The Inches: A Podcast About Sports Sponsorship

Rookie & The Vet: The Value of Impressions VS. Results in Sponsorships

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:00:00 -0400

Let's face it, historically the sponsorship world has been primarily built on impressions. The opportunity to BE a part of game day, usually with a logo or on field/court/ice activation.

BUT the rest of the advertising world has shifted to a performance model. Results are everything in building your budget.

So where do we go from here in the sponsorship world. How do we adapt?

On this episode, we dive into the value of impressions vs. results and how the sponsorship industry can shift to drive more value & revenue.

To download the College Sports Sponsorship Activation Benchmark Report referenced in the episode, Click HERE.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Chatting Challenger Sponsorship Sales with Phil Andrews of US Fencing

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Sponsorship sales is hard enough. In a challenger sport, the deck is stacked against you, usually smaller audiences, less brand recognition, tighter budgets.

So how do the best in the game still win?

Today, Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing, hands us the blueprint. We break down how to build a rock-solid foundation in challenger-sport sponsorships, the strategies that actually move deals forward, and the ways his organization punches above its weight to stand out in a crowded market.

Rookie & The Vet: A Sponsorship World Cup Postmortem

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

The World Cup hit the US (and world). It is said to be the most successful financial World Cup of all time.

But who won the sponsorships battle? And how did teams and sponsors keep up with the momentum after the confetti fell?

On this Episode, we dive into our thoughts on the sponsorships side and momentum of the World Cup for brands and sports teams.

Rookie & The Vet: How Timing Affects Every Part of your Sponsorships

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Timing is everything in sales. Making sure that you are there when the customer needs you the most. Finding the right timing for recaps. All the way to giving your promotion enough time to work.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into specifically how you can infuse timing into your sponsorship strategy and playbook for success.

Rookie & The Vet: Less is More in Sponsorships

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0400

More inventory. More reach. More sponsors....more revenue?

Not always.

In this episode, we dive into why less can be more in sponsorships, and how you can drive the same revenue with less...but make it more meaningful for sponsors.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Sponsorship when you don't own your Stadium

Wed, 20 May 2026 23:00:00 -0400

Many times, we don't own the building we play games in. For sponsorship, that means it can limit how we activate and sell.

So how can we get past that to maximize our value and sales for sponsors.

On this episode, we dive into ways you can creatively still create value in venue, even when you don't own the building.

Rookie & The Vet: What NASCAR can teach us about Sponsorships

Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:00 -0400

We've talked about it a ton on this podcast. Sometimes the best inspiration comes from seeing sponsorships outside of your own sport.

Sometimes, it involves jumping out of your whole sporting event structure.

On this episode, we dive into NASCAR and what we can learn for how the sport and organization activates brand sponsors on race day.

Rookie & The Vet: The Pricing Gap in Sponsorships

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:00:00 -0400

The price of sports sponsorships have gone up dramatically over the last 10 years. Which makes sense. Sports have never been more popular and viewed.

But what does this mean for the whole ecosystem? And how might smaller teams take advantage of this?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into conversation around how high prices means a fragmented market, and how your brand or team can navigate it.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Notes from Coachella Activations for Sponsorships

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:00:00 -0400

Coachella & Stagecoach, 2 concerts that consume the city of Indio in the Coachella Valley. The city almost doubles in size across 2 weekends.

Brands notice...and they put their creative hats on to stand out and activate.

So what can we learn in sponsorships from these activations?

Luckily we have boots on the ground with Rich Franklin, and on this episode of the Inches we dive into what he's noticing around the event and how it can help you rethink your sponsorships.

Rookie & The Vet: The Slow Death of Passive Sponsorships

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:00:00 -0400

The sponsorship model is shifting. Brands want engagement, data, and proof - not logo placements. Not passive inventory.

So why do most of what we sell in sponsorships consist of logo placement?

In this episode, we dig into why passive sponsorship assets are dying, what's replacing them, and how your team can get ahead of the curve before your next renewal conversation.

Rookie & The Vet: Talking Digital with Alex Kopilow

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:00:00 -0400

We all know digital inventory is a must have in any sponsorship department today.

But how can you build it? How do you price it? How do you manage it successfully?

On this episode we have Digital Sponsorship vet and expert Alex Kopilow from SponCon to answer all those questions and more.

Check out Alex's sponsorship newsletter, SponCon. A must subscribe in the industry.

https://sponconsports.beehiiv.com/

Rookie & The Vet: Turning Global Sport Events into Local Sponsorship Revenue

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0500

It's a big year in sports. Winter Olympics, Summer World Cup, and global events that ignite entire countries.

These events build emotion; brands want to be a part of them.

But how can your local sports team funnel that excitement into authentic sponsorship opportunities?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can transform national excitement into big wins for your local sponsorship departments.

Rookie & The Vet: Jersey Patches...How do we sell them/do they belong?

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:00:00 -0500

The new inventory sweeping sports in the U.S. over the last decade...jersey & uniform patches.

A great awareness piece, but what is the actual value? And how can you make sure that it doesn't clash with the nostalgia of sports?

On this episode, we dive into how your team should be thinking about your next jersey patch sale and the brands you pitch to.

Rookie & The Vet: Our 2026 Sponsorship Predictions.

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 23:00:00 -0500

The new year brings new trends, new things to pay attention to as our industry evolves.

We'll never be 100% right, but each year we dive into our predictions for the 2026 year in sponsorships.

In this episode, come along with us as we shell out 6 predictions for the sponsorship industry in 2026.

Rookie & The Vet: Managing Your End of the Year in Sponsorship for Success

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0500

The year is winding down. Out of office posts are on the rise. It's a great time to relax and enjoy a bit of a break.

But what are a few things that you can do as the year winds down in sponsorship to help jumpstart the 2026 year?

In this episode, we dive into 5 things you can do these last weeks of the year to put yourself in a position to thrive as we kick off the new one.

Rookie & The Vet: Insights on Sponsorships from a Premium Event

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Premium events are where sports pull out all the stops—energy at a peak, fans fully immersed, every moment engineered to feel unforgettable.

But what can teams learn from these marquee moments and apply to their own game-day experience

This week on The Inches, we dive into a recent visit to the F1 Las Vegas experience and takeaways that can maximize your experience at your own games.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling OT & Extra Innings in Sponsorships

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

We call it free sports. It's overtime, it's extra innings, it means the regulation game time you paid for just got extended.

Most of the time, it is one of the most exciting moments in sports.

But should that just be a 'given' for sponsors? Or can you sell into this unique space?

This week, we dive into how your team can sell overtime assets and the value it can bring to your brand sponsors.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling your Team's Super Power to Stand Out in Sponsorshops

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:00:00 -0400

When you aren't the big dog team in sponsorships, it can feel like you get left out of considerations, meetings, and dollars.

So how can we build a strategy to stand out?

In this Episode, we dive into a listener question to talk through finding your team's unique edge, building stories around it, and executing it into your sales with brands.

Rookie & The Vet: The Minor League Focus in Sponsorships

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

In sports sponsorship, there is usually a big breakdown between minor league and major league teams. Each has its unique benefits and advantages when it comes to selling and buying sponsorships.

But what are those advantages for Minor League teams? How can they get the big brand dollars?

This week, we dive into how your Minor League team can compete and how your Major League team can take a note from the minors for revenue growth.

Rookie & The Vet: the VICE Category Episode

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0400

We have our 'normal' categories. Your Car brand, QSR, Bank, etc., that we all sell into. From an optics & legal perspective, they are all pretty 'safe'.

But then, there are those categories that toe the line. That sometimes operates in that grey area.

These are our Vice industries.

In this episode, we dive into how to manage, de-risk, and align on how you can sell and manage those categories that aren't cut & dry from an optics perspective.

The Rookie & The Vet: Managing Licensing in Sponsorships

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:00:00 -0400

Your Logo & team IP has value. It is a connection to the relationships you have created with your fan base.

So how can you carefully and properly monetize?

In this episode, we dive into Licensing and how your team can add them to your sponsorship packages for maximum value.

Rookie & The Vet: The Off-Season Magic

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 19:00:00 -0400

Off-season, it's a time to regroup, reflect, and take a bit of a break. Right?

Yes, absolutely...but there is also an opportunity to drive more engagement, connection, and revenue for your partners.

In this episode of the Inches, we dive into 4 ideas that you can easily execute to help drive more connection and revenue for your sponsors in the off-season.

Rookie & The Vet: How to close Luxury Brands in Sports Sponsorships

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 16:00:00 -0400

We all know the common categories in sponsorships: QSR, dealerships, tires, etc.

But what about that next step up, luxury brands? How can we close those...or even get them to care about our team and sponsorship assets?

In this episode, we dive into the strategy your team can execute to find, pitch, and close luxury brands. You'll even find some luxury categories you never knew about.

Rookie & The Vet: The Shift to Less in Sponsorships

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 23:00:00 -0400

Trends come and go. But when enough major brands start pulling back on the volume of assets in their sponsorship deals, it’s worth paying attention.

In this episode, we explore a critical shift in sponsor behavior: a move away from bloated asset lists toward lean, high-performing campaigns. Brands aren’t looking for more inventory—they’re looking for impact. And that requires a different mindset from sellers.

Rookie & The Vet: Sponsorship & AI - The Brand Angle

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We're back at it, diving into the thing shaping our industry. Artificial Intelligence.

This time, how are our sponsors and brands using it to measure and evaluate your execution and results?

In this episode, we dive into what we're seeing in the industry from a brand perspective and what it means for your property.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Sponsorships in a Crowded Market

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0400

We've all done it (hopefully). You take a job in a market where you aren't the biggest fish in the pond...or even the 4th biggest.

But we still have a property that brings value. So, how do we convince brands when there are bigger entities they can invest in?

This week, we dive into a listener question about selling sponsorships in a crowded market and how creativity can take you over the top.

Rookie & The Vet: Sponsorships & Artificial Intelligence

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0400

AI is transforming every industry—and sponsorship is no exception.

In this episode, we unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of sponsorships. From smarter audience targeting to predictive analytics and real-time campaign optimization, we explore the real ways AI will impact how brands build partnerships, prove ROI, and connect with fans.

If you work in sponsorship or brand partnerships, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Rookie & The Vet: 2025 Sponsorship Predictions Review

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:00:00 -0400

At the start of each year, Rich and Nick share their bold predictions for the trends shaping the sponsorship industry.

Now that we're halfway through the year, it's time to check in—what’s holding strong, what missed the mark, and what surprised us?

In this episode, we revisit our January picks, break down what’s actually happening in the field, and share what to watch next as the sponsorship landscape continues to evolve.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Sponsorships as a Niche, Local Sport

Fri, 23 May 2025 13:00:00 -0400

What happens when your sport isn’t on ESPN… but still has a die-hard community?

Should you just stick with local sponsors? How can you unlock those bigger deals?

We had a great listener question come in this week on this very topic.

In this episode, we dive into the unique challenges and untapped advantages of selling sponsorships for niche and local sports.

From roller derby to motorcycle racing, we explore how smaller sports can punch above their weight by offering hyper-targeted audiences, authentic engagement, and grassroots loyalty that big leagues can't match.

Rookie & The Vet: The No Topic Episode on Sponsorships

Sun, 04 May 2025 23:00:00 -0400

When Rich & Nick started the Inches, it came from chats on sponsorships in Rich's office below Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR.

We would dive into all topics, sponsorships, and sports business with no agenda.

Well, this week on The Inches, we decided to take it back to where we started...with no topic.

We dive into topics ranging from youth sports investments, the growth of the women's leagues and what this means for sponsorships, and round it out with how the MLS will deal with going to a European schedule.

Rookie & The Vet: When Brands Try Sponsorship Infiltration

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0400

If you work in sponsorships, it will happen. A brand doesn't want to sponsor your team directly...so they creatively try and reach your fans without the partnership.

How do you prevent this from happening?

