The basic idea behind the Delaware Sports League Sponsorship/Advertising philosophy is one that is based on the pursuit of a utilitarian goal.

How can we create a business that connects the people within a community with not only each other, but also the businesses within that community all while making the world around us a better place. That is the goal of DSL and that is what our sponsors are signing on to be a part of. 

In order to attack the task of developing an advertising package for DSL I had to ask myself:

1. What is Sponsorship/Advertising worth? Really, what do I REALLY think it is worth?
2. How can we create a more unique marketing mix?
3. What will make Sponsorship/Advertising with DSL Unique? It needs to be something that has never been done before. Think Bobby D Think!
4. How can we show a mutual value to our Members, Sponsors, and the Community all at the same time and all in a way that helps each other?

The answers lie in the ability to be creative and to think about whom we are and what we are trying to accomplish. If we build the sponsorship package with that in mind, then I think we are on the right track. Worry about the money later, and focus on creating the most valuable product we can.

And that my friend’s is exactly what we did….

Let's Play...Making Sponsorship Fun

I have always loved people. Most interesting to me is the way that people behave. I have always felt that in order to be good at advertising and marketing we really need to understand people. How we think ( I mean that literally ) how does our brain process information? Then comes the fun stuff…what motivates us, what moves us, what is it that is going to make us feel comfortable enough to buy a product?

Successful Marketing/Advertising is simply a matter of connecting people in ways that provide them with the necessary information needed to properly frame a concept while presenting them with the services they need and want. Here’s the tricky part…it all must come from people that they know and trust. Sometimes we forget that businesses are run by people. The entire point of DSL is to connect people with one another while teaching adults that a very important part of life…is making friends and having fun!

So now our conundrum becomes… How do you make advertising fun and how do we connect people?

Well it’s pretty simple. If you like DSL and you like what we do, you obviously see a value in it. Imagine being able to put an ad in a magazine or on a website and actually go out and meet those that you are advertising to on a weekly basis. That is exactly what DSL has created!

Sponsorship of DSL is an opportunity for you to not only advertise to our members, but allows you to be a member yourself and organically build relationships that can lead to sales!

With each sponsorship level, comes with 2 FREE memberships to DSL per location that you are a sponsor so that you and/or your sales staff can come out and make friends with people that they may one day do business with!

It's All About Who You Know... 

I have been told all my life that success is all about who you know. Although I find this notion slightly pessimistic as I believe that every person has control of their own destiny, for arguments sake let’s say that it is in fact all about whom you know. How are you going to know anybody if you don’t go out and meet people?

Professional Networking functions are good and I highly recommend them. However, I have to believe that I would rather be out playing Kickball, or Dodgeball, or going on a Ski Trip, or attending a happy hour in order to meet someone the old fashioned way rather than attending a boring luncheon or yet another 7am meeting. People do business with people that they know and trust. With DSL all your sales person has to worry about is simply being nice to people, making friends, and not trying to make a sale right that minute like we sometimes do at professional networking functions.

I do speaking engagements where people ask me all the time how it is that I came to have such a wonderful network of friends that I do business with?

Simple: I’m not mean to anyone…in fact…I go out of my way to be nice to them. I take an interest in them and in their life. I let the relationship grow naturally. That’s it.

Sponsorship of DSL allows a unique element of being able to meet and socialize with your target demographic on a weekly basis without it being all about a sale. It will allow you to get to know them and perhaps even understand them a little better so you can best meet their needs. It’s simply up to you whether you take advantage of this or are happy to simply be a logo on a shirt and website. There is no right answer, but just know that a new blend of marketing and networking is available to you should you see a value in meeting your demographic every week!
DSL Professional Networking…

Ok so we all know about BNI and Bartering Organizations and I again feel that these are wonderful ideas and should be researched to find out if they are right for you. However over the years I have developed a theory about how I personally would want to run a professional networking group and I have come to a conclusion about how professional networking within the DSL Sponsorship family will work.

Along with your sponsorship you will find:

1. There are a limited number of sponsorships available. Only 20 sponsors per location will be permitted. We call these sponsors the Top 20.
2. Within that location there will not be overlapping businesses within a specific industry
   For example we will not have 2 Real Estate Firms in the same location
3. Each sponsor will be required to offer a special “DSL Discount” available ONLY to other DSL Sponsors.
4. There will be monthly Sponsor Networking Happy Hours
5. There will be opportunities for Sponsors to interact with members on a Professional Networking Level

All of these things will be a little less formal than traditional networking functions. There will be no name tags. If you want to know my name…ask it. It is a professional networking event so you should have a card so you can exchange information that way if it seems relevant. However I have never liked the idea of determining whether or not someone wants to talk to me, based on whether or not I can help them in business or not. It just seems so superficial and fake.

We are all in this for a reason and I think that just talking to one another and getting to know one another is part of the professional relationship building process, just like it is in our social relationship building process. I do not really see a difference in the two. Is talking to another human being really ever a waste of your time? Does anyone ever want to be made to feel that way?

Screening people based on nothing more than their profession is just not my style and neither will it be the style of DSL. We are about getting to know each other at DSL and as a sponsor…that is what I expect you to do with the other sponsors. Business or not…you never know where that relationship could lead down the road and that my friends, is what networking is all about.