Real Estate Agents - a fundraisers best friend?

Real estate agents – a fundraisers best friend?

August 8, 2022 in

Fundraising Sponsorship: Real Estate Agents

Is it possible that the world’s least favourite profession could be a fundraisers best friend?

Your local real estate agent wants to be on good terms with as many people as possible in your community. And… guess what? Your community is full of people!!! A perfect storm? I think so 😉

When you get your fundraising sponsorship team together (that’s right, I said team – put this secret weapon on the top of your priority list!) make certain you have a strategic discussion about working with real estate agents.

If you are having a school fete fundraiser or another fundraising event, you can consider offering exclusivity at the ‘platinum’ or ‘gold’ levels – you will be able to charge more. This needs to be weighed up against the potential for receiving support at that level from a number of agents… It can be tricky, but work out what is best for your group.

Real estate agents can provide the following kind of support:

Cold hard $$$$
Signage for your event (they do signs every day!)
Printing flyers (they do them too!)
Marquees
Donation of an auctioneer for your live auction
Supply their company car that you can fill with balloons for a ‘guess how many’ competition
Promote your upcoming event in their own mailouts and marketing

In return, you can provide them with:

Valuable connection to your community
Speaking opportunity (introducing a special guest, a 2 minute spruik at an event, the opportunity to MC)
The usual: newsletter/ website/ facebook promotion/ signage at your event
Stall at your event
Logo on your team t-shirts
First right of refusal the following year
Thank you certificate (or even better, a pic of a bunch of kids holding a sign saying ‘thank you’ that they can put on their wall and also share on social media – just get creative)

Remember, when you are making your approach, don’t think you have to grovel. You are providing them with valuable access to your community. It’s a fabulous win-win, and you never know – you may end up with a new best friend! (ROFL)

Happy fundraising!
Mandy Weidmann

To see (and borrow!) an example sponsorship proposal, click here.

Originally published 8 August, 2017