How can you stop a brand from hijacking the most valuable asset you have as a sponsorship department...your ability to deeply connect with fans?

In this episode, we dive into how to identify, manage, and work through sponsorship infiltration.

Rookie & The Vet: The Real Value of Sponsorship Entitlements

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Sponsorship entitlements are among the most prized assets in our inventory—powerful tools that tie brands directly to the fan experience.

But what are they really worth? And how do you sell them without underselling their impact?

In this episode, we break down the true value of entitlements, how to position them, and smart strategies to manage and monetize them effectively.

Whether you're selling the naming rights to a segment or locking in a long-term sponsor for a fan-favorite feature, this one’s for you.

Rookie & The Vet: Managing Economic Turmoil in Sponsorships

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:00:00 -0400

When the Economy Shakes, How Do You Keep Sponsors Steady?

Economic downturns aren’t new—and they’re not going away.

But when budgets tighten and uncertainty rises, your sponsorship revenue doesn’t have to take a hit.

In this episode, we explore proven strategies to maintain sponsor confidence, protect budgets, and even grow partnerships during turbulent times.

From messaging shifts to value re-framing, learn how to not just survive—but thrive—when the market gets shaky.

Rookie & The Vet: Back at it with Sponsorship Inventory Management

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0400

Are you selling the emotion of sports—or just space on a banner?

Sponsors crave passion, loyalty, and excitement—but what they’re really buying is the inventory that gives them access to it.

So, how do you make sure your sponsorship assets are actually delivering? And how can you confidently say they’re working?

In this episode, we break down how to manage, audit, and optimize your sponsorship inventory to drive real results—for your sponsors and your team.

Rookie & The Vet: Reach vs. Frequency in Sponsorships

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:00:00 -0500

In sponsorships, numbers define our worth—but are all numbers created equal?

Does the real value for sponsors come from reaching the largest audience, or is it about engaging the same fans more often?

In this episode, we break down the impact of reach vs. frequency, how each influences sponsorship ROI, and how your team should be leveraging them to maximize value.

Rookie & The Vet: Diving into SuperBowl Ads 2025

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0500

$800M+ was spent on Super Bowl ads this year. That is an insane amount of money to reach probably one of the most captivated audiences in sports.

So, were they successful?

In this episode, we delve into the standout & dud commercials from Super Bowl LIX.

Rookie & The Vet: Overcoming the 'No Budget' Objection in Sponsorships

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:00:00 -0500

If you are in sales, you've been met with this objection. You gave the pitch, you got the proposal ready, then right before it's time to sign...you get this objection;

"I don't have the budget".

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how to work through this objection with your prospects, and how you can set up your sales meetings to make it less likely to come up.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

The Rookie & The Vet: 3 MUSTS for Sponsorship Activations

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 23:00:00 -0500

Gone are the days when a simple logo slap was enough. Today, sponsors expect real fan engagement—activations that create memorable connections.

But how do you ensure your activations actually work?

In this episode, we break down the three critical questions you must ask to guarantee your activations drive value for both your team and your sponsors. Tune in to learn how to create experiences that go beyond branding and deliver real impact.

Rookie & The Vet: 2025 Sports Sponsorship New Year's Resolutions

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0500

It's 2025, the new year. A fresh start to reset, refocus, and refresh your sponsorship strategies going into 2025.

Each year, Rich and Nick discuss five resolutions you should make in the new year as you continue to grow in the sponsorship industry.

In this episode, we dive into the 5 we have for 2025.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2025 Sponsorship Predictions

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:00:00 -0500

We're back at it with our predictions for 2025 in sponsorships. A staple episode for the Podcast.

In this episode, we'll dive into 5 predictions we see as most vital for the sponsorship industry for 2025.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2024 Sponsorship Resolutions Review

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Each year we dive into our sponsorship resolutions on the podcast. The question becomes, did the industry keep up with the resolutions we set?

In this episode, we dive into our 2024 resolutions and see how the industry held up as we round the year out.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Ready to Launch Sponsorship Activation Ideas

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0500

Coming up with ideas for sponsorships can be a bit challenging. We constantly want to create the activation that will bring value to the sponsor...and wow them at the same time.

In this episode, we dive into 3 activation ideas you can implement TODAY with minimal investment to move the needle for that partnership you are struggling with.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 30 Day Plan after you've closed a new Sponsor

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 18:00:00 -0500

You did it, you signed that new sponsor. The ink is still wet on the contract.

What you do immediately afterward sets the foundation for the rest of the relationship.

In this episode, we dive into a 30-day plan your team can implement to ensure your new sponsors and team are ready for their activation while building the new relationship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Talking Relationships with return guest Jon Grove

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:00:00 -0400

Relationships are the foundation of any sales position. But authentic sales are the key.

So how can we maintain and keep authentic relationships with the people we look to work with and sell to?

This week we have the return of a great guest, Jon Grove, to chat through the importance of building and maintaining authentic relationships in sponsorships.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to re-engage after a sponsorship prospect tells you 'NO'

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:00:00 -0400

You aren't going to close every sponsor you talk to. It's just a part of the sales job.

We will get a lot of 'No' answers.

But, that doesn't mean the deal is totally dead. We can still re-engage them for a future deal.

So how can we do that authentically?

In this episode, Rich & Nick dive into the process of cultivating a No throughout the season to have a better chance to convert them to the following one.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Resources for Learning in Sponsorships

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We have to constantly be learning in the sponsorship industry. But not just on 'sponsorship' content. It's important to stay open-minded to advice and resources from other industries that we sell into.

But where can we find them?

In this episode, we dive into our go-to learning resources that we lean on each day and week to keep up with our clients and sponsor's needs.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Diving into Innovation in the Sponsorship Industry

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 22:00:00 -0400

The only thing constant in this world is change. Innovation drives change every season.

But how can you harness innovation in sponsorships? And what are we looking at to come next?

In this episode, we dive into innovation in the sponsorship industry and how your team can tackle the trends that come.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to maximize & sell 'off the shelf' activations to sponsors successfully

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0400

We all have those trusted, off-the-shelf activations that are proven to work for certain sponsor categories.

But is it enough to just pull them off the shelf and sell them as-is? And how can you effectively sell them across different industries?

In this episode, we dive into a listener question about how to creatively customize your go-to activations to deliver more value and stand out to your sponsors and prospects. Tune in to learn how to make these tried-and-true strategies work even harder for you.

Rookie & The Vet: When Your Proposal is Off the Mark

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:00:00 -0400

Our goal in sponsorship is to find the right balance between what we charge and the value it brings to the partner.

But what happens when we are way off the mark?

In this episode, we dive into what to do when your proposal is not quite what the sponsor was expecting, and how to navigate that conversation to find a fit.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Trends in Sponsorships for the second half of 2024

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0400

Sometimes the best way to see & confirm what's happening in the sponsorship industry...is to head to the bar.

Connecting with other people working and prospecting deals can help drive our strategy.

In this episode, we explore three key trends we've identified through conversations with industry executives. Join us as we dive into what's shaping the future of sponsorships.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Managing Sponsors who are Impatient for Results

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 23:00:00 -0400

In any advertising, results take time. Especially when the buying cycle is long for a sponsor.

So how can we manage our sponsor's expectations when they grow impatient for results?

This week, we dive into how you can ensure that you and your sponsor are on the same page for results and a timeline to reach them.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to successfully build holidays into your sponsorship packages

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Holidays have become a staple in sports. From the 4th of July baseball and soccer matches to Christmas being a battle for viewership between American football and basketball.

But how can we build them into our sponsorship packages to bring value?

In this episode, we dive into how you can maximize the value of your more popular holidays...as well as some of the less-known ones.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Building Championship Inventory into your Sponsorships

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 23:00:00 -0400

Playoffs aren't promised...and championships for most teams are a rare privilege.

So how can we make sure we're ready as a sponsorship department for when our team gets there?

On this episode of The Inches Podcast, we dive into the 3 Do's and Don'ts of sponsorships when it comes to playoffs and championship games.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Getting internal buy in from other departments

Fri, 31 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Many times in sponsorship, we need buy-in from other departments to execute the packages we sell. Whether it's the social media team, facilities, or even game ops...we need them to help and authorize the items we sell.

So how can we get them on board with what our sponsors want and need?

In this episode, we dive into some ways you can get that internal buy-in before you close your additional sponsorship assets.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Finding Great Sponsorship Prospects In Unusual Places

Thu, 23 May 2024 23:00:00 -0400

We've all been there in prospecting. We either have hit a rut...or we're plateauing and struggling to find new business.

So where can we find those diamonds in places that few salespeople would look?

In this episode, we dive into a few areas and strategies to help you get out of the new business rut while opening new market segments for your sponsorship team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to deal when a sponsorship pitch/meeting goes bad.

Tue, 07 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

We've all been there. You went into the pitch with a great plan, a great package, and a great feeling this will be a win with a new prospect.

And then, it falls flat. You get those stares, frowns, and bewildered looks throughout the presentation.

So how can you adjust to potentially save the deal?

In this episode, we dive into a few tweaks you can make to ensure that even if a meeting goes south, you can salvage it for a win.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Maximizing sponsorship inventory in your offseason

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 17:00:00 -0400

When we are in season and have full stadiums is normally when sponsors are looking to reach our fans. It's where most of our sponsorship inventory lives.

But what about the off-season? How can we maximize our revenue with off-season events WHILE avoiding oversaturation?

In this episode, we dive into the perfect ways your team can look at and activate your off-season for sponsors new and old.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to break into a Sports Sponsorship Job if you are Outside the Industry

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:00:00 -0400

You want to work in sponsorships...but the problem is you have been working in another industry for the last 5 years.

So how do you make the jump into the industry if you don't have any direct sports sponsorship experience?

In this episode, we dive into how you can make the industry switch...and even how to think about hiring an applicant who is outside the industry as a current sponsorship hiring manager.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Rise of Women's Sports and it's Effect on Sponsorships

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

With this year's NCAA WBB March Madness, we are seeing the exciting sports and players getting the distribution and attention they deserve.

The result is an explosion in viewership rates and popularity.

So how will this affect the sponsorship industry as a whole?

In this episode, we dive into how we see the sponsorship industry shifting with the addition of another major player in the sports landscape for brands to sponsor.

Rookie & The Vet: How to Run Successful Recap Meetings in Sponsorships

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Recaps are a part of life in sponsorships. Your sponsors paid you money for a service, now it's time to show them the results & value.

But are you doing recaps in a way that builds confidence and future business?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into sponsorship recaps and how your team can build a strategy that drives trust with your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Logo Slap Episode

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We've all heard the term in sponsorship, Logo Slap....

It's a vivid term used to describe simply putting a sponsor logo on an asset and calling it a day, hoping fans will notice it in the stadium.

Brands hate it. So why is it so prevalent in our space?

In this episode, we dive into what Logo Slap is, why it doesn't work, and how your team can combat it to drive results for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Diving into our BEST & WORST Moments in Sponsorships

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 22:00:00 -0500

When you're in the sponsorship world for long enough, you will have some great days that make you proud, and some worst days that have you rethinking this industry.

So what have our best & worst times been?

In this episode, we dive into moments in our sponsorship journey, both good & bad, and what we learned from them.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2024 Super Bowl & Sponsorship Episode

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:00:00 -0500

Love this episode each year, and 2024 SB brought some interesting items and trends.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into how RIch & I saw the Super Bowl this year from a Sponsorship lens.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to manage problem clients in sponsorships

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 23:00:00 -0500

We've all had them. Sometimes great clients will turn into problem ones quickly. It is always on us in sponsorships to help guide them through the tough positions they sometimes put us in.

But how can we specifically do that for each type of difficult client?

In this episode, we dive into Rich's four most common problem clients we see in sponsorship and how to manage each to success for both sides.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Staying Connected with Sponsors after the sale

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

You did it. You closed that prospect. Now they are a bonafide sponsor of your team. The work is over now...right?

