Sponsorship Training and Development

A few weeks ago, I spoke about change and how important it is. I quoted Charles Darwin about how those that are most adaptive to change will succeed. Earlier this year, we put the WSC (Western Sponsorship Congress®) on a hoist. We did research and talked to organizations that have attended in the past as well as others that have not. We conferred with our partners and sponsors. We looked to the market place in Canada as a whole, and western Canada as a region. We wanted to see what we needed to change (if anything) to better serve our delegates and clients.

We learned a great deal. To us, research and feedback is critical. We take seriously what our partners, stakeholders, and clients/delegates have to say. But we also understand that we cannot be everything to everyone. Here are some of the highlights of what we learned.

• The event needs to move around the country, from Atlantic Canada to Vancouver Island versus being in Calgary every year.
• The timing needs to change from the fall (some said January/February, spring, November, etc.).
• It needs to be more regionalized with brands and sponsors specifically from a region or a municipality itself such as Winnipeg, Edmonton, Brampton, London. Victoria, Atlantic Canada, or the GTA, Niagara Region, or interior B.C.
• It needs to continue to focus on professional development from industry leaders versus being a glittery experiential-style drinking-focused event.
• It must combine case studies with keynotes and panel discussions.
• The 5 Minute Pitch® is a critical element to be included in the future of the WSC®.
• The 5 Minute Pitch® should be taken region to region and showcased as a stand-alone event.
• The WSC® should align more with member organizations and be integrated into their programming such as SMCC, AFP, and others that don’t do sponsorship professional development well across the country coast to coast with full and multi-day events.
• The events should be more localized, and in some areas, be a one-day event, while in others, a two- or three-day event.
• It needs to be maintained as cost effective, which can be achieved through regional versus national events.
• There needs to be longer workshop-type events associated to WSC® that are single topic half- or full-day sessions versus just one-hour breakout sessions or breakfast events with snapshot speakers or panels.
• There should be online/webinar opportunities for training and development versus only face-to-face events.

This is just some of the feedback, but based on what we have learned, here is where the future lies with the WSC.

1. We will continue to deliver the best and most innovative sponsorship professional development in Canada through the introduction of partnership events through the WSC®.
2. The WSC® will work directly with member associations and private contractors across Canada to deliver “franchised” WSC® events that meet the needs of the market. This means there could be a WSC-Winnipeg taking place in October 2016, a WSC-Edmonton in January, a WSC-Victoria in March, and a WSC-Toronto in May. Some may be three days, and some one day. It may also include a 5 Minute Pitch – Atlantic Canada in Moncton and a Proposal Building WSC-London workshop, as well as an Introduction to Sponsorship for the Arts WSC® half-day event in Thunder Bay. Or it may be a full-day workshop on Municipalities or Amateur Sport Organizations and Sponsorship in Toronto or Montreal.
3. We will work with host organizations to help spread the word about their events and provide logistic and leadership support so they can make a profit through running the events in their communities for their stakeholders—a win/win program approach.
4. We are presently in talks with several organizations and communities to deliver this model for them with hopes that the first will happen later this year (Edmonton close to being confirmed – check with me for details later this week) and more to follow in 2017, which we will support with our marketing power and data base.
5. We are also excited to be in talks with several member organizations to provide delivery and content for their webinar programs, specifically around sponsorship.

Please feel free to reach out to me by blog, email, Twitter, or LinkedIn if you have additional thoughts, feedback, or input. We are excited about the future and the delivery of the best and most accessible sponsorship professional development and networking opportunities for the industry. To be a part of the future as a host of a WSC event or attendee, please drop me a direct email and we will see where we can make it work for you!

 

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