partnership opportunity. When I pitched, I did not send a generic deck. I said, here's who's in the room. Here's the type of content and coverage that you'll receive. Here's how your brand will connect directly with your target audience. That's what brands want, clarity and alignment. And also, I want to say this I am coming from some. This is coming from someone who has also worked in corporate, you know, with brand partnerships. And I've done brand partnerships in the past. So working with brands and partnering on sponsorships is not something new. And so continue to build that muscle. Right? Step three was I created tiered opportunities that felt accessible. Not every sponsor wants to invest $10,000, but everyone wants to feel included. I offer in kind products, sponsorships and brand visibility levels so that I can collaborate with small businesses and major partners alike. All right, now let's break down my secret sauce for standing out. Here's what separates a yes from a no. The experience you promised. Most pitches are transactional. Mine are transformational. When I approach sponsors, I make them see the vibe, the visuals, the storytelling, the emotional connection. I show them what their brand will feel like in the room. Here's my secret. I always include a story about why their product fits. For example, my audience is ambitious, multi passionate women who love self care. Having your coffee at the event represents their morning ritual before building empires. See the difference? That's storytelling. Another insider move. I tag and celebrate my sponsors constantly. Even before the event. Most people only post once. I create multiple content moments, unboxings, tastings behind the scenes because sponsors want visibility that feels organic. And you know what happens when you do that? They come back. Sponsors become long term partners because they feel seen right now. How to build sponsor relationships that last because I know that's what you are thinking. And here's how you turn a one time collab into a repeat partnership. Number one, Deliver more than promise. If you said three social posts, give five you promised coverage. Tag them everywhere. Over delivery builds reputation. I'm the over delivery queen. 2. Follow up post event. Send a thank you package, a recap, email and event photos that they can use. Let them see the impact of their contribution. 3. Stay in touch. DM them on holidays. Comment on their posts. Keep the relationship alive between events. That's why Chicago French press, shine pages and even corporate sponsors trust me. Because I don't just build events, I build partnerships. So if you're listening to this right now and you're thinking how do I find the right sponsors? Start by asking how can I make them feel a part of something meaningful? Because when you build integrity, alignment and intention, you won't have to chase sponsors. They'll chase you. And if you're ready to learn how to turn your ideas into impactful collaborations that grow your visibility and community, come on and join us inside the Elevate and Empower collective. You'll learn how to create connections that turn into collaborations and collaborations that turn into cash flow. All right, the link is in the show notes. Or you can always work with me one on one. We can get on a call and I can tell you exactly how you can work with sponsors and give you a whole pleasure. If that sounds like something that you're interested in, go ahead and DM me on Instagram Michelle L. Thames, and let's talk about it. Okay? We could do a whole VIP day for you just on sponsorships. Until next time, keep building, keep connecting, and remember, your relationships are your greatest asset. I will talk to you in the next one. Peace.