How Do Authors Get Book Sponsors?

 

A friend of mine was trying to come up with a name for a cute puppy dog that was on its way home from a breeder. He came up with the likely suspects that related to his favorite sports teams, foods, and TV characters. Boring! He was having trouble landing on one while seeking a consensus from his kids and wife. I suggested he offer to sell the naming rights to a corporation. How funny would that be?

Then, I thought, why don’t authors do that — sell their book’s naming rights to a company?

In the 1950s and 1960s some TV shows were introduced by their sponsor, such as “Texaco Presents Bob Hope’s Merry Christmas Special.” Further, some magazines in the 1980s, like US News and World Report, used to have a corporate sponsor for a particular column. I recall one saying “Mobil Presents…” So, why not books?

There should be a web site where anything can get corporate naming rights. There would be a bidding process, like the way products sell on ebay, with a minimum bid established, a deadline to submit, and then a binding deal in place.

People can name their homes like a sports arena, their pets, and their books. It gives companies great publicity, throws a few bucks in someone’s pocket, and of course, continues the trend towards consumerism that will not stop until companies name our kids, brand their logos onto your ass, and completely enjoin our lives with non-stop marketing.

As I write this, the vaunted New York Yankees just signed a 100 million-dollar, multi-year deal to allow for an insurance company to put its logo on their uniforms. Advertising is everywhere. Why not books?

So, how does one get corporate sponsorship?

First, determine what type of company would want to be associated with you — and you them. Make sure there is values/political alignment.

Second, find the key people at each company to approach, from CEO and President to Director or Head of Branding, Marketing, PR, or Sponsorships. Company web sites and Linked In are useful resources.

Third, what do you ask for and what are they willing to give? Some companies might donate product or swag; others may offer use if services or facilities; and others will help market you or pay you to execute a public marketing campaign.

Fourth, be prepared to answer: What is in it for them? What will they get of value in return for investing in you?

They may pay you to post certain blog content or to speak publicly with a message that weaves them in. They could make a discounted bulk purchase of your book. Perhaps they want you to be their public spokesperson or they want to license some of your content. Maybe they will pay you to be on their advisory board or they want you to endorse their product or service. Maybe they will pay for events to promote your book. Perhaps they have a non-profit, charitable foundation that you can be involved with.

Authors ask me all of the time about how to get a sponsor or investor. It is time the book naming rights Hunger Games begin!

Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.