Nope. In partnerships, it is critical to stay connected with them throughout the year if we want a shot at keeping their business.

But what are the best ways to do so without feeling transactional?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into a few key ways you can authentically stay connected to your new sponsors throughout the year.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Successfully Do Prospect Research In Sponsorship

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 23:00:00 -0500

Research in sales is key. We can't go into a pitch with little to no understanding of our prospect's business or vision.

But how much is too much research? When does it become overkill?

We dive into a listener's question to answer how to think about and execute successful research on your prospects in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Our 2024 New Year's Resolutions for Sponsorship

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 12:00:00 -0500

New Year's Resolutions are a funny thing. While a great way to reset the year, we also somewhat look to predict what is important to us for the upcoming year.

So what about sponsorship in 2024?

Here are our biggest resolutions for 2024 that your team should be looking out for to increase your results in the sponsorship industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Navigating Long Term Contracts in Sponsorships

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 22:00:00 -0500

In sponsorships, our job is to generate revenue for our organization through the value we bring to brands.

Long-term contracts help us guarantee that revenue across multiple.

But how can we drive more long-term contracts with our sponsors? Even better, can we get our 1-year contracts to sign long-term ones?

In this episode, we dive into the ins & outs of long-term contracts and how you should be thinking about them in your sponsorship sales.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Must Ask Questions to Help Set Sponsor Expectations

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:00:00 -0500

If we can't understand what a sponsor is measuring us on, how can we expect to drive results for them?

Many times though, they won't come out with it. We have to be able to drive the full picture of their expectations for the partnership out of them.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into 3 questions you should be asking before every partnership begins to help you maximize results and manage expectations.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to think about in-kind/trade in sponsorships

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Trade & in-kind is a part of sponsorship life. And while there can be some benefits to receiving them, there can be consequences if you take too many of them.

But how can you manage expectations when your prospect offers up trade instead of cash?

In this episode, we dive into how to handle in-kind offers from sponsors, and a few ways you can monetize if you do take them.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to Tweak your Follow-Up Strategy to Close More Deals

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 23:00:00 -0500

They say it takes 7-10 touchpoints to close a prospect on average. But lately, it seems like follow-ups have fallen flat in sales strategy.

So how can you tweak your strategy to make sure your follow-ups don't make you feel like a pest?

In this episode, we dive into the perfect follow-up strategy and mindset you can follow to close more deals with sponsorship prospects & renewals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to Deal with Sponsor Misalignment

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Whether it is on ideals or outcomes, our sponsors must be aligned with our team and fanbase before we sign them.

But what happens if we find misalignments for a prospect? What if it is a huge deal financially for our team?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how to handle sponsor misalignment and how you can work through the roadblocks.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Qualitative VS. Quantitative Results for Sponsors

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 22:00:00 -0400

Knowing your sponsor's goals for the partnership is the first and most vital part of the prospecting process.

But what if the goals they express are all qualitative? What if all quantitative? How do we ensure we are focusing on the right things to make sure that their partnership is a success?

In this episode, we dive into how you can uncover both qualitative and quantitative goals from your prospect to ensure your sponsorship package is a home run.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Diving Into Casino & Gaming Partners with Jose Garcia

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 23:00:00 -0400

Gaming & casino sponsorship is one of the fastest-growing verticals in our industry.

But what do they look for when it comes to sponsoring sports properties?

In this episode, we dive in with gaming industry vet Jose Garcia to peel back the curtain when it comes to how he thinks about and buys sponsorships in sports.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Reaching the right person in sponsorship sales prospecting

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:00:00 -0400

You have a list full of potential sponsors and brands. You're excited to get started reaching out...but then it hits you.

You don't know who the right person to reach out to is. How can you make sure you are contacting the right person to say yes?

In this episode, we dive into how to identify the right person/ people to contact when reaching out...and a strategy to reach multiple decision-makers in one company.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to Handle Unsold Inventory in Sponsorship

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:00:00 -0400

If you're in the sponsorship industry, you've been there. The season is fast approaching and you have that outfield sign unsold.

So what's the game plan to get value from it?

This week, we dive into a game plan on how to manage your unsold inventory to come out on top before the season starts.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Segment Prospecting In Sports Sponsorships

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 22:00:00 -0400

Being efficient and effective in your off-season sales prospecting is a foundation for hitting your goals in sports sponsorship. A bad plan or execution can leave you with missed revenue.

So how can you make sure that you are spending your time wisely each prospecting season?

In this episode, we dive into how segmenting your prospecting can help you close more deals this sales season.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to structure your initial sales meeting in sponsorships

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:00:00 -0400

You've done the work, made the calls, and got your first meeting with a prospect in sponsorship.

But how can you make sure that the initial pitch meeting leads to a close?

On this episode of The Inches Podcast, we dive into a winning structure for your sales meetings to help drive more revenue for your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Diving into a younger perspective on sports with Andrew Rush

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 23:00:00 -0400

As sports teams, making sure we understand the viewing and consuming habits of the next generation of sports fans is vital.

The only way we can understand is by creating a dialogue with them.

On this episode of The Inches Podcast, we dive in with Andrew Rush, a college student majoring in Sports Management, on his consumption habits as a fan and where he sees shifts in the industry coming.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Talking Sponsorship Analytics & Valuation with Joe Casey

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

How the heck do I evaluate my sponsorship assets? What are they worth? Am I charging too much? Not enough?

Thankfully, we have the perfect person to answer those questions as a guest this week. Joe Casey, Senior Director, Analytics, Research, & Valuation at Oak View Group, joins the podcast to dive into all things Sponsorship Valuation.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling sponsorships to travel companies

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:00:00 -0400

Travel companies are an intriguing vertical for sponsorship. Normally, they don't invest heavily in sports partnerships...but most of the time our fans are the perfect target for their ads.

So how can we pull in more dollars from this segment?

In this episode, we dive into a few creative ways to approach and close more revenue from travel companies.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Revisiting our 2023 sponsorship predictions at the midway point

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Rich and Nick make predictions for the upcoming year in the sponsorship world each January. It's a really fun exercise to try and see what we should be paying attention to in the world of sports partnerships.

Even more fun is looking back at the mid-year point and seeing if we are on track.

In this episode, we dive into our 2023 predictions and see which ones are looking like they are right, wrong, or incomplete as we round out the midpoint in the year.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to handle initial cold outreach to new prospects

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:00:00 -0400

Your first touch point with a potential prospect is so important. Too short...you won't get your value across. Too long...you'll lose them before they finish your outreach.

On this episode of The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into how you can strategize your outreach to prospects and close that next meeting.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to create sales momentum and manage sales pace

Fri, 26 May 2023 19:00:00 -0400

Sales are all about momentum. If you lose it, you usually spend time chasing a prospect to reignite the momentum.

But how can we manage the sales pace in the selling process?

This week on The Inches, Rich & I dive into how your team can manage sales pace from both the prospect side as well as your team side.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: the 30/60/90 Day plan when starting at a new sponsorship job

Thu, 18 May 2023 23:00:00 -0400

Whether you're fresh out of college or a vet switching locations & teams, sometimes we can show up at a new job and not have a ton of resources to get started.

So this week on The Inches podcast we dive into Rich Franklin's 30/60/90 Day plan on how you can maximize and thrive in your new sponsorship job, even if you don't have the resources or knowledge when starting.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Ways To Make Your Sponsorship Sales Pitch More Effective

Mon, 08 May 2023 23:00:00 -0400

Sometimes, we get into a sales rut. The pitches we are giving just aren't hitting. Maybe your book of business isn't as big as it was last year.

Most of the time, there are just a few adjustments we can make to get back to closing those deals.

On this episode of The Inches Podcast, we dive in with Rich's 3 ways to make your sales pitch more effective in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Chatting Sponsorship Sales with Guest Jonathan Grove

Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This episode we have a very special guest, Jonathan Grove, join the podcast. Jonathan has extensive experience selling and facilitating deals in the sponsorship industry.

We dive into sales, building relationships, and what comes next in the sponsorship world.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Team IP Into Your Sponsorship Packages

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:00:00 -0400

Your team IP can move the needle for your sponsors. But many times, we have it as a toss-in with our packages.

So how can we value and sell our intellectual property to our sponsors?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into IP and how your team can turn it into sales gold.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Less is More in Sponsorship Approach

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The Masters Golf Tournament only has 6 brand sponsors. Yep, you read that right...the most famous golf event in the nation if not the world only works with 6 partners.

NBA teams have on average 62.

Is there value in the less is more approach in sponsorship? Should we be looking to downsize how many partnership deals we have?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into how you can do a sponsor audit to see if your team would benefit from fewer sponsors spending more money.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to handle objections in Sports Sponsorship sales

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0400

Objections are a part of any sales persons journey. Buyers will always have questions or concerns about what we are selling.

But many times you can turn an objection into a moment to strengthen your relationship and expertise with a prospect.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into the best way to handle and use objections to close more deals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Hiring The Right Team In Sponsorship

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 19:00:00 -0400

Just like the sports we sell in, building a great team can make or break your sponsorship growth.

But what should you be looking for when hiring?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into the key items to look for when hiring your sponsorship team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to Sell the Post-Season in Sponsorships

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:00:00 -0500

Making the playoffs as a team means more games, excited fans, and sold-out arenas.

But how can we sell sponsors into post-season packages?

This week on The Inches podcast, we dive into 3 ways your team can drive new revenue in the post-season.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Competing as a Small Team in a Big Market | Pt.2

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

So you are a "smaller" team in a big market, and it feels like all the sponsorship dollars are being gobbled by the big teams.

How can you stand out to grab some of those sales?

We dive in on how your team can master the market and differentiate your offerings to grow your sponsorship revenue.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Super Bowl 2023 Ad Breakdown

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

$7M dollars for 30 seconds. There is only one place in the world brands will pay that much. Yep, it's the Super Bowl.

But what makes a good Super Bowl ad? What can we learn from it in the sponsorship world?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into this year's Super Bowl Commercials and which ones we thought were worth the big spend.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 3 Biggest Benefits We Sell In Sponsorship

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we get caught up in the tactics of sponsorship. How many clicks, how many fans saw a sign, etc. These are the things we sometimes over-focus on when selling.

But there are some key benefits that we hold in sponsorship that will help us get deals across the line. Ones that other advertising verticals don't have.

In this episode, we dive into Rich's 3 benefits that sponsorship has and how he uses them to sell sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Work Through The Prospects That Ghost Us

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 21:00:00 -0500

We're getting spooky in this episode. Ghosting in sales happens, it's a part of working in this business.

But is there a playbook to fight Ghosting in sales? When should I move on from a prospect that is ghosting me?

In this episode, we dive into how you can handle ghosting in your sales efforts.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Looking back at our 2022 predictions

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0500

It's insane how the sponsorship industry can change in just a year. The things we thought would be big sometimes don't pan out.

In this episode, we look back at our predictions in 2022 for the sponsorship industry and how they fared going into 2023.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2023 Sports Sponsorship Predictions

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500

It's our annual prediction episode. Check out what Rich & Nick see as the biggest items in sports sponsorship as they gaze into the crystal ball.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2023 Sponsorship New Years' Resolutions

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

A page turns in this sponsorship journey that we all are on as we head into 2023. It's always great to reflect on the past year...but even better to project into the next year.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into our annual new years' resolutions for the sponsorship industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Do's & Don't Advice For People Entering Sports Sponsorship

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:00:00 -0500

The sponsorship industry is unique, exciting, & demanding. It's a tough one to get into.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into the Do's & Don'ts as you look to jump into the industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Should you present sponsors with Bronze - Gold Packages?

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 19:00:00 -0500

We've all seen it, and most of us have done it ourselves. We create 3 tiered packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and put a price on each before sending them over to our prospect.

