Start here: a quick portrait of your sponsorship portfolio

• Tell me about your current sponsorship portfolio, including total annual spend, number of active properties, and the top three properties by spend.
• How do you currently decide which properties to pursue or renew? Options: Performance history, Audience fit, Relationship with property sales, Price/valuation, Other
• Which roles on your team own sponsorship strategy versus activation and measurement? Options: Marketing/brand, Demand/gen or performance marketing, Partnerships/sponsorship team, Agency partners, Revenue/sales, Other
• How often do you run a structured strategic review of your portfolio? Options: Quarterly, Biannually, Annually, Irregular / ad hoc
• Select the top three business objectives you are trying to advance with sponsorships this year Options: Brand awareness, Lead generation, Direct sales, Customer retention, New market entry, CSR / community goals, Other
• Walk me through the last major sponsorship decision you made, from initial brief to contract signing. Who moved it forward and what nearly derailed it?

Where it hurts: recent failures and ongoing frustrations

• Which single sponsorship failure from the last 24 months would you say burned the most trust internally, and why?
• When activations fail to drive sales or leads, who raises the alarm and what is the usual internal response?
• Tell me about a time a property scandal, rights-holder change, or on-site issue disrupted your plans. What were the financial or brand consequences?
• How much of your annual sponsorship budget is typically absorbed by production and agency fees versus rights fees? Options: More than 50% production/agency, Around 30-50% production/agency, Less than 30% production/agency, We do not track this split
• If a sponsorship shows consistent awareness lift but no sales impact, what evidence would make you continue funding it versus cutting spend?

The other options you are weighing

• Which alternative are you most likely to pick instead of bringing in an external advisor for sponsorship strategy? Options: Keep incumbent agency, Work directly with property sales teams, Build or expand an internal sponsorship team, Run a measurement pilot with analytics vendor, Pause new investments, Other
• Select all options you are actively evaluating right now Options: Incumbent agency renewal, New external consultancy, Internal capability build, Property-first deals, Proprietary measurement platform, No active evaluation
• What would have to be true about your current vendor or internal approach for you to stick with it rather than switch?
• Has anyone internally proposed solving sponsorship measurement and activation without outside help? Options: Yes, senior leadership, Yes, middle management, No one has proposed it, Discussion only, no formal proposal
• List the primary criteria you will use to compare external partners versus internal options Options: Measurement methodology, Activation creativity, Total cost, Speed to launch, Contractual flexibility, Existing relationships, Other
• If an alternative promised comparable ROI but at twice the timeline, would you prioritize faster launch, lower short-term risk, or lower cost? Options: Faster launch, Lower short-term risk, Lower cost, Depends on property

Hidden assumptions shaping your sponsorship playbook

• What internal belief about sponsorship ROI would you wager is driving your current approach but has not been tested?
• How many stakeholders must sign off on a new sponsorship, and which two functions most commonly slow decisions? Options: Marketing and Legal, Marketing and Finance, Partnerships and Procurement, Other
• Which internal functions negotiate rights and which set activation limits? Please name functions rather than individuals. Options: Commercial/sales, Legal, Brand/marketing, Procurement, External agency, Other
• On deals you've kept, what contractual term most limited your ability to activate creatively (for example, exclusivity, approval windows, or pre-approved assets)?
• If you could relax one internal constraint to test a different activation approach quickly, which constraint would you choose and why?

Measure what will actually move the business

• Name the one metric that, if it moved by your target amount, would convince your CFO this sponsorship was worth keeping Options: Incremental sales, Cost per lead, Lead-to-opportunity conversion, Brand lift among target segment, New customer acquisition, Other
• What baseline metrics do you currently have for brand awareness, lead volume, and conversion tied to sponsorships? Options: Brand awareness baseline, Monthly lead volume, Conversion rate from event to sale, We have incomplete baselines, We have no baselines
• What reporting cadence and formats does your leadership prefer for sponsorship performance? Options: Weekly dashboards, Biweekly summaries, Monthly executive reports, Quarterly business reviews, Ad hoc deep dives
• Walk me through your current attribution chain from an on-site exposure at an event to a recorded sale in your CRM. Where do you lose visibility?
• If measurement gaps exist today, which missing data point would be most critical to resolve first? Options: Attendee IDs or hashed emails, On-site exposure logs, CRM source attribution, Transaction-level sales data, Baseline audience metrics

