sponsor-pitch

name	sponsor-pitch
description	Writes sponsorship pitch decks for podcasts, newsletters, or events with audience data, pricing, and package options. Use when seeking sponsors for your media properties.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Sponsor Pitch

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Pitch sponsors for your podcast, newsletter, YouTube channel, or event
• Create a sponsorship deck with audience data and package pricing
• Design tiered sponsorship packages with clear deliverables
• Write outreach emails to potential sponsors

DO NOT use this skill for affiliate marketing proposals, influencer campaign briefs (use influencer-campaign-brief), or advertising media buys. This is for pitching sponsorship of your owned media.

---

Core Principle

SPONSORS BUY ACCESS TO YOUR AUDIENCE — LEAD WITH WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS AND WHY THEY BUY, NOT HOW GREAT YOUR CONTENT IS.

---

Phase 1: Inputs

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Media property	"What are you seeking sponsorship for? (podcast, newsletter, event, YouTube)"	Newsletter
Audience size	"How large is your audience? (subscribers, downloads, attendees)"	No default — must be provided
Audience demographics	"Who is your audience? (profession, age, income, interests)"	No default — must be provided
Engagement metrics	"What are your engagement rates? (open rate, listen-through, views)"	No default — estimate if unavailable
Desired price range	"What are you looking to charge per sponsorship?"	Will calculate based on audience
Sponsorship format	"What can you offer sponsors? (ad reads, banner ads, mentions, product features)"	Ad read + newsletter mention

GATE: Do not proceed without audience size and demographics.

---

Phase 2: Deck Structure

Sponsorship Deck Outline

## [Property Name] — Sponsorship Opportunities

### 1. About [Property Name]
[2-3 sentences: what it is, why it exists, what makes it unique]

### 2. Audience Snapshot
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| [Subscribers / Downloads / Attendees] | [Number] |
| Growth rate | [X% month-over-month] |
| [Open rate / Listen-through / View rate] | [X%] |
| Primary demographic | [Description] |
| Average income | [$X range] |
| Top industries | [List] |

### 3. Why Sponsors Choose Us
- [Audience quality signal — purchasing power, decision-maker status]
- [Engagement proof — click rates, response rates, testimonials]
- [Past sponsor results — if available]

### 4. Sponsorship Packages
[See tiered packages below]

### 5. Past Sponsors (if applicable)
[Logos or names of previous sponsors for credibility]

### 6. Next Steps
[How to get started — reply, book a call, fill out a form]

Tiered Packages

### Package Options

**Tier 1: [Name] — $[Price]**
- [Deliverable 1 — e.g., 60-second mid-roll ad read]
- [Deliverable 2 — e.g., newsletter mention with link]
- [Deliverable 3 — e.g., social media shoutout]
- Duration: [Per episode / Per month / Per event]

**Tier 2: [Name] — $[Price]**
- Everything in Tier 1, plus:
- [Additional deliverable]
- [Additional deliverable]

**Tier 3: [Name] — $[Price]**
- Everything in Tier 2, plus:
- [Premium placement or exclusivity]
- [Custom content integration]

---

Phase 3: Pricing and Outreach

Pricing Guidelines

Media Type	Pricing Model	Typical Range
Podcast	CPM (cost per 1,000 downloads)	$18-50 CPM
Newsletter	CPM or flat rate	$20-80 CPM
YouTube	CPM or flat rate	$20-50 CPM
Event	Flat sponsorship fee	Varies widely

Outreach Email Template

Subject: Sponsorship opportunity — [Property Name] ([Audience Size] [subscribers/listeners])

Hi [Name],

I run [Property Name], a [type] for [audience description]. We reach [number]
[subscribers/listeners/attendees] who are [key demographic detail — purchasing power,
decision-maker status, or specific interest].

[1 sentence of social proof — growth rate, engagement metric, or notable past sponsor]

I think [Sponsor's Product] would be a great fit for our audience because [specific
reason tied to audience-product match].

I have a few sponsorship options ranging from $[low] to $[high]. Happy to send our
full media kit or jump on a quick call.

[Your name]
[Property Name]

---

Phase 4: Polish

• Proofread all audience data for accuracy
• Ensure pricing is competitive for the audience size and niche
• Include a one-page PDF version of the deck for easy sharing
• Add links to sample content so sponsors can evaluate quality

---

Example: Business Podcast (5,000 Downloads/Episode)

Pricing: $25 CPM = $125 per mid-roll read. Package at 4 episodes/month = $500/month.

Tier 1 — Spotlight ($500/month): 1 mid-roll read per episode (4x/month) + show notes link. Tier 2 — Partner ($900/month): Tier 1 + pre-roll mention + newsletter feature (1x/month). Tier 3 — Presenting Sponsor ($1,500/month): Tier 2 + branded segment + social posts + exclusivity in category.

---

Anti-Patterns

• Leading with your content, not your audience — sponsors care about reaching buyers, not your episode count
• One-size-fits-all pricing — always offer 2-3 tiers so sponsors can choose their investment level
• No engagement data — download counts without listen-through rates or open rates without click rates look weak
• Pricing too low — underpricing signals low quality. Research comparable properties before setting rates.
• No clear next step — every pitch must end with a specific action (book a call, reply to discuss)

---

Recovery

• Small audience (<1,000): Position as a niche, high-engagement audience. Emphasize quality over quantity — click rates, conversion data, audience demographics.
• No past sponsors: Offer a discounted trial sponsorship (1-2 episodes or issues) to build case studies.
• No engagement data available: Start tracking immediately. Provide estimates based on platform averages and commit to sharing real data after a test period.
• Sponsor wants custom integration: Be flexible but price custom work higher. Add a "Custom Package" tier with "Contact us for pricing."