But what do we lose out on when we do this?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into the downfalls of tiering your packages and how you can adjust to drive more revenue.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Opportunities For Sponsors In Your Mobile App

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Every team is told they need a mobile app to connect with fans. But what are the true opportunities for sponsors when you do get one launched?

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into which elements in your team app are most valuable for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Close Sports Betting Partners 2.0

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 18:00:00 -0400

The last time we talked about sports betting partners on this podcast was in 2018. A TON has changed since then in the world of sponsorship & sports betting.

On this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can maximize its value with sports betting sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Is your sponsor prepared for an increase in fan demand?

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Our job in partnerships is to create demand for a sponsor's goal. Whether that is sign-ups, purchases, or even consultations.

But what we sometimes fail to go through is whether or not your sponsor is prepared for the increase in demand our campaigns will bring.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the questions you should be asking your sponsor in order to ensure they are ready for the demand your campaigns will create.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Breaking Through Mental Blocks in Sponsorships

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Working in sports is fast-paced and stressful. With this, we've all had mental blocks, which usually come when we desperately need our brains to work.

Maybe it came with working on a prospect pitch, maybe working out the logistics of an activation campaign.

But how can we break through those blocks?

In this episode, we dive into a few tactics to break through those blocks and get your brain back to solving problems.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Turning space into revenue with Entitlement Areas

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Our stadiums and arenas are big. Usually, there is a lot of real estate to add sponsor logos to.

But what if we could create spaces where fans could uniquely engage with sponsors?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how to turn open space into revenue and engagement opportunities for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Legal Side of Sponsorships with David Greenberg

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Legal and Sponsorship can sometimes butt heads when it comes to landing deals. But what if we knew the pitfalls beforehand so we can sync up better?

On this episode of The Inches, David Greenberg, SVP of business & legal affairs at the Oak View Group joins us to dive into the things you need to know to make sure that your agreements get a smooth voyage through the legal department.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Art of Upselling Sponsors

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:00:00 -0400

Upselling a current is more efficient than closing a new one. You've built the trust, know their needs, and already have their assets & branding needs locked in.

But how do you ask for more dollars?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the art of upselling your current sponsors to drive more revenue for your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Steps after a Sponsor says YES

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 18:00:00 -0400

You did it. After a long and tasking sales process, you convinced your sponsor to spend their marketing dollars on your sponsorship package.

So now the job is done, right? Think again.

This week on The Inches, we dive into the steps from YES to opening night and how to streamline that process.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Differences in Selling to Local & National Sponsors

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Understanding the relationship between the local franchise & national brand office can be the make or break of closing a deal. Each has different goals and outlooks on its marketing spend.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how to sell into both local and national accounts and how they work with each other.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with sponsors who don't live up to their end of the bargain

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 13:00:00 -0400

We talk a lot about how we need to adjust to make sure our sponsors see results on this podcast. But what happens if a sponsor doesn't come through with their end of the bargain?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how you can weather the storm when a sponsor doesn't get you the resources needed to be successful.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to leverage stadium projects into sponsorship revenue

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 17:00:00 -0400

As sports teams, we all spend on stadium projects. Whether furniture, carpeting, paint, or dasher board printing...it all comes in as a line item on our expenses report.

But what if we could turn these projects into new sponsorships?

This week on The Inches, we dive into how your team can take a stadium expense and shift it into sponsorship revenue for your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & 2 Vets: A chat with Gina Rotolo on Sports Marketing & Sponsorships

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Nothing like bringing two sports & entertainment vets on to chat about all things sponsorship and marketing in the industry.

In this episode Gina Rotolo, the VP of Marketing & Communications for the Coachella Valley Firebirds. joins the podcast to share her knowledge & advice on the relationship between Marketing & Sponsorship...and more.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to deal with diminishing returns in sponsorship.

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:00:00 -0400

We've all been there. A sponsorship campaign has huge results in the beginning...but each month (or year) you see fewer and fewer results for your sponsors.

This is never good. But surely there is a way to break through diminishing returns in sponsorship?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into a few tactics to help you refresh your assets to avoid hitting that plateau with your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to effectively help your sponsors reach youth and families

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 14:00:00 -0400

Many sponsors want to make an impact with and reach families and youth. Many times, they can't do so directly with their advertising mix.

But with sports teams, there are opportunities to piggyback off our reach within these categories if done effectively.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can build assets that help sponsors authentically reach this key demographic.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Looking back at our 2022 Sponsorship Predictions

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:00:00 -0400

We're halfway through 2022 (which is crazy) and looking toward a strong finish to the year.

Back in Dec 2021, we did an episode on The Inches to predict the trends going into 2022. Today, we're looking back at those predictions to see where we are.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Sponsors on off-season events

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 18:00:00 -0400

Most of our action happens during the season. But in today's world, fans are looking to consume your team's content all year round.

This is a huge opportunity to open up new inventory for your sponsors to buy.

On this episode, we dive into how you can maximize your off-season events to open up new and exciting inventory for sponsors to buy.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with bad PR on the team or brand side in sponsorships

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 11:00:00 -0400

A PR crisis will inevitably happen in your time working in sports sponsorships. I might come from the team side, or the brand side with those who sponsor you.

How you react to those crises can make or break your future success in this industry.

In this episode, we dive into how to handle those crises to come out on top while building trust with your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Helping sponsors utilize your team IP outside of your stadium

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:00:00 -0400

The brand your team has built is powerful. Most have built trust and familiarity with their fan base. In sponsorship many times, we sell that power as the main benefit we have.

But what about the value of that IP and team logo when used outside the stadium?

In this episode of The Inches podcast, we dive into how pushing your sponsors to utilize your logo outside the stadium can help increase trust and sales from your fans.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Recessions & Sponsorships Part 2

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 22:00:00 -0400

All signs point to a looming recession on the horizon, and what is interesting is a majority of us in the industry haven't experienced a recession.

So what should we focus on to ensure our sponsorship department continues to grow?

In this episode, we dive into some key tactics you can implement to succeed as we head into a possible recession.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Talking sponsorship fulfillment with guest Toni Campbell

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 17:00:00 -0400

You've sold the sponsorship, got the client to say YES, and received the handshake to make it official. The job's done, right?

Nope, we still have to fulfill the order and come through on our promise to our client. That is where the sponsorship fulfillment team comes in.

This week on The Inches, we chat with sponsorship fulfillment vet Toni Campbell on the most important parts of coming through for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to keep sales momentum with your sponsors & prospects

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 19:00:00 -0400

Sales momentum might be the most important aspect of closing sales in sponsorships. You always want to make sure that you are moving the deal forward.

But it's easy to go from pushing sales momentum to being a pest in the sales process.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how you can keep sales momentum moving without being too pushy.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Targeting a brand that has never spent on sports sponsorships

Thu, 26 May 2022 19:00:00 -0400

Most of the time we focus on brands that are currently spending on sports sponsorships. Makes sense, they already see the value of those partnerships.

But is there an opportunity to grab a sponsor that has NEVER spent in the space? And if so, how can we convince them to take a meeting with us?

This week on The Inches we dive into why you should be looking at brands that don't spend on sports sponsorships and a few tactics to help get that meeting.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Pitch

Fri, 13 May 2022 15:00:00 -0400

The sponsorship pitch is the moment for us to shine, to take all of the research we did on the prospect and turn it into a concise package to help close the deal.

But before you head to the meeting, there are a few questions you should be asking yourself about the proposal you have put together.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the top 5 questions you should ask yourself before you walk through those lobby doors to pitch a sponsor.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Sponsorship Guide to Retargeting

Thu, 05 May 2022 21:00:00 -0400

You've collected the email or phone number...now we just hand it to our sponsors right?

Not so fast, you can upsell that sponsor and drive more value with a retargeting package.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into some actionable tactics to add retargeting into your tool belt of offerings to sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Vetting innovation to ensure it leads to partner outcomes

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 11:00:00 -0400

We all love the flashy new thing or trendy innovations that come our way. While they may be cool ideas, are they really helping our sponsors reach their goals?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how you should think about innovations in sponsorships and how to vet if they are a right fit for your partner and their goals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Why Data is vital to your sponsorship packages

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Data is a powerful tool in today's advertising world. More and more sponsors are expecting data capture in their packages.

But what are the best ways to add, manage, and make sure we are compliant when we offer them in our packages?

This week we dive into how you can make data capture your superpower for your sponsorship department.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with your point person moving on in sponsorship

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:00:00 -0400

With the great resignation, we've seen a lot of employee turnover at the brands that spend with us in sports sponsorships.

Sometimes that person is your main contact, the person you've spent years building a relationship with. So how do you deal with that person leaving?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the steps and tactics to help you build a relationship with that new contact.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to JAZZ up your sponsorship pitches & presentations

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 18:00:00 -0400

Nothing is worse than sitting through an unenthusiastic partnership pitch.

I take that back...it feels worse when you give one and get no engagement from the prospect. Just blank faces.

This week on The Inches we dive into how you can JAZZ up your pitch meetings to drive more conversation & engagement from your prospects (and close more dollars).

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to utilize your hospitality assets to close sponsors

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 19:00:00 -0400

As Rich always says, people buy from people they trust. The same goes for your prospective sponsors.

But how can you help them build trust with their prospects through your sponsorship assets? Hospitality.

In this episode, we dive into how your hospitality assets can make or break your sponsorship packages and help you get more dollars over the line.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Building Sponsorship Packages For Healthcare Partners

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 20:00:00 -0500

Healthcare is a HUGE category in the sports sponsorship space, and it makes sense why. Athletes and sports are a perfect sync up to drive health messaging.

But what assets and activations should you be looking at in the packages you build for sponsors in this category?

This week we dive into what it takes to close a healthcare partner in sports sponsorships.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Emergence of QR Codes in Sports Sponsorships

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

We all saw the Coinbase Superbowl commercial and some may have played along. QR codes have made the ultimate comeback in technology history.

But what are the true strengths and weaknesses of QR codes? Can they be overdone?

This week on The Inches, we dive into a conversation on QR codes and their future in sports sponsorships.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with overcrowding in sports sponsorship

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Our goal in sponsorship is to maximize revenue for our team. Most of the time, this comes with a strategy to sell the most amount of assets and brands.

But are our stadiums becoming too crowded with sponsorship messages? Are our sponsors truly standing out to fans?

This week on The Inches we dive into our thoughts on overcrowding and how your team can adjust your assets.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Transitioning from ticket sales to sponsorship sales

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Many times in the sports industry we start in ticket sales. It's a key first role to get your feet wet in the industry.

But how can you transition from a role in ticketing over to the sponsorship side of the business?

In this episode, we dive into how you can frame your experience in ticketing to help you close a new role in sports sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Finding your Killer Asset in Sponsorship

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 19:00:00 -0500

How are your team's assets different? How do they stand out? What makes your sponsorship packages jump out to partners and make them want to buy?

Knowing what your killer asset is in sponsorship can be the difference between closing a deal and losing it.

This week on The Inches podcast, we dive into why having a killer sponsorship asset is vital to growth and how you can find yours.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling a Jersey or Helmet Sponsorship

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:00:00 -0500

More & more we are seeing the opening of jersey and uniform sponsorships in sports, particularly in the U.S.

But should we take any sponsor who wants to put their logo on our players and uniforms?

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how context and authenticity are vital to a successful jersey partnership.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How turning Fans into Influencers can help drive value for your sponsors

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0500

When we think of influencers, we think of people with high status. Ones that are famous, maybe.

But it doesn't mean that regular fans in your fan base can't help tell your sponsor's story and drive other fans to make a purchase.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can create opportunities for your fans to become influencers and drive brand value.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with sponsors in competing categories

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

At some point in our sponsorship careers, we will deal with sponsors that are competitors looking to partner with our team.

But how can we make sure that a partnership is beneficial for both competing brands?

This week on The Inches podcast, Rich & Nick dive into how to manage and deal with those competitors in your partnership portfolios.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Looking back at our 2021 opportunities

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0500

It's always fun to look back at predictions to see what you got right & wrong.

