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“From the moment she enters the room, Kim Skildum-Reid owns the moment. Get ready for a heavy hitting, no non-sense approach to sponsorship with some Down Under humor thrown in for effect. The only sponsorship course you need to attend.
A non-stop delivery of useful, proven techniques designed to enhance your organization’s sponsorship program and raise those hard to get dollars. I was able to re-evaluate the effectiveness of our program using information gained through her presentation.
And whatever you do, buy her book, The Sponsorship Seeker’s Toolkit 3rd Edition. It provides the important secrets of selling and servicing sponsorships. I’m not getting paid to say this. I just felt it was important to share this detail with you and the rest of our festivals and events industry.”
Chuck Blische (CFEE), Chair, Texas Festivals and Events Association and Executive Director, Fiesta San Antonio Commission
"The best practice sponsorship workshop that I attended in Auckland greatly exceeded my expectations. Who knew such practical and expert knowledge, crossing the wide range fo sponsorship areas, could be covered in one day. Bu through Kim's extremely easy to follow guidelines and templates, and her personable nature, it was all covered in one day! The seminar was the single most useful, simple, and thought-provoking seminar that I have ever attended in my business career, which spans 13 years."
Meredith Cotty, Sponsorship & Community Involvement Manager, AMI Insurance
"If you're looking for 'old school' sponsorship theory, skip Kim's workshops. She'll have you, as Mel Brooks puts it, ‘... reeling through cosmic visions of invention’! She questions authority, challenges up and down, and has a unique global perspective. I can't believe she's not an American! Go learn what she has to offer, before your competition does!"
Steven Remington, Director of Festivals & Events, Tempe Festival of the Arts
"The information and techniques that you presented us with in the two-day workshop really opened my eyes to a different way of not only targeting potential sponsors, but getting them on the hook. Traditionally, working with a not-for-profit volunteer organisation like Crime Stoppers Queensland, it has been difficult to identify what the actual product is that we have, and therefore what we have to offer top-end sponsors.
But after half a day, it was clearer that there was a range of products that this organisation could offer to sponsors. We took the oportunity you offered to use a proposal we were about to pitch to a major sponsor, and with the valuable assistance offered by the rest of the workshop attendees, the brainstorm was a win-win-win!
It identified that we had to go back to the office and totally redesign our proprosal in order to ensure that we had valuable leverage in asking for the corporate dollar. It works, it really does when you put forward a proposal that outlines what each party can do and how this adds to the experience of the target market. We have received a much better response than the straight cold call."
Paul Ready, Senior Sergeant, Officer in Charge, Crime Stoppers Unit
“I attended Kim’s Power Sponsorship workshop in Atlanta , GA in 2007 and from that day forward, I had a completely different view of sponsorships.
Before this class, I hated going after sponsorships. I mean HATED sponsorships, I felt as though I was asking these companies for a handout and spent most of my time embarrassed and contrite. Not the best way to get someone to believe in your event. Now, I know I’m helping these companies get through to their consumers. I know who will benefit the most through the partnerships and I know how to help the sponsors help themselves. I have such a great relationship with my sponsors now, THEY have started asking me what events I have coming up. I live in a town of around 60,000 with no large industries – we’re a tourist town, and the same businesses get hit up time and time again. I walk in with a proposal that compliments what they’re already doing and using our event as a springboard for their products and services.
My professional networking group recently asked me to talk about what a sponsor should expect from events and when I was done they were all amazed. All this time, sponsors thought they were just handing over money to a charity and not supposed to get anything in return. Now we work together as partners and what was once the worse part of my job, has now become great relationship building. Anyone who is lucky enough to take a workshop with Kim, should concentrate on being a sponge for the entire workshop – this woman is amazing!”
Debbi Grogan, Peak Events, Flagstaff, Arizona
"You inspired me in my career! Kim, you and your workshop are amazing. I strongly recommend to everyone who wants to be involved in sponsorship to attend your workshop. Your knowledge, your passion, and your experience propelled my success. You are my mentor! Thank you!"