Practical readiness: data, systems, and approvals

• What single technical or data constraint exists today that would stop us from delivering measurable ROI even if strategy and activation were executed perfectly?
• Which systems must be connected to support attribution and measurement, and who owns each connection? Options: Your primary CRM, Tag management and web analytics, Point of sale or ecommerce system, Event registration/attendee data, Property reporting feed, Other
• Do you have internal headcount able to support integration, tagging, and vendor coordination, or will this require a dedicated contractor or agency? Options: Sufficient internal headcount, Need contractor support, Need full agency support, Undecided
• Is the event or property able to provide the on-site access and data we need, such as attendee hashes, WiFi logs, or production spaces? Options: Yes, access is standard, Sometimes, depending on property, No, access is restricted, Unknown, need to confirm with property
• What legal, privacy, or procurement approvals are required before data access and who currently holds that signoff authority?
• If your IT or legal teams cannot commit to providing necessary access within 6 weeks, would you pause, proceed with a limited scope pilot, or seek a different property? Options: Pause until access is granted, Proceed with limited scope pilot, Seek different property or approach, Unsure

Decision mechanics and the path to a pilot

• If a pilot demonstrates the promised ROI, what would prevent you from signing a statement of work within that same week?
• Name the final decision maker and the two stakeholders whose agreement is required to move forward quickly
• What budget band have you allocated or expect to allocate for work on portfolio strategy, property evaluation, and a pilot activation? Options: Under $50k, $50k to $150k, $150k to $500k, $500k to $1M, Above $1M, Not yet allocated
• What timeline would you consider acceptable to move from kickoff to first live activation? Options: 4 to 6 weeks, 6 to 10 weeks, 10 to 16 weeks, Longer than 16 weeks, Depends on property
• If you wanted to pilot a single property, which of these outcomes would you require to call it a success? Options: Defined uplift in leads, Measured sales attribution, Brand lift among target demo, Operational learnings for scaling, All of the above
• Realistically, what is the earliest date your team could commit named owners and an initial budget to begin work? Options: Within 2 weeks, Within 1 month, Within 2 to 3 months, Later than 3 months, Unsure

• Activation & ROI Solution Experience

• Confirm the current state and cost
• You confirm the documented current-state cost and measurement gaps match your experience.
• Seller run a full valuation and attribution run for the selected property using the KPIs agreed in-session and deliver the model and sensitivity analysis before the follow-up meeting.
• You agree on the KPI thresholds and sign-off criteria that will define a successful sponsored activation.
• Define the target outcomes and decision criteria
• Provide baseline sales, recent activation costs, and any available measurement outputs for the selected property.
• Run a sample valuation and attribution scenario
• You validate that the sample valuation and attribution scenario produces the level of evidence you need to justify spend.
• Document the internal decision committee and the approval timeline used to accept sponsorship spend going forward.
• Map activation frameworks to expected ROI and cost sensitivity
• Agree the pilot activation scope and the minimum evidence package required for finance sign-off.
• You identify any remaining data or access gaps that must be closed before a pilot activation.
• Validate the future state in your words

• Activation & ROI Solution Experience
• Activation & ROI Deck
• Activation & ROI Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Negotiate Sponsorship Rights Package
• Draft and Finalize Sponsorship Agreement
• Design and Produce On‑Site Brand Activation
• Build Digital Activation Assets and Content
• Integrate Lead Capture with CRM
• Deploy On‑Site Brand Ambassadors and Staffing
• Manage Event Production and Logistics
• Coordinate Talent and Influencer Appearances
• Operate Hospitality and Ticketing Fulfillment
• Implement Measurement and Attribution Dashboard
• Run Post‑Campaign Sales and Lift Analysis
• Monitor Brand‑Safety and Rights Compliance

Negotiate Sponsorship Rights Package

• Describe the exclusivity categories you require and any category carve-outs (for example product category exclusivity, channel carve-outs for streaming or sampling) so we can map rights scope.
• List the specific signage inventory and placement positions you require (for example perimeter boards, main backdrop, LED halo, stadium fascia) and the minimum square meters for each.
• Provide the minimum ticket and hospitality allotments you expect in the rights package and whether transfers or upgrades are permitted. Options: No hospitality required, Small allotment (under 50), Moderate allotment (50-250), Large allotment (250+)
• Identify the usage rights and duration you need for brand assets in broadcast, social, and out-of-home (for example 12 months post-event, worldwide digital rights). Options: Regional digital only, Global digital, Broadcast + digital, Custom - describe below
• What acceptance criteria will confirm the negotiated rights package meets your needs (for example explicit exclusivity clause language, minimum signage square meters, confirmed ticket allotment)?

