By Frank Greco, Frank Greco & Associates

A wrap-up report is an effective tool to solidify sponsor relationships and commitment. If done effectively, not only will the wrap-up report impress your sponsors, it should also provide them with an accounting or the value they have derived from their investment in your event. Sounds like these reports are fairly straightforward…or are they?

Our tendency is to give our sponsor every piece of literature, every ad, every article, every listing, everything we can get our hands on that mentions the event or identifies the sponsor and then package this up in a two to three inch binder or bound report.

Imagine the time and costs involved in creating this report. After a meeting with one of my sponsors, it changed the way I prepare wrap-up reports. After one of the events I coordinated, I met with our major sponsor and I asked, “what would be of most interest you in the wrap-up report.” To my surprise, my sponsor walked me over to a wall next to her office, pointed at 4 large filing cabinets, pulled open one drawer and showed me a few of the many binders of wrap-up reports filed there. She then said, “do you think I have the time to look at all of this?, and what’s worse, I don’t have any more space for my own files!” I wanted my report to be remembered, so with a little thought, I delivered to her a simple, and in her mind, quite a ground breaking format (but not really).

It was all contained on a CD and all she had to do was insert the CD into her computer double click the icon and watch the wrap-up report unfold. In about 20 slides, she had all of the information she needed including video clips and audio dubs from the television and radio spots promoting the event… she saw it all in a matter of a few minutes, and was impressed to the point that she wanted other organizations to provide their reports in this format. All event-marketing elements that displayed the sponsor’s logo (posters, print ads, television and radio spots, signage, etc) were included in the presentation along with the number of impressions that they generated for the sponsor.

If you currently do not calculate the number of impressions your event has generated for your sponsor(s) or calculated the value of the marketing and publicity, you’ll be amazed at the result you get when these figures are provided to the sponsor. What this does is that it sets-up your sponsorship request for your next event. A great wrap-up report will make the sponsor’s decision to sponsor the event again much easier…why, you have proven that they get benefits far greater than their investment.

Frank Greco & Associates -With more than 24 years of experience, Frank Greco & Associates is involved in all elements of building sponsor relationships, event planning and execution as well as providing key fundraising, marketing and communications services. For additional information visit www.grecoassociates.com, email frank@grecoassociates.com, or call (416) 360-8080.