Lucy Anastasiadou-Hobbs, Auckland City Council
"The Power Sponsorship workshops have allowed me to develop and present well-received best-practice sponsorship strategies to my organisation during a time of great change and instability. I have developed invaluable skills in leveraging existing programs and relationships to provide our customers the benefits they most value. Kim presented the course information in an interactive and thought-provoking way that encouraged us to relate each principle to our own situation. I will continue to participate in both the webinars and workshops to hone my skills and further advance our sponsorship activities."
Catherine Pola, Branding and Events Officer, Yarra Valley Water
“The world around us has changed and it is more important than ever that we prepare ourselves to succeed - both today and into the future. At a time when picking the resources that will maximize our investments of both time and money is critical, sponsorship expert Kim Skildum-Reid brings a value to the table that is hard to beat. Whether you are a sponsor or a sponsorship-seeker, the return on your investment from this cutting-edge seminar will come back to you many times over.”
Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President & CEO, International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World)
"I found the workshop extremely useful in my role as Event Sponsorship Coordinator. In particular, I found the tools for brainstorm leverage for events extremely useful, and have used these tools with other colleagues for our events. We managed to come up with some great ideas we otherwise wouldn't have thought of. I would recommend this workshop to anyone who works in events dealing with contracts, relationship building, and leverage."
Greta Razey, Auckland City Council
“Clear, concise, and out of the box. I’ve attended many sponsorship seminars and they all sounded the same. Only Kim Skildum-Reid takes the tried and true techniques of sponsorship and punches them up to create a new toolbox that will help you craft a sponsorship package that will stand out from all the others.”
Christine Filice, Admin Support Manager , Gilroy Garlic Festival
“We were so fortunate to have Kim speak to our Principles of Sports Management class at Pfeiffer. As you might imagine, college students are often a ‘tough sell’. Kim was fabulous. From the moment she walked in the room everyone was spellbound. Her knowledge of the subject matter was extraordinary and her delivery was the best I’ve witnessed. Kim Skildum-Reid was A+.”
Jack Ingram, Sports Management Department Chair, PfeifferUniversity, Misenheimer/Charlotte, North Carolina
"Taking Kim's course has totally transformed how our organisation approaches sponsorship. We now understand that sponsorship isn't about us, but how the sponsor can best get their marketing message to their target market. Providing creative leverage ideas shows we really want the sponsorship to work for them and for the audience, ensuring a win-win-win! The course also highlighted the importance of getting the whole organisation involved in sponsorship and the team is really excited about our first team sponsorship meeting!"
Tina Berry, Membership & Marketing Director, Property Council New Zealand
"I found Kim Skildum-Reid to be an excellent teacher - knowledgeable, resourceful and great fun. She has a passion for her work, most enthusiastic, which carries over to her audience. I was very pleased with the materials she covered as well as being a part of her marvellous workshop."
Jacki Taylor, Centre City Development Corporation, San Diego, California
"Our session with you has definitely affected the way we plan and think about our sponsorship. The real life examples you provided have helped tremendously in getting our heads around the win-win-win concept. We've already tried to move away from the traditional "signage" route with our activity at our "Ladies Night" Match Day Sponsorship at the Vodafone Warriors, where we ran a best dressed fan competitin for the crowd, a VIP party for our top advertising clients, and ran a coupon in the paper for a free glass of bubbles if the readers came down to a special area. We got some great feedback, with the Warrior's CEO saying it was one of the best sponsor leverage programs he'd seen at the games."
Gemma Lewis, Marketing Sales Executive, APN
“Kim’s entertaining presentation wasn’t just fun but extremely useful as well. The practical strategies she provided were very helpful for us to rethink approaches to make sponsorship pitches and activation concepts more effective.”
Jeannie McFarland Johnson, Marketing & Media Director, Creative Strategies Group, Broomfield, Colorado
“Power Sponsorship is a phenomenal resource for anyone responsible for the development and execution of sponsor programs! I had the opportunity to participate in a session with Kim in Chicago when I was a total neophyte to the sponsorship world and was amazed at how she was able to describe specific cause and effect scenarios and strategies in a way that did not leave me completely baffled. Kim has the expertise and knowledge which could impress even the most experienced, but presents in a way that is the opposite of drinking from a fire hose.”