Sometimes looking back and analyzing can reveal even more opportunities for the following year.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into our 2021 predictions for opportunities and how which ones are still relevant today.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 2022 Predictions for the Sponsorship Industry

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

A new year brings new trends, predictions, and things we should be looking at as a sponsorship department.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into the 5 things we are looking out for in 2022 for the industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with postponements in sponsorships

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Some of us may have some flashbacks to March 2020 with the current run of postponements of games. Our sponsors are probably getting those same flashbacks.

With this, it is vital to make sure we are building trust and confidence with our partners no matter the status of attendance.

In this episode, we dive into an action plan to deal with game postponements.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to thrive as a one person team in sponsorship

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0500

Many times in sponsorship we get put into the position of being a one-person show. It's all on one to prospect, activate and close revenue.

But how can we make sure we are thriving despite not having a full team?

This week on The Inches we dive into some keys to making sure you crush it as a one-person team in partnerships.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to easily build engagement into your sponsorship packages

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:00:00 -0500

Today sponsors need more than eyeballs, they need reactions and participation. This shift means we have to adjust the assets and campaigns we offer sponsors.

But how can we do so without adding an enormous amount of work to our team?

This week we dive into how you can easily add engaging assets to offer your sponsors today.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to work through Partnership Plateau

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we get that sponsor that spends a fixed amount year after year, never looking to spend more. I call it Partnership Plateau.

So how can you break above the plateau and get them to spend more?

This week Rich & I dive into how you can use context and creativity to up your sponsor's spend each season.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: What We're Thankful For In Sponsorship

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Sometimes the holidays are great times to sit back and reflect on our work in sponsorship. What better time than Thanksgiving to reflect on the things we are thankful for in the industry.

In this episode, we dive into the 3 things we are each thankful for in the sponsorship industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Can Category Spend Help You Prospect In Sponsorship?

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

As Rich always says, "Why did they rob the bank? It's where the money is." Sometimes we can look toward how much a category is spending on sports sponsorship to help plan our prospecting strategy.

But is that enough?

This week we dive into what other factors come into play when building a prospecting strategy around category spend in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, Sr. Director of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Thunderbirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Planning Around Your Sponsor's Budget Season

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Many times in sports our off-season doesn't align with a sponsor's budgeting season, which leaves you scrambling to unlock more spend after the fact.

But what are some strategies to help you get their ear while you are still in season?

This week on The Inches we dive into some tactics and strategies to ensure that your sponsorship is a part of their budget strategy for the following year.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Referrals Play A Role In Sponsorship Growth

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0400

Nothing is better than a warm intro. And it's because as Rich mentions " We buy from who we like and trust".

But how can you build referrals into your prospecting strategy for sponsorship?

This week we dive into a few tips to make sure that referrals are a big part of your growth strategy.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to get a jumpstart when entering a new market

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

In sports, we change teams. It's part of the carousel of the business. This means we jump from one geo-market to another to build relationships and sell.

So how can you get a headstart when you enter a new market in sponsorship?

This week we dive into the actionable steps to thrive when you switch cities and teams in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Importance of Relationships In Sponsorship

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0400

We all know how important relationships are in sales, but how can you make sure you are laying a foundation for each prospect you engage with?

In this episode, we dive into how to build long-term relationships with clients and how they can benefit you as you transition to new roles.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Pillars to Selling Sponsorship as a Small Fish in a Big Pond

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

So you're in a big market as a smaller organization. Some might just fight for the scraps left behind from the bigger teams.

Our goals should always be to punch above our weight class.

This week on the Inches we dive into 3 pillars for being successful in earning deals in a big market with limited resources & reach.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Too Much Selling, Not Enough Listening

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

How we sell has changed in the digital age has changed. With Zoom calls, we can share our screen and jump into our perfectly crafted deck to close our sponsor.

Most times though...this is the wrong way to go about it.

In this episode, Rich & Nick dive into why you should be listening more than selling in your meetings and what questions to ask.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to weave events & trends into your sponsorship strategy

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 22:00:00 -0400

Outside of our game day, what are some ways we can build new inventory that drives new revenue & customers? Events.

This week on The Inches we dive into how calendar events (Halloween, etc.) and trends can help open up new ways to generate revenue from new partners & old ones.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Talking through hiring in sponsorship

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 19:00:00 -0400

Picking the right team is vital in sports sponsorship. We need the right mix of players to prospect, activate, and maintain relationships.

But how can we make sure we're hiring the right people?

This week on The Inches we dive into some of Rich's best tactics for how to ensure you are hiring successfully in your partnership department.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Content Marketing Can Help You Close Deals In Sponsorship

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Today in sales there is a clash between new tactics and old ones. All the while, our buyer's journey has shifted dramatically in the last 10 years.

So how can you ensure you are utilizing both to bring in prospects and deals?

This week on The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into some ideas on how you can utilize content marketing to help close deals in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Nostalgia can help you win sponsorship deals

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Nostalgia is a powerful tool in advertising. It helps us pull out the emotions of our customers and tie them to our brand. Sports is the epitome of a nostalgia creator.

But how can we authentically tie in our sponsors?

This week on the Inches, Rich & Nick dive into how your team can turn nostalgia into dollars for your team and sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to LOSE your auto dealer partnerships

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 18:00:00 -0400

The auto category is one of the largest spenders in the sports partnerships industry. It's always important that we keep them happy and coming back to partner with us.

But what are some reasons that they walk away from our deals?

This week on The Inches, we dive into how to LOSE your auto sponsor and ways you can avoid doing so.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How important is expertise in social media essential for sponsorship?

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 11:00:00 -0400

There is a huge shift in where brands are looking to spend their dollars...and it's landing on digital.

So how competent should sponsorship salespeople be with the mechanics of these platforms?

This week Rich & Nick dive into the subject of how and why you should up your social media game as a sponsorship salesperson.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How making it EASY helps in sponsorship

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

We've all heard the pushback on the Olympics streaming experience this year. The financial implications with sponsors and lower viewership are HUGE.

But how can we make sure if we launch our own platforms we don't make the same mistakes?

This week on The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into how making it EASY can help drive value for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Timing Fits Into Sponsorship Sales & Activations

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400

Hitting the right prospect, at the right time, with the right product to solve their need. That is always our goal in sales.

But how can we time our sales process to be more efficient?

In this episode, we dive into timing and how it can become your super power in sponsorship sales & activations.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Big Shift Coming In Sponsorship

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0400

As with any industry, sponsorship and advertising are evolving. Where brands want to spend their dollars is shifting away from our legacy assets and toward more digital ones.

This week on The Inches Rich & Nick dive into where brands are spending their dollars and where we're vulnerable as an industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Communicating BIG changes to your sponsors

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:00:00 -0400

In sports, we deal with big organizational changes. New logos, new systems, shake-ups in the front office...you name it, we see it.

But when & how is the best way to bring our partners into the fold when those changes happen?

In this episode of The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into the best ways to communicate those big changes to sponsors and how they can strengthen the partnership.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 things that have stayed the same post-pandemic in sponsorship

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Last week we dove into the 3 things that have changed post-pandemic in sponsorship, it was only right that we looked at the 3 items that have stayed the same.

In this episode, we dive into the foundations you can build upon in your department no matter what comes your way.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Changes Post-Pandemic in Sponsor Needs

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 23:00:00 -0400

We're getting back to somewhat of a normal season in sports after the pandemic, but we've also seen our sponsor needs shift.

In this episode, Rich & Nick dive into the top 3 changes they've seen in sponsor needs post-pandemic.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Revival Episode, Getting that Sponsor that left back

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 09:00:00 -0400

Churn in our business is a given. You will have some sponsors that leave. But how do we get them back into our portfolio of partners without burning bridges?

In this episode of The Inches, We dive into some tactics and systems that can help you bring those partners back.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with Over-Promising, but Under-Delivering in Sponsorship

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0400

We've all heard the saying, always under-promise and over-deliver...but sometimes that creates a conundrum. Undersell early and you might lose the deal, oversell and you might lose it a year from now.

In this episode of The Inches Rich & Nick dive into how you can navigate this scenario to be successful when selling sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Aggressive vs. Persistent Sales Tactics

Thu, 20 May 2021 15:00:00 -0400

We've all seen it. Sometimes a salesperson comes on too strong. Sometimes their tactics are a bit too aggressive. Heck, we've probably also already been there and done it ourselves at one time or the other.

But how can we make sure that we stay persistent without being overly aggressive and turning our prospects off?

This week on The Inches we dive into what that line looks like and some tactics to help make sure you are staying pleasantly persistent and not overly aggressive.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Setting and Looking at Package Minimum Spend

Fri, 14 May 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Package minimums can either kill you (too much work for the revenue) or help you compete (open new markets). It's a fine line.

This week on The Inches Podcast, Rich & Nick dive into how your team should be looking at your minimum spend threshold for your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Navigate And Find The $$$

Thu, 06 May 2021 12:00:00 -0400

Many times in sponsorship, we equate marketing and advertising budgets as our main focus when selling.

But many times, there are other budgets we can tap into in order to creatively open up dollars.

In this week's episode, we dive into those buckets and how you can work them into your pitch when closing your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Selling & Prospecting "New" Categories

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:00:00 -0400

In sports sponsorship, we have our tried & true verticals ( Auto, Healthcare, QSR, etc.)...but what about the ones that come up?

In this episode, we dive into how you can prospect, engage, and think about new categories & opportunities that show up in our industry.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Why Keeping It SIMPLE Is So Important In Sponsorship Activation

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 18:00:00 -0400

Sometimes our activations get a little out of control. We fill them with complexities that aren't needed to reach our goals.

99% of the time if we can keep them simple, we'll see more success.

In this episode, Nick & Rich dive into ways you can re-evaluate your sponsorship assets to keep them simple and effective for your sponsor's goals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Which Social Media Platforms Should I Focus On?

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0400

With so many options out there reaching so many different ages of fans, sometimes it is hard to choose which social media platform we should focus on building our following on in sports sponsorship.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team should be looking at and evaluating each social media platform.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Podcasts We're Listening To

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Sometimes there is a huge benefit in learning outside of our industry to move forward and be innovative. There are few better ways to do this than listening to Podcasts.

On this episode of The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into 3 podcasts we are listening to and how they help us grow in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Your team app's role in sponsorship | PT. 2

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Does my team even need a mobile app? Is it worth it for the return I will get on the sponsorship end?

In Part 2, Rich & Nick dive into the true value of a mobile app for your team and sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Your team app's role in sponsorship | PT. 1

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Digital, Digital, Digital is the hot topic of the day in sports sponsorship. Brands are looking to spend there, teams need to have assets ready to sell.

A team app is usually the first inventory that comes to mind in this topic, but how can you make sure you are maximizing your app and selling it correctly to sponsors?

This week we dive into the topic of team apps and their role in sponsorship sales for digital inventory. This is part 1 of a 2 part segment.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Sales Prospecting - A listener question

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Prospecting at any time can be a daunting task...but especially if you are a smaller team working through the tail end of a pandemic.

This week Rich and I dive into a listener-sent question around how you can prospect and gain potential sponsor interest in today's climate.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Creating A Sponsorship Report Card

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0500

As with anything, what gets measured in sponsorship gets improved. If we plan on improving our sponsorship department, we have to brutally honest in our audits and create a system to really grade where we are and our progress.

In this episode of The Inches, we dive into how your team can create a report card for your department that will help you understand your goals and where you need to improve.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Are your sponsorship assets creating more problems than value?

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0500

Sometimes in sponsorship, we get so excited about new assets that we forget about really vetting to see if the value it creates is bigger than the problems or headaches that may come.

On this episode of The Inches Podcast, Rich & Nick dive into a process to make sure that the asset you're pitching won't turn into a headache for your organization or sponsor.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Super Bowl Break Down + Hacking Attention

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0500

The Superbowl always brings a ton of interest in the sponsorship space. The most interesting thing in our minds was the ability for brands to hack the attention around the game, even if you weren't' a Superbowl official sponsor.

