Norton National is known to not only roll with the punches but punch back! After coming out of quarantine alive (barely) Head Honcho, McCall Peck, decided it was time to start a new series of Norton National; education. It has officially blossomed into Norton National University and Team Pink is taking the time to learn, grow, and educate ourselves on topics in the event industry.
We sat down with Jeff Meyer, the CEO of Tuff-N-Uff, to have him “brain dump” his knowledge of sponsorships at us.
The Story of Tuff-N-Uff
Jeff’s brother, Barry, hosted fights at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jeff tagged along one day and happened to run into a gentleman from Tapout. Needless to say, a connection was made at first sight.
Tapout became one of their first sponsors, and all because a relationship was made with a stranger. Right time, right place, some may say?
“That is how I got into sponsorships.”
Jeff taught himself to make a sponsorship package from referencing The Miami Rock n Roll Marathon package from Google. In an effort to gain more sponsors for Tuff N Uff, the drive to build relationships with marketing companies was ignited. Sponsorship packages should include a price breakdown of everything. “You should include the perceived value of what you are offering”.
Making Friends
Many companies outsource their marketing and/or sponsorships to ad agencies. Jeff knew he had to get a foot in the door with at least one of the popular agencies in town. After two years of trying to get a hold of On Target Media, a meeting was scheduled. The CEO and Jeff met over dinner, and after a few drinks in, a partnership was created. From there, Tuff N Uff secured many sponsorships, including Glen Learner, a big name Las Vegas lawyer.
Norton National has many stories just like this. At the end of the day, people want to do business with who they want to do business with. Cultivating good relationships with anyone can lead to more business or even partnerships down the road.
Sponsorships are about relationships and that building those with the right people is the key to success. Having an outgoing, likable personality, will only set you up for success in this business. Jeff’s persistence in connecting with On Target Media allowed for a chance to build a relationship that many others tried to do. You see, On Target Media, like many ad agencies, receive an overwhelming amount of requests for sponsorships from many different companies. All it takes is one opportunity to create a spark in a conversation that will ignite a relationship.
Don’t be picky
“Take anything anyone is willing to give you” as Jeff would say. Don’t be picky with your sponsors when first starting your business or event. Even if someone isn’t able to make a large contribution, anything helps.
Working out “trades” as sponsorships are also extremely successful. For example, Jeff pays the wholesale price for the MMA gloves, which is half the price of the retail value. In return, slapping on the company’s logo on the cage is a pretty easy trade.
The Importance of Networking
Tuff N Uff’s largest sponsorships were gained by attending luncheons and networking with others. According to Jeff, “sometimes…most of the time, networking sucks, but making one good connection makes it all worth it.” Now, he admits not having all of the answers. “What are you supposed to do at networking things? Make a joke? Be professional? I don’t know, just do whatever you want!”
How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice!
A little light internet stalking before a meeting with a potential sponsor is always good practice. “It’s not stalking, it’s investigating.” Finding common ground with someone, like an alma mater, or a previous job you shared, will help break the ice and lead to a strong personal connection. Stand out from the crowd by making a relationship, rather than a conversation.
Speaking with Jeff has an absolute pleasure. The wealth of knowledge and laughs shared, was hands down, one of our best educational classes. I guess you could say it was a knockout! Be sure to check out Tuff N’ Uff on Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about sponsorships, check out our blog on, Creative Event Sponsorship Ideas. For all of our other Sit Down With Blogs head on over to our blog page!
If you need help producing your next live event, hit us up!
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