Securing Sponsors 101
“I am not feeling challenged by my current job.”
“I don’t see a clear path for advancement.”
“I am not sure if I am developing the right skills to grow in my field.”
“My boss doesn’t advocate for me.”
My professional students often come to me feeling stuck, isolated or uninspired at work. But when we dig deeper, we usually find that these feelings stem from a more serious issue: the lack of strategic guidance and career support.
Finding the right sponsor can help fill this void. As we previously discussed, sponsors are influential individuals in your organization and industry who can make you feel more informed, protected and empowered. With their authority and standing, sponsors can share meaningful perspectives and open the doors to promising opportunities and options. Their support can be especially valuable if you are navigating new, challenging or uncertain periods in your career.
But how exactly do you make your wishlist of career fairy godmothers and godfathers come true? When reaching out to potential sponsors, it’s best to keep the following best practices in mind.
Get the meeting
First and foremost, let’s try to get in the room (or the zoom) with your potential sponsor. When drafting your meeting request, make sure to include the following:
Establish who you are and how you are both connected
Keep your request clear and succinct
Explain why the person is uniquely helpful to you
Be specific in terms of time required, and be reasonable
Pay close attention to steps #2 and #3. It is important to set up your meeting with a clear goal in mind. What does a successful meeting with this person look like? What outcome are you hoping to achieve? How can this person specifically help? For example:
After meeting with [name of dream sponsor], I will:
learn more about...
connect with...
discover opportunities related to...
Hopefully a well-crafted, thoughtful and personalized email will help you score a meeting with one of your top sponsor choices. Or perhaps it takes time to receive a favorable response and further outreach and/or polite reminders are required to move things along. Whatever the case, stay persistent and patient until you find a connection. And once you do, it’s time for the next step — preparation.
Do your homework
Whether you were able to secure a whole hour or just 15 minutes, you want to leave a positive, lasting impression. This is where thoughtful preparation and research can make all the difference.
Start by getting up to speed with the person’s background.
What is the person currently managing or leading?
What’s important to this person and why?
Is there anything interesting about the person’s professional or academic journey that you would like to learn more about?
Furthermore, are there any reasonable opportunities to gain deeper insights about the other party’s work? For example, has this person published any relevant papers, articles or books you should read? Can you attend this person’s upcoming talk or program? Have you tried your potential sponsor’s product or service? These actions demonstrate your initiative, respect and genuine desire to learn.
Finally, based on your goals, you may also find it helpful to send a brief agenda in advance of the meeting so that everyone is on the same page.
Follow up
In a perfect world, you and your dream sponsor instantly hit it off and have a magical, productive and effortless conversation. Realistically, it takes time, commitment and patience for relationships to grow and deepen.
If you want to continue to stay connected, make sure to send a thoughtful follow-up after your meeting. This is a simple yet effective way to convey gratitude and establish trust in the long run.
A winning follow-up expresses sincere appreciation for the other party’s time and input and specifically details:
How did the other person’s advice impact you?
What steps did you take as a result of your sponsor’s guidance?
What updates are you looking forward to sharing in the future (i.e., opportunities to sync up again)?
Thoughtfully conveying how your sponsors’ support is resulting in positive change makes them feel appreciated, fulfilled and invested in your professional journey.
Conclusion
While it may take some time to find the right sponsors in your career, it’s well worth the effort. Thoughtful outreach, preparation and follow-up will lay the foundation for long-lasting, authentic relationships with those who can help you aim high and advocate for more.