In this episode, we dive into a few examples of how brands hacked this attention the past weekend and how you can ensure brands don't opt to target your following on social media over purchasing your sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Navigating Renewals In A Pandemic

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0500

The Pandemic didn't come with a gameplan. Many of us entering our renewal season are heading into a renewal season we've never seen before.

So how can we navigate this time to win back our renewals?

This week Rich & Nick dive into their keys to renewing your sponsors in a post-pandemic world.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Perceived Value Affects Your Sponsorship Packages Pt. 2

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Many times how our sponsors perceive the value of our assets and packages is the true value. It is up to us to make the case for why the package is valuable and why they should purchase it.

But where do we get started in increasing our perceived value?

We continue the discussion from last week with items 6-10.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Perceived Value Affects Your Sponsorship Packages Pt. 1

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Many times how our sponsors perceive the value of our assets and packages is the true value. It is up to us to make the case for why the package is valuable and why they should purchase it.

But where do we get started in increasing our perceived value?

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into part one of a two-part segment on perceived value in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The New Shift In Sponsorship Dollars

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Sponsors are shifting their dollars quickly in this market to platforms that are converting. We're seeing it every day in the industry.

In this episode, Rich & Nick dive into specifically where they are seeing dollars shift to and some ways your team can adapt.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Sponsorship Predictions For 2021

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0500

2020 was a year we'd like to leave behind. But in many ways, it opened new opportunities in the sponsorship industry.

In this episode of The Inches, Rich & Nick dive into their top 5 predictions...or better yet opportunities that will come forward in 2021.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Value Of OWNING Your Streaming Content In Sponsorship

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

The most important thing a team can do today for their sponsorship department is to build their streaming content. It has never been more important to leverage the social following you have and OWN your video content.

But how can we get started as a team and integrate our sponsors authentically?

Rich & I dive into some advice on how your team can build your streaming content and integrate sponsors authentically into your programming.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Keep Up With Your Sponsor Renewals That Didn't Sign

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0500

In a year of a global pandemic, we saw some renewals we could count on for years have a change in their business environment and situation where they couldn't renew this season.

Understandable in a pandemic, but how can we make sure we get them back for next year?

This week on The Inches Podcast, Rich & Nick dive into some tactics to keep them updated throughout the season to set up for a new deal in the following year.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Analyzing The Environment When Fans Come Back

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:00:00 -0500

There is a lot of guessing going on in sports. Will a vaccine get fans back? How will fans consume content? Will they want to come back to the games?

This week on The Inches, we dive into a survey presented at a National Sports Forum session and the key points on what our games look like when fans come back.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Looking At The Opportunities In The Shutdown

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

With limited fans in our stadium, we've lost a lot of eyeballs and inventory in the sponsorship world.

But with loss comes opportunity.

This week on The Inches Rich and Nick dive into the opportunities we see in sponsorship despite the sports shutdown.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Driving Positivity Through Sponsorship In The Next Shutdown

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0500

All indications point to another shutdown. This will again hugely affect our team and sponsors.

This time around though, we are a bit more prepared to weather the storm.

This week we dive into how you can authentically integrate your sponsors into creating a positive experience for the next shutdown WHILE driving sales.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How your team can help small businesses through sponsorship

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Small businesses are the staple of our communities. With the effects of COVID, they are in need of marketing & revenue help.

But what is the best way we can help them grow if they are cash strapped right now?

Rich & I dive into some of the best ways you can help your small businesses in your community thrive and set up packages that lead to success.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Sponsorship Can Help Drive Ticket Sales

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Sponsorship & Ticketing are the main way our teams make money and drive value as a business. And like it or not, how many tickets your team sells directly affects your sales in sponsorship (more eyeballs, more value).

But how can we help drive ticket sales through sponsorship?

This week on The Inches Rich & Nick dive into some strategies you can implement to help bring value to your sponsors AND drive more butts in seats for your ticketing department.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 8 Fan Motivations To Focus On In Sponsorship | Part 2

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:00:00 -0400

Continuing our discussion from last week, Rich & Nick dive finish the 5-8 of the 8 fan motivations and dive into how they can help in your sponsorship strategy.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 8 Fan Motivations To Focus On In Sponsorship | Part 1

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 18:00:00 -0400

In sponsorship, our job is to connect and introduce our fans to our partners. How can we be successful at that if we don't understand our fans and their motivations for consuming our games?

This week on The Inches, Rich and I dive into part one to look at 4 motivations that our fans have and how we can tie that back to helping your sponsors reach their goals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Your first 100 days on the new sponsorship job

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

With the pandemic, many of us find ourselves in the midst of looking for a new job. Whether that comes as a new college grad or vet moving jobs, the first 100 days on the job can be some of the most important to ensure a great foundation in the new position.

This week on The Inches, Rich & I dive into how to nail those first 100 days as a new hire in the sponsorship world.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Why NOW is the perfect time to rethink your audio assets

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:00:00 -0400

We dove into this topic pre-pandemic, but as most fans stay home to consume their content it is more important than ever to look at providing them with new ways to listen and connect.

This week on The Inches Podcast Rich & I dive into the different new audio channels you should be looking at and how you can pitch them to sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Dealing with NO in sponsorship sales

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:00:00 -0400

If you're doing sponsorship sales correctly, you are getting No more times than Yes.

But how do we handle a No? Is it forever? Is it a Not Right Now?

This week on The Inches Podcast Rich & I dive into how you deal with a No and the appropriate steps to turn it into a YES.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to make sure your sponsorship assets aren't a commodity

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Is a sponsored tweet a commoditized asset? How can we make sure that brands see our assets as more than something every other team is offering?

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into how you can identify which assets are becoming commoditized in your portfolio and bring new life and value to them.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Are Your Sponsors Getting Digital Fatigue?

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Today most of the assets we have to offer are digitally based. With little to no attendance, it is one of the only ways we can reach our fans at the scale our full stadiums once did.

But are we pushing so many assets that it is causing digital fatigue?

This week on The Inches Rich & Nick dive into what digital fatigue is, what causes it, and how you can overcome it with your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Overcoming The Fear Of Failure In Sponsorship

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In sponsorship, we take risks every day whether we know it or not.

When we present an idea to a sponsor we are putting our ideas out there to be accepted or rejected. But sometimes, more importantly, we take an even bigger risk with the items we don't put into those pitches.

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into how we think about the fear of failure and how to overcome it to drive innovation in your department.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 4 Cornerstones To Time Management In Sponsorship

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:00:00 -0400

With the tidal wave that we've weathered in sponsorship these last months sometimes we lose sight of how we are managing our time.

This is a huge problem as it is essential to be as efficient as possible to drive value for our partners and teams.

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into the 4 cornerstones that you should be focusing on to ensure you are managing your time efficiently toward the right goals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Top 5 Ways To Lose Your Sponsors

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Nothing like having a map to navigate the sand traps. Luckily we have Rich to help us navigate.

This week Rich & I dive into the top 5 ways we see teams losing their sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Build Innovation Into Your Sponsorship Department Culture

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 18:00:00 -0400

The pandemic has forced our industry to innovate and drive more ways to connect with fans digitally.

It also exposed how inadequately we've been set up for innovation in our departments.

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into how you can build innovation into your culture to ensure you're on the tip of the iceberg with solutions for your partners.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Planning For If Knock On Wood Sports Come Back To A Halt

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 18:00:00 -0400

We are, for the most part, getting our sports back. But we would be foolish to assume that we won't see a shutdown again and make a plan for our sponsors & teams.

How should we go about making that plan?

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into how you can think about building a plan for if sports shut back down and how to present it to your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Communicate Your Activations Correctly To Your Fans

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 20:00:00 -0400

With games coming back it will be more important than ever to pull fans back into the attention of our sponsors.

But what is the best way to communicate with our fans to ensure they engage with our activations?

Thanks to a listener question, this week we dive into how you should be strategizing on the best medium and plan for communicating with your fans.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to properly upsell your assets to sponsors

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The easiest customers to sell to are your current customers. They know (hopefully) that you can bring value and have built trust in your product.

But what is the best way to upsell them on new assets?

This week on The Inches Rich & I jump into how you can properly upsell your current sponsors to drive more revenue for your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 14 Sports Sponsorship Sales Commandments Pt. 2

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0400

Continuing from last week, we dive into Rich Franklin's 14 sports sponsorship sales commandments 8-14 to finish the list off.

This is a perfect time to get back to our sales roots and help build our portfolio of skills as we dive into the renewal & restart season.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 14 Sports Sponsorship Sales Commandments Pt. 1

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:00:00 -0400

I brought Rich onto The Inches Podcast because of his experience in sponsorship sales over a 30 year career. The nuggets he gave me every time I walked into his office to chat were game-changing.

As we look at the change in the industry today, it is so important to get back to our roots and the foundations in sales as we navigate these times.

In the next two episodes, we'll dive into Rich's 14 sponsorship sales commandments, starting with 1-7 this week.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How Video & Nostalgia Can Bring Value To Your Sponsors

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 18:00:00 -0400

With no live games, we need to find ways to keep fans engaged and connected with our sponsors.

Video is a huge part of the way our fans consume and can be extremely valuable for our sponsors. Sponsors are dropping major dollars on YouTube ads.

This week on The Inches we chat through why you should be building up your Video content library to bring value to fans and sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The Next 100 Days In Sponsorship

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0400

When the shutdown first hit we did a 90 Day Sponsorship Plan episode to share how you can come out on top and survive with your sponsors.

We're 100 days into the sports shutdown. SO Rich & I thought it would be best to follow up.

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into how you should be thinking about the next 100 days as we plan the next stage of sponsorship in sports.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Blend Stadium Health & Safety With Your Sponsors

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 19:00:00 -0400

As we get back to our arenas opening it will be vital to educate your fans on how they can stay healthy and safe in your arena.

But is there an opportunity to sync our sponsors with that message and education?

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into how we're thinking about integrating sponsors into the new health & safety measures we apply in our stadiums.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Pulling Your Fans In While Your Games Are At A Remote Location

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 17:00:00 -0400

Games are re-starting in many of our leagues, which is amazing toward getting things back to normal.

But these games aren't on our turf. They will be primarily consumed on television by fans which don't help us build assets for the make goods on our sponsors.

This week Rich and I dive into how you can utilize text messaging to pull fans into your own branded gameday experience.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Sponsorship's Role In Community Change

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:00:00 -0400

Sometimes in your industry, you need to have the hard conversations in order to create change. With the protesting we've seen in our country this week Rich and I felt the need to dive in to answer this question:

What is sponsorship's role in creating change in our communities?

This week we dive in to talk about that question.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Utilizing Audio Content In Your Sponsorship Assets Part 2

Wed, 27 May 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Audio and sports have been connected at the hip for over 100 years. It is how our games spread like wildfire.

Today, it is no different. Fans still want to consume content through audio. The only thing that has, and will always change is the platform they consume it on.

This week on the Inches Podcast Rich & I dive into how you can build up your new audio assets easily and why they are important for driving sponsorship dollars.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Scenarios To Plan For With Games Coming Back

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:00:00 -0400

Games are coming back slowly but surely, but there is still a ton of uncertainty in what that looks like.

Will we have fans in the stands? Will we be playing games in front of empty stadiums?

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into 3 scenarios you can plan for & how to work through them with your sponsors.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Why Being The People's Champ Is So Important In Sponsorship Right Now

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Sponsors will remember what you did for them today in their biggest time of need. This is why being the people's champ for them and your community is so important right now in the sponsorship industry.

But what does that mean and how can I get started?

This week on The Inches Rich & I dive into how we think about the path to becoming the people's champ in this time of need.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Creating Spaces In Your Arena That Are Social, But Still Physically Distanced

Wed, 06 May 2020 20:00:00 -0400

Last week we dove into how you should think about your boothing and physical assets and we wanted to go a bit deeper with this week's episode.

