Selling to corporates vs asking for sponsorship

It was one of the most significant shifts I had when I started out as a social entrepreneur - “start SELLING to generate income and STOP ASKING for money” .

We all know we should be generating a trading income as social entrepreneurs, but for many of us who have come from a previous career in the third sector we’re used to applying for grant funding and asking for sponsorship. We’re used to being the underdog, begging for help to deliver our incredible, socially responsible and impactful work.

But it really doesn’t have to be this way.

It’s time to make the shift and it’s as simple as saying: “I’m no longer asking for money/sponsorship, from now on I’m simply selling the value I can add to their business.”

Making this shift sets you up for so much more success and income because by offering a service corporates actually need you’re in a much stronger position of them actually saying yes.

In addition to delivering something they want, need or desire, you also bring added value through the social or environmental impact you create as a result of either working with them or delivering your core work e.g. helping beneficiaries.

Here’s 6 more reasons why I love selling to, rather than asking for money from corporates as a social entrepreneur, and why I think you should do it too:

1. Selling your product / service, puts you in a position of expertise, authority and power. You have something they want, need or desire rather than the other way around.

2. When you’re asking for sponsorship you’re nearly always in a position of trying to convince them, they have the money you want and need. However when you’re selling something they really want or need there’s no need to convince. It’s much easier to sell something people want and are looking for, than asking for sponsorship (which generally doesn’t provide much return on investment for them)

3. The client (corporate or business) are getting double the benefit. The benefit of the product or service you’re providing AND the added value of the social impact you create as a result.

4. You get to chose how you spend the money (profit) with no limitations or restrictions

5. You can scale your income by selling to lots of different businesses

6. Social Enterprises are businesses in a marketplace with expertise, knowledge, skills and incredible innovations to create social and environmental impact. We are able to position ourselves as viable suppliers and meet the needs of corporate customers, alongside competitors. We need to be part of changing the way businesses see and understand both the role of social enterprises in the market AND how they can do good whilst receiving business benefit from buying our products and services.

Selling to corporates is a win-win for you and them.

If you’re interested to find out more about how you can sell to corporates here and read more here about what’s possible from selling to corporates.

You can also join our upcoming webinar: Why it pays to measure your impact.