How to follow up on a sponsorship proposal
Most sponsorship deals aren't lost with a "no." They're lost to silence. The proposal went out, the prospect meant to reply, budgets got discussed internally, and nobody followed up at the right moment. Here's how to follow up without being a pest, with templates you can copy for each stage.
Why following up matters so much
Sponsorship buyers are busy, and your proposal is rarely the only one on their desk. Decisions often involve several people (marketing, brand, sometimes finance), and your proposal has to survive being forwarded around without you in the room. A good follow-up keeps you in the conversation, answers the questions they haven't asked yet, and makes it easy to say yes.
The goal of every follow-up is the same: make the next step obvious and easy. Not "just checking in," but something useful, plus a clear ask.
A follow-up rhythm that works
There's no universal schedule, but this rhythm suits most sponsorship sales:
- Day 0: Send the proposal with a clear next step (a short call, or a date you'll follow up).
- Days 2–4: First follow-up. Add something useful: a highlight they might have missed, or the answer to a likely question.
- About a week later: Second follow-up. Share new information: audience data, a confirmed speaker, a package that's selling out.
- About two weeks after that: Third follow-up. Ask directly whether this is a priority this year, and make it easy to say "not now."
- Then: Set a reminder for when they told you to come back, or for the start of their next planning cycle.
Adjust to your event's timeline. Six months out, you can be patient. Six weeks out, be clear that inventory and deadlines are real.
Let interest set the timing
The best follow-up timing comes from the prospect, not the calendar. If your prospectus is shared as a trackable link, you'll know when they open it, come back to it, or share it with a colleague. Those moments are when a follow-up is most welcome. See Sponsorship prospectus tracking for how to read those signals.
One rule: never mention the tracking ("I saw you viewed page six"). Just show up with something helpful at the right time.
Email templates
Replace everything in [brackets]. Keep each email short: a few sentences and one clear ask.
1. Sending the proposal
Subject: [Event name] sponsorship proposal for [Company]
Hi [First name],
Thanks for the conversation about [Event name]. Here's our sponsorship prospectus: [link]
Based on what you said about [their goal, e.g. reaching engineering leaders], I'd look at [Package name], which includes [one or two benefits that match their goal].
Would a 20-minute call on [day] or [day] work to go through options?
[Your name]
2. First follow-up (2–4 days later)
Subject: Re: [Event name] sponsorship proposal for [Company]
Hi [First name],
A quick addition to the prospectus: [one specific, useful detail, e.g. last year 60% of attendees were engineering managers or above].
Happy to put together a version tailored to [Company]'s goals if that would help you share it internally.
[Your name]
Only use real numbers from your own event in that example line.
3. Second follow-up: new information (about a week later)
Subject: [Event name] update: [the news]
Hi [First name],
Wanted to share a quick update: [news, e.g. we've confirmed our keynote speaker / Gold has two spots left / we've added a hosted happy hour].
Is [Event name] still on your list for this year? If it's helpful, I can hold [Package name] for you until [date] while you get approval.
[Your name]
4. Answering a question they asked
Subject: Re: your question about [topic]
Hi [First name],
You asked about [their question, e.g. whether the Gold package includes a speaking slot]. [Direct answer.]
[One sentence going a step further, e.g. which past sponsor used it well, or which package includes it.]
Want to grab 15 minutes this week to work through the rest?
[Your name]
5. The direct check-in (about two weeks later)
Subject: Is [Event name] a fit this year?
Hi [First name],
I don't want to keep filling your inbox, so a direct question: is sponsoring [Event name] something [Company] is considering this year?
If yes, I'll send over next steps. If the timing's wrong, just say so and I'll check back before next year's planning. Both are completely fine.
[Your name]
This email often gets a reply when others didn't, because it's easy to answer.
6. "Not this year" reply
Subject: Re: [Event name] sponsorship
Hi [First name],
Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate the straight answer. When does [Company] usually plan sponsorships for next year? I'll make a note to reach out then with what's new.
[Your name]
Then actually set that reminder, with a note about why.
7. Reconnecting months later
Subject: [Event name] [next year] is coming together
Hi [First name],
When we spoke last [season], you mentioned [Company] plans sponsorships around [their timing]. We're now building [Event name] [next year]: [one or two things that are new or improved].
Would it be useful to see the new prospectus? [link]
[Your name]
8. The breakup email
Subject: Closing the loop on [Event name]
Hi [First name],
I haven't heard back, so I'll assume the timing isn't right and stop following up for now.
If anything changes, the prospectus is here: [link]. I'd be glad to help whenever it makes sense.
[Your name]
What to do between emails
- Log every touch. When you sent what, what they said, and what you promised. Next month you won't remember.
- Write down their timing. "Budget review in Q2" is the most valuable sentence a prospect will ever give you.
- Answer questions fast. A question means they're seriously considering you.
- Look for a second contact. If your champion goes quiet, someone else at the company may be the real decision-maker.
Doing this in Sponsor Trove
Sponsor Trove is built around this kind of follow-up:
- Share your prospectus as a link, and see who opens it, when they come back, and the questions they ask about it.
- Add a follow-up to any deal with a quick date (tomorrow, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months) and a note about what to do. Due follow-ups turn amber, overdue ones red, and Follow-ups due on the board shows everything owed today.
- Ask the AI assistant "What should I focus on today?" to see due follow-ups first, or ask it to draft a follow-up email to a specific prospect based on the deal's history.
See Working with a deal in the Help Center for details.
Frequently asked questions
How many times should I follow up on a sponsorship proposal?
Three or four follow-ups over a few weeks is reasonable, as long as each adds something useful. After that, send a closing email and set a reminder for their next planning cycle.
Should I follow up by phone or email?
Email for the first touches, since it's easy for them to forward internally. If they've engaged (opened the deck several times, asked questions) a short call is often the fastest way forward.
What if they say the budget is already spent?
Ask when next year's budget gets set, and who's involved. Then set a reminder for a few weeks before that, and come back with something new.