Draft and Finalize Sponsorship Agreement

• Specify the indemnity, insurance, and certificate of insurance (COI) levels you require (for example general liability limits, additional insured provisions). Options: Standard industry limits, Higher than industry standard, We will provide required limits, Custom - describe
• Which payment milestones and commercial deliverables must appear in the agreement (for example deposit on signature, milestone payment at activation start, final settlement on report delivery)? Options: Deposit + final, Staggered milestones, Monthly retainer + expenses, Custom - describe
• Confirm the data access, privacy, and PII handling clauses you need for lead exports and analytics delivery (for example SFTP transfer with hashed PII, GDPR-compliant pseudonymization). Options: SFTP batch only, Real-time API with hashing, Hashed PII only, No PII transfer allowed
• Outline the termination and brand-safety clauses you require (for example right to terminate for material breach, brand-safety suspension with defined cure period). Options: Standard termination, Brand-safety suspension clause required, Fixed-term only, no early termination, Custom - describe
• What evidence will validate that the final sponsorship agreement is signable (for example fully executed signature pages, finalized SOW exhibits, COI on file)?

Design and Produce On‑Site Brand Activation

• State the on-site activation formats and footprint you want produced (for example interactive booth 10x10m, sampling station 3x3m, branded fan zone 200m2).
• Indicate the production deliverables and technical specs you require (for example floorplan, site elevation, electrical load, rigging points) and any venue spec sheets you will provide. Options: We will supply venue spec sheet, We need the team to request venue specs, Not required
• Name the venue staging, power, and rigging constraints you have been told by the property that could affect build (for example max rigging point load, no-ground-penetration rules).
• Approximate the production budget ranges you are willing to allocate for build, AV, and labor for the on-site activation to validate feasibility. Options: Under $25k, $25k–$75k, $75k–$200k, Over $200k
• How will you manage vendor approvals and final build sign-off (for example brand sign-off, property sign-off, production company approval) and who are the approvers?

Build Digital Activation Assets and Content

• Detail the creative formats and aspect ratios you need for venue playback and social (for example hero 16:9, social 9:16, in-venue loop 3840x2160).
• Select the measurement events you want embedded in digital assets (for example click-to-form, video completion, promo code entry) for attribution. Options: Form submit, Video completion, Promo code use, Click-through
• Project delivery codecs and file-size constraints you must meet for venue playback systems (for example H.264 4K under X GB, or ProRes specs).
• Break down the approval workflow and review SLAs for creative rounds (for example 2 rounds of revision, 48-hour review turnaround). Options: 1 round, 48 hours, 2 rounds, 48 hours each, 3 rounds, custom SLA
• Clarify music licensing and talent release requirements for content reuse across broadcast and digital channels (for example sync license, perpetual social usage). Options: Publisher cleared music required, Royalty-free acceptable, Talent releases mandatory, Custom - describe

Integrate Lead Capture with CRM

• Document the lead capture methods you will deploy and the CRM object each should create (for example QR form -> Lead, kiosk scan -> Contact). Options: QR form, Kiosk form, Badge-scan, Manual capture
• Forecast expected lead volume per activation day so we can size API throughput and validation rules (for example 100/day, 1,000/day). Options: Under 100/day, 100–500/day, 500–2,000/day, 2,000+/day
• Explain the required lead data fields and PII handling you need (for example email, phone, hashed email, no PII export).
• Enumerate the preferred delivery mechanisms for captured leads (for example real-time API, CSV over SFTP, daily batch) and expected latency. Options: Real-time API, Near real-time webhook, Daily SFTP batch, Weekly batch
• Create the deduplication and field-matching rules you expect for the CRM integration (for example match on email, phone, external customer ID). Options: Match on email, Match on email + phone, Match on external ID, Custom rule

