Seeking sponsorship

suelaw · 03-04-2015 9:45pm #1

Hi all, another random question for you. I have started an Irish dancing class and we have successfully fundraised for all costumes, entry fees, registration fees, shoes, t shirts etc. we are from a very NORMAL area and are not fortunate enough to be able to splash the cash, as they say.
Anyway, how would I get sponsorship for the dance school? Or is this even possible?
I know many places, pubs, shops etc sponsor football teams so I'm thinking why not sponsor and Irish dance team!
Am I completely off my rocker or do you guys think such a thing could happen.
My dancers are extremely hard working and although they are only dancing for a short time they have been very successful in competitions.
Would anybody be able to pm me a template of a letter I could send to companies for sponsorship, and clearly English isn't my greatest talent lol.
Sorry for the long post and thanks for any info you can give me.
Cheers

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2015 9:46pm

You've certainly came to the right place.

Wanna dance?

Sheep Lover · 03-04-2015 9:48pm

Sell a lung?

suelaw · 03-04-2015 9:48pm

Let's go

juice1304 · 03-04-2015 9:49pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pOq4hyoX9g

WeHaveToGoBack · 03-04-2015 9:49pm

One thing about football club sponsorship is that said sponsor will have their name plastered across the jersey; presumably this wouldn't be the case with Irish dancing.

suelaw · 03-04-2015 9:49pm

Sheep Lover wrote: »

Sell a lung?

Think I'll hold onto my lungs. Thanks

suelaw · 03-04-2015 9:51pm

WeHaveToGoBack wrote: »

One thing about football club sponsorship is that said sponsor will have their name plastered across the jersey; presumably this wouldn't be the case with Irish dancing.

Well we could have the company logo on our class tracksuit etc

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2015 9:51pm

juice1304 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pOq4hyoX9g

I prefer this version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aGFrVSTAY

DoYouEvenLift · 03-04-2015 9:52pm

You can dance if you want to

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2015 9:52pm

suelaw wrote: »

Well we could have the company logo on our class tracksuit etc

The point is to advertise.Teams play in front of crowds etc. Who would see your class tracksuits?

Sheep Lover · 03-04-2015 9:53pm

suelaw wrote: »

Think I'll hold onto my lungs. Thanks

What order are your kidneys in?

One eyed Jack · 03-04-2015 9:55pm

suelaw wrote: »

Hi all, another random question for you. I have started an Irish dancing class and we have successfully fundraised for all costumes, entry fees, registration fees, shoes, t shirts etc. we are from a very NORMAL area and are not fortunate enough to be able to splash the cash, as they say.
Anyway, how would I get sponsorship for the dance school? Or is this even possible?
I know many places, pubs, shops etc sponsor football teams so I'm thinking why not sponsor and Irish dance team!
Am I completely off my rocker or do you guys think such a thing could happen.
My dancers are extremely hard working and although they are only dancing for a short time they have been very successful in competitions.
Would anybody be able to pm me a template of a letter I could send to companies for sponsorship, and clearly English isn't my greatest talent lol.
Sorry for the long post and thanks for any info you can give me.
Cheers

You're completely off your rocker, but you need to be nowadays to engage in any sort of fundraising activity tbh

Seriously though, never mind letters, I presume you're going to be running your dancing school in the local community so keep it local. Arrange face to face meetings with potential local business people whom you'd like to get sponsorship from, hit up a local celebrity or two, get as much support from the community as you can and organise some fundraising events like dancing displays in shopping centres and so on.

One thing I've noted when I do fundraising is that people always give generously as long as you're not shoving a bucket under their nose or trying to guilt trip them into giving. The more enthusiastic you are about your idea, the more enthusiastic people will be to support you.

Best of luck with it btw

suelaw · 03-04-2015 9:56pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

The point is to advertise.Teams play in front of crowds etc. Who would see your class tracksuits?

250-300 people at competitions, people all over the areas where the dancers frequent, shopping centres and such. We could advertise them on our flyers, the different schools/community centres we dance in, and advertise on our Facebook page. Would that be of any use to a company do u think

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:00pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

You're completely off your rocker, but you need to be nowadays to engage in any sort of fundraising activity tbh

Seriously though, never mind letters, I presume you're going to be running your dancing school in the local community so keep it local. Arrange face to face meetings with potential local business people whom you'd like to get sponsorship from, hit up a local celebrity or two, get as much support from the community as you can and organise some fundraising events like dancing displays in shopping centres and so on.

One thing I've noted when I do fundraising is that people always give generously as long as you're not shoving a bucket under their nose or trying to guilt trip them into giving. The more enthusiastic you are about your idea, the more enthusiastic people will be to support you.

Best of luck with it btw

Thanks for that, some great tips ther, so any local celebs in bray....lol
Will definitely get onto local businesses, I think I was jumping wwaaayyy out of the box

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2015 10:00pm

suelaw wrote: »

250-300 people at competitions, people all over the areas where the dancers frequent, shopping centres and such. We could advertise them on our flyers, the different schools/community centres we dance in, and advertise on our Facebook page. Would that be of any use to a company do u think

But only when you are wearing a training tracksuit?

How much are you looking for btw?

4zn76tysfajdxp · 03-04-2015 10:06pm

suelaw wrote: »

Well we could have the company logo on our class tracksuit etc

Tracksuits are class.

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:06pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

But only when you are wearing a training tracksuit?

How much are you looking for btw?