This week we dove in deep about your mindset and some shifts in thinking about your physical spaces in your arena while keeping the interaction with your sponsors social.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How to approach and re-think your physical assets in sponsorship

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

When games come back they will be different than before. There is no doubt that some of your physical assets will need to be looked at and possibly changed as you get into renewals.

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into booting, player appearances, and how you can adjust to still save the value in your packages.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The plan to get back into sponsorship sales mode

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

In sponsorship...we sell. And while we may have taken a hiatus with the shutdown we're going to need a plan to get back into a place of generating revenue.

This week on The Inches we dive into a plan for the resumption of your sponsorship sales efforts so you can get back out there helping your sponsors reach their marketing goals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: How To Price Your Assets In The New Sponsorship World

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

What was worth a lot 3 months ago certainly won't be when we get back out selling. But how can I know how this pandemic is affecting what sponsors are willing to pay for my assets?

This week on The Inches we dive into how you can properly price your assets when you are back out there selling.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: What To Do About Proposals You Sent Out Pre-Shutdown

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 23:00:00 -0400

You sent out proposals, you were about to hit your goal, it was all sunshine & rainbows....and then the shutdown hit.

So what do you do about the sponsorship proposals you sent out? How do you talk with your sponsors about it?

This week on The Inches we went live on LinkedIn and dove into how you can approach your sponsors who you sent proposals and work out a plan to reconcile the value.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Our Top 5 Digital Engagements We've Seen In Sports

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 23:00:00 -0400

There is A LOT of digital content out there...which is great. Our industry is testing, pivoting, and learning about what their customers (fans) want.

But we've seen some great examples that have stood out to us. So we made a list of our top 5 examples.

Tune in to hear us show some love to our favorite engagements we've seen in the shutdown.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Adjust Your Assets For When Games Come Back

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:00:00 -0400

In sponsorship, we are entering a new world when games come back. The atmosphere we entered the renewal season with will be massively different for our sponsors, fans, and teams.

So how can we adjust and be ready for this new world?

This week Rich & I dive into some tactics you can implement to make sure you understand what has changed for your fans & sponsors and adjust for when our seasons start.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: The 90 Day Shutdown Sponsorship Game Plan

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:00:00 -0400

We're here...and it is really easy to pack it in and hold out until things get better.

That is not the way to do it. You need a plan for your team, sponsors, and a foundation for how you come out on top after stronger.

This week on the Inches we lean on Rich, who's been through multiple recessions in sponsorship sales, to help us craft a 90-day plan in sponsorship. Great tactical advice to help the younger generation battle in this tough time.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & Guest David Millay: Building Sponsorship Assets With A Fan Journey Map

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 07:00:00 -0400

Rich is out on vacation but we have a special guest with us on the podcast David Millay, co-founder and managing partner of EngageMint, to help take us through how we can map out fan journeys to help build better connection points between fans and sponsors.

Great insights with actionable stories. We're blessed to have him on.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Sponsorship Tip Of The Week: Utilizing Instagram Close Friends In Sponsorship

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:00:00 -0400

We got nitty-gritty on this week for the Sponsorship Tip Of The Week with an actionable campaign based on Instagram Stories feature Close Friends.

Really as we think about monetizing our social assets in sponsorship we should be looking to how influencers are utilizing the platform.

We as teams are influencers.

This week I dive into the feature and how you can use it in sponsorship to drive revenue and value.

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The Sponsorship Tip Of The Week is a weekly video series posted on LinkedIn to help give you ideas to drive more revenue and value for your team and sponsors.

See more Sponsorship Tip Of The Week Episodes HERE

Rookie & The Vet: Using Exclusivity Correctly in Sponsorship

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 07:00:00 -0500

Exclusivity is the number one most valued asset in a sponsorship package. Brands want to be the exclusive brand in your arena.

But...there are definitely wrong ways to sell that value to sponsors.

This week on The Inches Rich & Nick dive into why exclusivity is valuable and how you can use it correctly to drive sponsorship value.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: Building a winning culture with Mike Johnston

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0500

There is a lot of talk about culture and how you need to build a "winning" one within your organization. I've never heard a more tactical game plan on how to achieve this than listening to Mike Johnston.

Mike Johnston is the Vice President, General Manager, and Head Coach of the Portland Winterhawks. He's held positions at the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and many other hockey organizations...but most importantly he turned the Winterhawks organization around in just a few short years into a winning powerhouse.

This week we dive in with him on how he builds teams, prospects, and build a culture with his team. There's a huge amount of carryover to our jobs in sports & sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.

Rookie & The Vet: What is digital and how do we class assets?

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 08:00:00 -0500

This week I realized that we talk a lot about digital assets...but we haven't really defined what a digital asset is and how to classify them.

Well, we changed that with a chat on how Rich classifies and pitched his digital assets in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Benefits, Not Features, In Sponsorship

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 07:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we get so caught up in the features of our assets we forget that the sponsor is not buying the physical rink board or Facebook post, they are buying how that helps them reach the desired result.

In this episode, we dive into how you can structure your sales pitch to sell on benefits, not just features.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: The Urgency In The Need For Digital Assets In Sponsorship

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 06:00:00 -0500

After a two week trip, we are in a dire state we're in today in sponsorship with the lack of digital assets in our packages.

He dives into a few examples and some strategies you should look at when creating your sponsorship packages.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

1Q Sponsorship Interview: Tayler Easton - What Brands Are Looking For In Youth Sports

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 20:00:00 -0500

This week we ask Tayler Easton, Director of Corporate Sales & Partnerships at Varsity Spirit what brands are most looking for when they want to sponsor youth sports events.

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The 1Q Sponsorship Interview is a series where we ask some of the best in the sponsorship business one question about their work in the industry.

Hosted By Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Using FOCUS as your sponsorship super-power

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 22:00:00 -0500

With so many things going on at any given point in our season and off-season, how can we ensure that we are focusing on the right things to drive growth?

This week on The Inches Rich dives into ways you can ensure you are focusing on the right things for your prospects, employees, and clients to push forward.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & the Vet: Setting up assets for gaming partners

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Gaming partners are a huge part of our sponsorship mix. Lotteries and casinos are constantly looking for ways to connect with our fans and build brand loyalty.

But with the sports betting wave coming to the states the opportunity has exploded for driving new sponsorship dollars in this category.

This week Rich & Nick dive into how you can build assets that these gaming partners will love and buy.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Looking outside sports for sponsorship inspiration

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we can put the sports blinders up as we look for new ways to innovate our sponsorship assets. We stay focused on what others are doing in sports that we get pigeonholed into those tactics.

This week on The Inches Rich and I look outside sports to another sponsorship & entertainment industry for new inspiration and ideas we can bring into our gamedays.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: The Perfect Sponsorship Sales Email Template

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 13:00:00 -0500

Sales today, unfortunately, are driven a lot around automation & optimization...especially when it comes to the cold email.

With this everyone is looking for the magic template they can send to close the deal.

Well, there isn't a template...but there is a structure that will help you close more deals.

This week Rich & I dive into how to structure your cold sponsorship sales emails for success.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Inside the mind of a 17 y/o sports fan |Part 2|

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0500

*BONUS CONTENT*

We're back with part 2 of our interview with Tyler, a young sports fan looking to get into the industry.

Great insights at the beginning of this segment on his viewing habits, some last thoughts from Tyler on how we as teams can reach him better, and some wisdom from Rich & I on getting into the sports business game.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Inside the mind of a 17 y/o sports fan |Part 1|

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Nothing is better than a focus group with the younger generation. You learn so much about today's viewership habits, purchasing habits, and why (or why not) your team is top of mind.

This week on The Inches Podcast Rich and I had the pleasure of having Tyler, a 17 y/o senior at La Salle HS in Portland, on the podcast as he did a job shadow with Rich and ask him the questions we need as sports teams to successfully reach them.

This is part one of a two-part chat with Tyler.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: 5 Sponsorship Resolutions For 2020

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0500

A new year, a new chance to get forward in your sponsorship game. And how could we start the new year without some resolutions to get us on track for 2020.

On this episode of The Inches Rich & Nick give you 5 new years resolutions in sponsorship you should be looking to commit to in 2020 for your team or organization.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Utilizing your players, mascot, and humans in your sponsorship packages

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 14:00:00 -0500

Sometimes we get so tied up on our in-stadium signage and contests that we forget one of the most vital assets we have on our teams...the people.

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into how & when you should add the people in your organization into your packages and initiatives in sponsorship.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Managing your sponsorship sales pipeline during the season.

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 07:00:00 -0500

Sponsorship prospecting is a 24/7/365 job that doesn't stop when the season starts...but how can we make sure we are keeping up with our prospects in our pipeline?

This week Rich and I dive into different systems, strategies, and even CRM systems that help him manage and keep up to date with his prospects.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

The Rookie & The Vet: Evolving your sponsorship assets, a case study

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 10:00:00 -0500

A word being used a lot today in advertising is evolve. How can we evolve our assets to meet our brand's demand and fan's attention?

This week on the Inches Rich dives into a case study with an AM radio station in Minnesota and we look at how you can evolve your assets easily to match the digital demand by brands & fans.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: How & when to pitch awareness to sponsors

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Awareness is a stat that we've lived off for a LONG time in sponsorship...but today that stat is not as strong as it used to be with our ability to track the activity on digital ads.

So should we totally get rid of it? No

Rich and I dive into the best times to use the stat and how you can evolve your sponsorship packages to reach your sponsor's goals with the stat.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & the Vet: Rich's top 3 out of arena digital activations

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:00:00 -0400

In arena activations are great, but as we know we have opportunities outside of our home games to fill like road games and events.

This week Rich and I dive into the top 3 digital activations you can implement to drive value, engagement, and engagement on non-home games.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Driving Value Beyond Couponing

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:00:00 -0400

Sometimes partners are looking for ways to drive your fans to their location other than couponing. So how do you accommodate this in your sponsorship packages?

This week Rich and I dive into some tactics and ideas other than couponing that you can add to your packages and achieve a similar result to couponing.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: 3 Digital Contests That Are Sure To Drive Sales

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 21:00:00 -0400

Sponsors are actively looking for ways to connect & engage with your fans digitally, but how can you know which ones will work well in closing sponsors and engaging your fans?

This week Rich dives into the top 3 digital activations that are sure to work on your gameday.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: How you can build assets that close Telecom partners

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400

As we continue to look at segments, this week on The Inches we dive into a big one...Telecom.

In a crowded industry that claws for new sign-ups and switching, Rich and I look at the goals of this industry and how you can build assets in this space to drive revenue.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Understanding & closing Fast Food partners

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400

Fast Food is a huge category for us in sports as we reach their key demographic...families.

But how can we set them up for success in our arena? Rich and I dive into the important assets you have to help close a fast-food partner and drive customers to their stores.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

On The Road: Chat with Ron Patel at New Mexico United

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400

On the road this week with a bonus episode...and it's a great one. We sat down with good friend Ron Patel, VP of sales and partnerships at New Mexico United. NMUTD is a team in its first season playing in the USL Championship league and they are having a spectacular year on & off the pitch.

Ron dives into how the team got started, their strategy around building the team around the New Mexico community, and how they use digital to drive partnerships.

Rookie & The Vet: Understanding your Beer & Adult Beverage partners

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:00:00 -0400

Beer & sports go together like PB & J. Alcoholic beverages are a staple in sports sponsorship. But how can we ensure the assets we are implementing are helping their sales?

Rich & Nick dive into what matters for beer partners and some ideas to help you build packages for them.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Winning With Auto Partners In Sports Sponsorship

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:00:00 -0400

Auto partners are one of the largest spenders in sponsorship. But how can we make sure we are keeping them happy and valuable to our fans with the assets we offer?