Deploy On‑Site Brand Ambassadors and Staffing

• Map ambassador roles and the KPIs you want tracked (for example leads per hour, conversions, sampling rate).
• Choose required certifications or training modules for ambassadors (for example ID verification, brand script certification, health and safety). Options: Brand training only, Brand + safety training, Full certification required, No certification required
• Define the on-site check-in/check-out and badge processes you must follow per property (for example photo ID, vendor badges, temperature check).
• Rate the target split of staff allocated to activation engagement versus hospitality support (for example 70/30, 50/50). Options: 90/10, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70
• Schedule preferred shift patterns and peak coverage times you need covered (for example two 6-hour shifts, four 4-hour shifts). Options: Single long shift, Two shifts, Three shifts, Custom - describe

Manage Event Production and Logistics

• Describe the load-in and load-out windows you have agreed with the venue and any heavy-equipment or forklift requirements.
• List the vendor insurance, permits, and local authority approvals you must supply or secure (for example noise permit, temporary structure approval).
• Provide the vendor contact roster and on-site escalation contacts you will supply and the primary communication channel for incidents. Options: Phone, SMS, Email, Dedicated communications app
• Identify required staging, power, and internet bandwidth SLAs needed for live AV and streaming (for example dedicated 100 Mbps symmetric).
• Estimate contingency plans you want in place for weather, property cancellation, or force majeure, including acceptable remedies (credit, alternative dates). Options: Credit only, Alternative date, Full refund, Hybrid arrangement

Coordinate Talent and Influencer Appearances

• Specify talent tiers and core deliverables you will contract for (for example appearance only, appearance + social posts, appearance + livestream). Options: Appearance only, Appearance + social, Appearance + content deliverables, Custom package
• Which contractual clauses must be included for talent (for example exclusivity window, content approval, cancellation fee) and desired timeframes.
• Confirm the approvals and documentation you require before influencer content goes live (for example FTC disclosures, signed usage license, first-rights agreement). Options: FTC disclosure required, Signed usage license required, First-rights required, Other - describe
• Outline the on-site rider and technical requirements for talent that production must meet (for example dressing room, security, AV input requirements).
• Share the expected posting cadence and promotional windows for each talent appearance so we can map amplification timing to measurement windows. Options: Pre-event only, During event, Post-event only, Pre + During + Post

Operate Hospitality and Ticketing Fulfillment

• State the ticketing allocations you require and transferability rules (for example VIP tickets non-transferable, comp allotments transferable).
• Indicate how ticket holder data should be mapped into your CRM for hospitality tracking (for example map ticket type to hospitality profile, include dietary fields).
• Name the hospitality delivery methods you prefer (for example physical fulfillment, will-call, digital tickets) and the lead times for each. Options: Will-call, Digital ticket, Physical package, On-site pickup
• Approximate the quantities for hospitality fulfillment and the contingency buffer you expect for no-shows or VIP upgrades. Options: 5% buffer, 10% buffer, 15% buffer, Custom
• Explain how you will capture guest dietary and accessibility requirements and how that data will be delivered to the catering team.

Implement Measurement and Attribution Dashboard

• Detail the KPIs you require in the dashboard and their exact definitions (for example brand lift measured via pre/post survey, leads as unique emails collected). Options: Brand lift, Leads, Conversions, Sales lift, Custom
• Select the baseline periods and look-back windows for lift calculations (for example pre-event 4 weeks, attribution window 30 days) and indicate the control approach. Options: 4 weeks pre-event, 8 weeks pre-event, Custom
• What acceptance criteria will validate the measurement dashboard (for example data refresh latency under 6 hours, data completeness >=95%, CRM matching rate >=90%)?
• Break down the tracking tags, pixel endpoints, and CRM connectors that must feed the dashboard and whether you require server-side or client-side tracking. Options: Client-side only, Server-side preferred, Hybrid approach
• Clarify the reporting cadence and delivery method you require for dashboard updates (for example daily API, weekly PDF email, or access to a live BI workspace). Options: Real-time dashboard access, Daily export, Weekly PDF summary, Ad-hoc on request

Run Post‑Campaign Sales and Lift Analysis

• Document the datasets you will provide for sales lift analysis (for example POS SKU-level sales, ecommerce order exports, channel-level sales) and the access owner for each.
• Forecast the pre/post comparison windows and the control group approach you prefer (for example matched market controls, propensity-score matched cohorts). Options: Market control, Matched cohort, Time-series control, Custom
• Explain the transactional join keys available to link exposures to purchases (for example order ID, hashed email, loyalty ID) and whether hashing is required. Options: Order ID, Hashed email, Loyalty ID, Multiple keys available
• Enumerate the statistical methods you prefer for lift estimation (for example difference-in-differences, synthetic control, time-series forecasting) and any confidence thresholds required. Options: Difference-in-differences, Synthetic control, Time-series forecasting, Custom
• Create the deliverable formats you expect for post-campaign analysis (for example CSV exports of matched data, slide deck with topline, Excel workbook with raw tables). Options: CSV export, Slide deck, Excel workbook, Dashboard access

