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Develop a budget for your event. Consider the type of sponsorship you want. Understand your customers or supporters. Evaluate the corporate climate. Research the history of potential sponsors.

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Before you begin the search for sponsors, you should get an estimate of how much your event will cost. Determine how expensive it will be to do things like rent a venue, pay for advertising, cater food, hire security, and print t-shirts. Once you have a grasp on how much this will cost, you will have a better idea of what you need and what to ask for from sponsors. Work with an accountant or your finance department to determine how much your event might cost. Once you have an idea of what your event will cost, you should consider what types of sponsorships to look for. Research whether you want some kind of relationship in which your event receives goods or services from the sponsor, or one in which you simply receive financial support from them. Understanding what type of sponsorship you want will help you narrow down the companies to approach.  You can recruit cost-reducing partnerships that will provide services at a discounted rate in exchange for some kind of exposure. You can also get more traditional cash sponsorships that help you meet the financial needs while giving the company exposure. Ideal sponsors are ones that care about your event's audience. It is important that you know who your event attendees are and what their needs are. Determine who the people are that will be attending your event, and find sponsors who will appeal to these people. Ask yourself questions like “What do you know about your target audience's demographics?” and “How do people engage with your organization?” Look at groups like yours in your area and determine whether they are getting corporate support. Is there a history of corporate support for events like yours or few instances of sponsorship? A general lack of sponsorship may indicate an opportunity, but it may also signal a reluctance on the part of sponsors. Look into the marketing goals and challenges of potential sponsors. Find out what types of events they have sponsored in the past and consider whether your event would be a good match. You should also try out a company's product or service to understand how it aligns with your event.