Guy Timberlake, Chief Visionary, The American Small Business Coalition
"In an increasingly competitive marketplace, where sponsorship is becoming more and more difficult to source, these workshops provided me with the tools to create quality and innovative sponsorship packages that have increased our ability to both attract and retail sponsors. And despite the current economic conditions, we even managed to generate more sponsorship in 2009 than ever before!"
Courtney Tune, Coffs Harbour International Buskers and Comedy Festival
“I went to the IFEA conference in Atlanta a year or so ago and your sponsorship workshop was high on my ‘must-do’ list. In this case the anticipation was not greater than the realization as I walked away with many fresh approaches and nuances I could use, not only in the acquisition and retention of sponsors, but with dialogues to have with new prospects to help them ensure success with our events. Often a situation comes up that we use the knowledge you shared with us to help train our future partners in the new way to do this business of successful event sponsorships.”
Marie Atwell, SHOWS ETC, Boise, Idaho
"I found Kim's workshops filled with inspiration and came away with far more information than any other sponsorship workshop I have attended in the past. Kim's books have become wonderful resources that I find myself referring to on numerous occasions to "spice" up my sponsorship materials."
Katie Laux Lucas, Director, Columbus Arts Festival, Columbus, Ohio
"Overall a very beneficial experience that will help me in every aspect of my job"
Seamus Banim, Telecom Eirann
"Excellent insight into being an excellent sponsor"
Basile Moschidis, Sensis
"I found all aspects of the workshop beneficial. It will provide me and my organisation with a clear path in achieving our marketing objectives through sponsorship"
Chris Fish, Advance Energy
"Very practical. I took away at least five ideas to implement immediately. One of the best workshops I've been to, and not just on sponsorship"
Meagan Tansley, CPA Australia
"Wow! Great course. Took in heaps"
Natasha Goodwin, Lipton
"The entire workshop was fantastic"
Sue Jones, QR (Queensland Rail)
"Practical exercises made you think and relate"
Vanessa Rosen, Law Institute of Victoria
"Excellent speaker. Very motivating"
Jo-Anne Ker, Bartercard
"Very interesting and informative day"
Marcelle McAuliff, Bank of Ireland
"Made me feel more confident in dealing with future sponsorships"
Dani Cassino, Simplot
"High energy, very practical and interactive. Clearly explained and entertaining"
Leigh Cleave, Royal Children's Hospital Foundation
"I found many beneficial aspects that I can apply to what I do"
Daniel Fitzpatrick, NRMA Insurance
"Presenter excellent. Raised a lot of issues and ideas for me to act upon"
Juliette Dye, KPMG
"Sensational and streetwise!! Some fantastic tips that I can't wait to implement"
Eileen Culleton, Boystown Family Care - Kids Help Line
"Excellent content. Up to date information"
Juliette Marr, SA TAB
"Exactly what I needed to know. Really got me thinking about how I can work more effectively"
Nicole Rumble, Australian Information Industry Association
"I have made a 180 degree turnaround in the way I will now approach sponsorship seeking"
Casper Schougaard, QUT Student Guild
"Very relevant"
Craig Burton, Coopers Brewery
"The course was fantastic - very enthusiastic and motivating. Great to be involved. I learned a whole lot"
Sara Bidois, National Gallery of Victoria
"Great eye-opener on how things should be done. Lots to take away and try to do better"
Joy Pugh, University of Southern Queensland
"Presenter 10+ -- Excellent!"
Bob Tirrell, Heroes Stuff
"It was great!"
Barbara Courtney, Melbourne Racing Club
"Valuable for beginners or experienced practitioners"
JJ Wiersma, Mt Eliza Business School
"Wonderful methodologies and initiatives"
Felicity Clark, Andersen Consulting
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