Monitor Brand‑Safety and Rights Compliance

• Map the brand-safety thresholds and alert rules you want monitored (for example negative sentiment spike thresholds, mentions on a specified blacklist) so escalation can be automated.
• Choose the channels and property assets that require continuous compliance checks (for example live broadcast feed, official social accounts, on-site signage) and frequency of checks. Options: Live broadcast, Official social, On-site assets, All of the above
• Define the remediation steps and escalation path you require if a rights violation or brand-safety incident occurs (for example immediate content takedown, public statement, termination option).
• Rate acceptable response SLAs for compliance incidents and required reporting windows (for example initial response within 60 minutes, full resolution within 24 hours). Options: 15 minutes, 60 minutes, 4 hours, 24 hours
• Schedule the regular compliance audit cadence and the recipients of those reports (for example daily during event, weekly post-event, legal and brand teams). Options: Daily during event, Weekly, Post-event only, Custom cadence

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW) - Master
• SOW: Portfolio Audit
• SOW: Activation Design & Negotiation
• SOW: Measurement & Attribution
• Commercial Terms & Fee Schedule
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Resourcing, Roles & Decision Milestones
• Change Order Agreement
• Termination & Transition Plan

• Go-live Health Check
• First Measurement Review
• Acceptance Gate, Outcomes Ratification (Day ~90)
• Quarterly Outcomes and Backlog Review

• Schedule the next quarterly review and list the specific metrics and backlog items to be evaluated at that meeting.
• Produce a documented acceptance decision with pass/fail recorded for each numeric target from Engagement Scope and capture the named signatory's approval or conditional approval.
• If any criteria failed, agree a remediation and verification timeline that closes the loop before final acceptance.
• Circulate the acceptance record and reconciliation artifacts for the buyer's records within 48 hours.
• Publish the acceptance document with pass/fail outcomes and the named signatory's decision.
• List remediation tasks for failed criteria with dates for verification testing.
• Deliver a full measurement reconciliation package that ties sponsorship activity to reported conversions and ROI.
• Trend review for sponsorship ROI and brand lift
• Confirm whether sponsorship ROI and brand lift are tracking toward the targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Ensure attribution and data integrity are sufficient for ongoing reporting and decision making.
• Maintain a prioritized, action-oriented backlog with clear verification steps for completed items.
• Update the shared backlog with new priorities and publish the quarter plan for remediation and enhancements.
• Produce and circulate a measurement validation report that documents any attribution changes and their impact on KPIs.
• Re-confirm scope, success criteria, and owners
• Confirm all named owners and property contacts are operational and contactable.
• Validate tracking and data pipelines are firing and capturing test events.
• Agree a prioritized remediation plan with dates for any blockers that would prevent valid measurement.
• Capture and publish the remediation list with target resolution dates.
• Run a tracked test transaction and deliver the raw event payload to the measurement owner for verification.
• Confirm and publish the final vendor and property contact roster and daily operational check-in times.
• Present first-window results against Engagement Scope targets
• Determine whether the two named metrics are on track relative to targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Validate the attribution chain is capturing sponsorship-sourced leads accurately enough to trust the KPI numbers.
• Agree a timebound corrective plan and validation tests to close identified gaps before the acceptance gate.
• Update attribution rules and publish the change log describing expected impact on reported KPIs.
• Deploy agreed tag and CRM fixes and run the validation test, then circulate the test results.
• Prepare an updated data extract that reconciles sponsorship-sourced leads to CRM records for the acceptance gate.
• Restate acceptance criteria and numeric targets
• Deployment and tag / tracking validation
• Present consolidated outcome data and reconciliation
• Attribution stability and data quality check
• Attribution integrity and data validation
• Shared backlog review and prioritization
• Diagnose performance gaps and root causes
• Property and vendor operational readiness
• Document pass or fail per criterion and capture signatory decision
• Agree corrective actions and measurement tests
• Agree remediation plan and verification timeline for any failed criteria
• Close resolved items and set next checkpoints
• Early adoption and data quality signals
• Open issues and immediate remediation plan