**Guest post written by Yona Marie, originally featured in her blog.

 

"What Companies Sponsor Music?

All types of companies sponsor musicians and creators. The trick is, not many of the companies will showcase that fact and will either reach out to you directly, or you will have to reach out to them directly. The best types of companies to sponsor your music are the companies that you genuinely enjoy and feel a connection to, and companies that are large enough to have a big budget for risks like sponsorships. Think banks, big clothing brands, beer companies, and major instrument retailers.

Some companies actually do showcase and pride themselves in sponsoring artists and I will share a few below for you to check out! Before you get overly excited and contact the company, be sure you have the right tools as a musician or music brand before you act too fast and get turned down.

+Tour Sponsorship: How Creativity Can Become Dollars

Taco Bell

Taco Bell has an established sponsorship program for artists and bands called "Feed The Beat". Sometimes they hold off on applications, but on a good day, you can submit your music brand information to them in hopes of getting exposure as a featured artist and free food!

Yamaha

Yamaha has a really good sponsorship program for musicians, but the key here they say is that you must be exceptionally talented. Now I'm not sure how much love they give to singers, but if you're an instrumentalist with some skills, apply and see if you can get deep discounts, press opportunities, and performance opportunities!

Music And Spirits

Here's a smaller company that's looking for Americana styles like country, folk, and blues in particular to sponsor. Here's a chance to get exposure and enjoy live performance networking opportunities as well, especially if you're near Virginia.

Thread Society

This one is a small clothing company looking for socially conscious creatives and brands for sponsorship deals. While this looks more like a partnership than a sponsorship, it doesn't hurt to reach out and see what they can offer you.

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How Do I Get Sponsored For My Music?

Here are just some general tips for getting sponsorship. First thing's first, you want to be really great at what you do. You don't have great chances if you are new to your craft. Like Yamaha's sponsorship page says, they are looking for exceptional musicians. I'm sure most sponsors share the same sentiment when it comes to your talent levels.

The next thing you want to make sure you have is an audience. Sponsorships, like partnerships, require an exchange. Ask yourself, what can this sponsor get from working with you? You're likely looking for a sponsor because you need money and/or exposure, but they are more likely to work with someone who is well in their journey to building a successful brand with an impressive audience.

Sponsors would love to work with someone with a large social media following, for example. They also want to see artists that have touring experience and some sales success. If you aren't at this level yet, bookmark some brands you see for future opportunities and work on basic ways to market and promote yourself first.

+So you wanna book shows...

Steps To Consider:

Step 1: Research companies that you have a high interest in that will fit your brand. Most companies have a "Contact Us" or "Advertising" page that you can bookmark or jot down while you do your research.

Step 2: Brainstorm the angle at which you will approach them in a way that can pique their interest. Figure out their target market and see if your fan base matches that market. If not, keep looking for other companies.

Step 3: Draft and send a personalized email to the company of interest that shows what you can bring to the table. You will want to highlight key figures including your social media following, the number of people in the audience when you do shows, your email list, and your sales stats. Other figures may come into play depending on the brand's service and niche. For example, Yamaha would want to get details on your teaching background and publication history/sales if you're an instrumentalist that also educates as a part of your career."

 

 

Related Blog Posts:

+What's the Deal With Brand Partnerships

+Hedging Against Uncertainty in the Music Industry

+Music Sponsorships & Endorsements Hacks