This week on The Inches we dive into how you can understand the needs of your auto partners, how their industry is shifting, and how you can build assets to help drive revenue for your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Utilizing Audio To Sell Sponsorship

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 10:00:00 -0400

Audio has been a way that sports fans consume from the beginning of time in sports. But very few sponsors are lining up to jump on an AM/FM station. This week on The Inches we chatted on Audio content and how you can bring new life to it through new platforms like Streaming & Alexa/Google home devices.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: What the heck is Tik Tok and how can it help me in sponsorship?

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 10:00:00 -0400

Tik Tok....you may be hearing a lot about it but have no idea what it is...or how it can help you on the sponsorship side.

Don't worry you're not alone.

This week on The Inches we look at what Tik Tok is, how it can help you, and how to get started with your team.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

Rookie & The Vet: Prospecting During The Season With LinkedIn

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 18:00:00 -0400

So the season is starting soon. You have your packages in and are in full implement mode for your upcoming season and partners.

While it is easy to think this isn't the time to prospect...we never stop prospecting in sponsorship sales.

This week on The Inches Podcast we dive into some tactics to make it easier to keep prospecting even when you're busy with the season launch and some tips on how to use LinkedIn to help.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD

The Rookie & The Vet: What To Do When A Sponsor Bails

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 09:00:00 -0400

It's a part of sales...unfortunately.

We pitched, we got the head nods, we got the plan, we thought this one was game over and we had them closed...

Then we got a nice NO 4 weeks before the season starts.

This week on The Inches Podcast Rich Franklin and I dove into how we can prepare and deal with this problem.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Closing The Deal In Sports Sponsorship With Deadlines

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 07:00:00 -0400

The pitch went great, you thought you had them ready to go, then...crickets from your prospects.

Sometimes we get ghosted in sales...it happens in all of the sales industry.

Luckily in sports, we have some ways to set deadlines on our prospects to get an answer. It's called the season.

This week on The Inches we dive into some tactics you can employ to get an answer from the prospects that go dark on you.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: How To Unlock New Sponsorship Revenue By Understanding Budget Buckets

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 09:00:00 -0400

Did you know that brand marketing budgets aren't just labeled "Sponsorship"? They have many different buckets for different initiatives and goals.

This week on The Inches Rich and I dive into how you can close more deals by understanding how a brand's budget is set up and open new revenue by attacking the right buckets.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Sponsorship Tip Of The Week 001: Creating Scalable Digital Content With The Snapchat Spectacles

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 19:00:00 -0400

I hear it A Lot...you don't have the team or bandwidth to create digital video & content to post at scale on social media.

I get it, not everyone has a 10 person social media team.

This week I dive into how the Snapchat Spectacles can help save you time and produce video content for all your social channels (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram) at scale.

Why is this important? Well, sponsors are paying for digital assets like these. If you can create it, you can sell it.

Listen as I take you through how they can make social media content easy for your team at just $150.

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The Sponsorship Tip Of The Week is hosted by Nick Lawson, co-founder of SQWAD. Check out Nick's LinkedIn page each week for a new tip of the week.

Rookie & The Vet: How To De-Risk Your Sponsorship Packages For Partners

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 11:00:00 -0400

In any sales meeting you are basically de-risking the options you are providing them by explaining how your asset will help them reach their goals. In this episode, we dive into the best ways to de-risk them and how to present these ways your presentations.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: How To Successfully Run A Sponsorship Sales Pitch

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:00:00 -0400

Being in control of a sponsorship pitch can make or break the deal. Sometimes we go in without a great plan. This causes things to go off the rails.

On this episode one of the best I know on this, and co-host, Rich dives into his structure and process for meetings.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Competing for sponsorship when you're the smaller team

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 22:00:00 -0400

This week on the Inches we dive into something that I get a lot of while chatting with teams, "How can I compete with the bigger teams in my market?"

Luckily our co-host Rich is a master at this with the Portland Winterhawks. Rich gives key strategies into how to stand out, compete, and win those deals.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Sponsorship Prospecting

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 13:00:00 -0400

Prospecting is sometimes a daunting task in sales. Are you reaching out correctly? Are you reaching out to the right person? How do you build that list?

Rich & I dive into his process for prospecting in the sports sponsorship world.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Making Sure Your Partnership Package Pencils Out For Your Partner

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 11:00:00 -0400

Does your package bring real & tangible value to your sponsors? This week on The Inches Rich & Nick dive into how you can make sure the value of your package pencils out for your sponsors.

We'll dive into how you should understand the goal and journey to purchase by fans so you can build a package around that credible journey so sponsors say YES.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Making sure your digital assets pencil out

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:00:00 -0400

If it makes money, it makes sense. In this week's episode of The Inches Rich and Nick dive into how you can ensure the digital assets you are investing in and implementing actually lead to a return in terms of dollars.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Getting Started With Digital Assets

Thu, 30 May 2019 09:00:00 -0400

This week on The Inches, Rich and Nick dive into how to get started with your digital sponsorship assets. We give advice for going from 0 to 1 and how you can implement easy tactics to start a shift toward offering them to partners.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson

Rookie & The Vet: Digital vs. Traditional Assets

Thu, 23 May 2019 10:00:00 -0400

This week on The Inches Rich Franklin and Nick Lawson dive in on the topic that has been a hot one in sponsorship...Digital or Traditional assets, which are better.

We discuss the strengths of both, focus on the understanding of where attention is, and how you can ultimately make sure that both can work together in harmony.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape.

Rookie & The Vet: Matching The Brand To Your Sponsorship Assets

Thu, 16 May 2019 10:00:00 -0400

How can you make sure that the assets you are offering are matching the brand story and goals of your partners? Today Vet Rich Franklin & Rookie Nick Lawson dive into tactics for understanding your customer and their goals to ensure the right assets are activated with them during the season.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape.

Rookie & The Vet: How To Drive Sponsorship Revenue in the Off-Season

Thu, 09 May 2019 09:00:00 -0400

With the NFL Draft last week being a phenomenal event by the NFL, Rich & Nick dive into how to find opportunities to connect fans to sponsors during the off-season and how you can plan now to make your sponsorship a 12 Month engagement package.

Connect with Rich & Nick on LinkedIn and give us shout about some of the success you've had with setting up off-season events to drive value for your partners.

Rookie & The Vet: What Happens In Sponsorship During a Recession?

Thu, 02 May 2019 10:00:00 -0400

What goes down in sponsorship during a recession? I have no idea because I was graduating high school when the last one hit.

Thankfully, Rich Franklin has been through a few. In this episode, he goes through some sales tips, a game plan, and how to get together a break the glass plan for when money starts to dry up.

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The Inches is a podcast that looks at sports sponsorship and the effect that digital has on the industry.

In the Rookie & The Vet segment Nick Lawson, Co-Founder of SQWAD Sports, and Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Portland Winterhawks, look at different topics in sports & event sponsorship from two sides of the table, the new & the experienced.

The Stunt: How to push awareness for your team with Rich Franklin

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0400

In Season 2 of The Inches I bring on a co-host Rich Franklin. Rich is the VP of Sponsorship for the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club and has over 30 years of sponsorship experience in the radio and sports worlds.

This week we go over the Stunt, which Rich has used in past jobs to drive new awareness and excitement toward his initiatives.

He adds some great examples including an early Stunt with a young Jimmy Kimmel in Seattle.

The Dopest Digital Sponsorship Show - EP 001

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0500

In addition to The Inches interviews we'll be posting the audio from our weekly video series The Dopest Digital Sponsorship Show. This show highlights some of the dopest digital sponsorship activations & news we saw during the week.

In this episode:
-Fortnite X NFL
-Wayne Rooney & D.C. United
-Phil Vs. Tiger TheMatch

Tip of the week: Sponsor-able micro content creation with Snapchat Spectacles

Chatting ISL Agency With Tim Bailey

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0400

Season 2 is here and we're back with Tim Bailey, Director of Business Development at ISL Agency to explore the agency side of sports sponsorship & marketing.

Opening A New Arena With Trinity Gibbons of Portland State

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400

This week we chat with Trinity Gibbons, Assistant AD of Sales & Marketing at Portland State University to chat about how opening a new athletics building can drive sponsorship growth. Get an in-depth look at the process start to finish as Trinity takes us through what went into this awesome project.

New Arena, New Sponsors with Luke Mohamed D.C. United

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400

This week on The Inches we chat with Luke Mohamed, Director of Corporate Partnerships with D.C. United, to get an in-depth look at the new Audi Field and how it has helped them boost sponsorship sales.

Getting the NBL to top 3 in the world with Jeremy Loeliger

Thu, 31 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

How do you take a league from the bottom to one of the top in the world? This week on The Inches we chat with Jeremy Loeliger, CEO of the National Basketball League in Australia to talk about getting the top tech, talent, & sponsors to the league.

Starting a new team in Sin City with Brett Lashbrook

Tue, 22 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

How do you start a team in a new city? We chat with Brett Lashbrook of the LV Lights FC about being true to the city and his adventure of bringing pro soccer to Sin City.

Innovation With Penguins & Jack Tipton

Wed, 09 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

As the city of Pittsburgh evolves into a tech & innovation hub so too does one of its most beloved teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins. We sat down with Jack Tipton, director of partnership sales with the Pens, to chat about how the team is embracing innovation and capturing fans & sponsors.

How To Rebrand A Team w/ Alex Yoh

Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

What goes into a team rebrand? Luckily we were able to link up with Alex Yoh at the Delaware Blue Coats, formerly the 87ers, to chat about their new rebrand and how it affects sponsorship sales.

Chat w/ Brett Ehrlich UCI Live

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400

This week on The Inches we jumped into a great convo with Brett Ehrlich, the VP of sponsorship sales at UCI Live, about Univision’s new live events company and how they are attacking the youth sports market & beyond with amazing tournaments & events.

Chat w/ Alex Chalmers Sporting KC

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400

This week on The Inches we caught up with Alex Chalmers at Sporting KC to talk about how innovation is embedded in the clubs DNA & how that helps him in the sponsorship world.

Chat w: Taylor Mounts, Sponsorship Sales Journeyman

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0500

Chat with Taylor Mounts, sponsorship sales vet with experience at UFC, the Arizona Diamondbacks, University of Auburn, and currently with 1080 The Fan ESPN Radio.

Chat w/ Ryan Norys, Sports Sponsorship Vet

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode of The Inches we have a great chat with Ryan Norys who has worked for the NJ Devils, Manchester City FC, and most recently as Director or Partnerships with the Miami Dolphins. Amazing tactical advice in this episode on tech & sports sponsorship.

Chat w/ Cay Young of the LA Sparks

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500

This week we chat with Cay Young, Director of Corporate Sponsorships for the LA Sparks, to chat WNBA, selling in a crowded LA, and her prediction for the WNBA finals in the 2018 season.Learn more about who puts on The Inches go to www.sqwadapp.co

Chat w/ Danny Macklin Chief Exec Leyton Orient FC

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode of The Inches we chat with Danny Macklin, the Chief Executive at Leyton Orient FC, one of the oldest clubs in London. Some things that come up; FIFA & E-sports, AR & VR, and how they push engagement as a lower level team.

Chat w/ Mark Davies, Head of Global Partnerships for Swansea City FC

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode we dive head in with an amazing guest, Mark Davies. Mark is the head of global partnerships for Swansea City FC, an English Premier League team based out of Wales in the UK. We chat through his journey to Swansea, what he looks for in technology, and a little insight into selling & managing sponsorships when your team goes on a cinderella story run like the one Leicester City did while he was with them.

Give Your Brand Managers Cover With Digital

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode Nick dives into the dilemma facing brand managers when choosing what to spend their marketing dollars on and how you can give them cover through digital to empower them to choose your packages & close more deals in the process.We also make a great recommendation for a great sports bar in Tampa.

Quick rant on sports sponsor

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500

My quick rant on the coming shift in sports sponsorship