Believe me they'll be advertised. We got cheap hoodies at the start (January) and the dancers wear them absolutely everywhere. I have personally seen them going to school in them,I saw 3 dancers wearing them around dundrum and have been tagged in pictures up at bray seafront of the girls wearing them. We would not need much money cough cough, 600-700 would be really enough to keep us going, ie dress the new dancers and replace the cheap hoodies. We are still fundraising in the mean time though.
I believe there is some tax thing (I don't have a clue about tax) where the company can get some sort of tax relief for donating to clubs

Rhys Essien · 03-04-2015 10:09pm

OP,you could post a letter to Michael Flatley at his multi million euro country estate in Cork and ask him has he any spare change.You never know,it might work.

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:10pm

Rhys Essien wrote: »

OP,you could post a letter to Michael Flatley at his multi million euro country estate in Cork and ask him has he any spare change.You never know,it might work.

Haha doubt he even reads his own post

Junkyard Tom · 03-04-2015 10:11pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3uipTO-4A

The Strawman Argument · 03-04-2015 10:13pm

Perhaps offer to have all the girls decorate their silly irish dancing hair to look like the logo of whoever sponsors you?

Or that you'll dance exclusively to songs with some kind of product placement embedded into them?

...are there rules against facepaint?

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:15pm

The Strawman Argument wrote: »

Perhaps offer to have all the girls decorate their silly irish dancing hair to look like the logo of whoever sponsors you?

Or that you'll dance exclusively to songs with some kind of product placement embedded into them?

...are there rules against facepaint?

We don't have the usual silly Irish dancing hair, we are a very new school and have no intention of wigs etc for a long time. Thanks for the idea. There is a rule against too much make up so I reckon face paint would fall into that rule. Thanks though

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2015 10:17pm

suelaw wrote: »

Believe me they'll be advertised. We got cheap hoodies at the start (January) and the dancers wear them absolutely everywhere. I have personally seen them going to school in them,I saw 3 dancers wearing them around dundrum and have been tagged in pictures up at bray seafront of the girls wearing them. We would not need much money cough cough, 600-700 would be really enough to keep us going, ie dress the new dancers and replace the cheap hoodies. We are still fundraising in the mean time though.
I believe there is some tax thing (I don't have a clue about tax) where the company can get some sort of tax relief for donating to clubs

€700 is a lot of money and any one business will want a potential decent return. Questions like, how many dancers in the club? How often you compete? What are the chances of winning competitions? etc will be asked.

biko · 03-04-2015 10:30pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcylt4xZGas

lulu1 · 03-04-2015 10:31pm

My daughter goes to a local dance school and to tell you the truth I am robbed. One thing I will say is please think of the parents. I am not too sure if you are going to be teaching and if so you will probably be charging a fee.
Our dance school teacher does not think of the cost but the thing about it everyone jumps throwing out hundreds of euros every few months for compatitions
Only last summer the crew got a brand new crew outfit costing 70e we were told this would do them at least 3 years. She turns round yesterday and decided to get a whole new outfit again.
I am so sorry I know this is of no help to you but when i saw this post i just thought of my own dance school and cost.

Best of luck in your new venture

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:44pm

lulu1 wrote: »

My daughter goes to a local dance school and to tell you the truth I am robbed. One thing I will say is please think of the parents. I am not too sure if you are going to be teaching and if so you will probably be charging a fee.
Our dance school teacher does not think of the cost but the thing about it everyone jumps throwing out hundreds of euros every few months for compatitions
Only last summer the crew got a brand new crew outfit costing 70e we were told this would do them at least 3 years. She turns round yesterday and decided to get a whole new outfit again.
I am so sorry I know this is of no help to you but when i saw this post i just thought of my own dance school and cost.

Best of luck in your new venture

Hi lulu, I'm glad you posted. My mam was a parent like you. Robbed from the off. I charge very little per class, like less than half of what I used to pay going to class. We dance in a small community centre, and fundraising has paid for shoes, costumes and feis entries. I am not out to make millions in this field, I'm out there to help people love dancing th way I do. This is the very reason I'm hoping to get sponsorship, I never want any of my dancers to leave due to the money end of it. We fundraise once a month, raffles, danceathons, bag packing, toy sales and book sales. Fingers crossed we can keep this up, as the kids deserve it so much

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:46pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

€700 is a lot of money and any one business will want a potential decent return. Questions like, how many dancers in the club? How often you compete? What are the chances of winning competitions? etc will be asked.

I seen here your coming from. Well there's just under 40 kids, from4-18. We compete at least once a month and so far have been very successful. We have had a lot of trophies and medals and even two podium placers(that's a big thing in id).
I'm going to go around the local businesses in our area on Tuesday.

03-04-2015 10:47pm

Is this your job or are you doing it voluntarily?

suelaw · 03-04-2015 10:57pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Is this your job or are you doing it voluntarily?

Technically its a job, obviously not my main job, but a job all the same. I make enough to cover hall rentals, insurance, registration etc but it wouldn't be enough to give up my main job, if that makes sense

03-04-2015 11:02pm

suelaw wrote: »

Technically its a job, obviously not my main job, but a job all the same. I make enough to cover hall rentals, insurance, registration etc but it wouldn't be enough to give up my main job, if that makes sense

Will that be made clear to contributors and sponsors, if you are deriving an income from it?

Know Irish dancing classes that are a business, the teacher draws a salary, yet still do the bag packing, collecting etc. Which is begging as a business.

Seeking sponsorship

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