New Guidebook By Corporate Sponsorship Consultant Gail Bower Advises Nonprofit And Event/Festival Leaders On Sponsorship Strategy In Down Economy

Philadelphia, July 2, 2009 — For nonprofit leaders and event and festival producers struggling to retain and attract corporate sponsors during this economic downturn, help is on the way.

Marketing and corporate sponsorship specialist Gail Bower wrote "How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times (http://gailbower.com/jumpstart/index.php)" to provide the tools and techniques sponsorship sellers need now. The guidebook, available by mid-July 2009, provides an overview of the political and economic factors presently effecting sponsorship sales along with recommendations on how to work with current and new sponsors, ways to improve their sponsorship programs and operations, and how to create the best environment for sponsorship success.

"So much has happened during the last year that directly impacts consumer perceptions of corporations and of sponsorship," said Bower. "This short book is a manual to help readers understand all the factors that have an impact on their sponsorship programs and, more importantly, what to do about it."

Bower will launch the book July 9, 2009, at the Texas Festival & Event Association's 2009 Conference, where she will present a three-hour workshop, called "Bailouts & Politics: The Effect on Sponsorship and What it Means for You."

"I know first hand from producing events and music festivals for the last 20 years that during these difficult economic times, communities need their events and festivals now more than ever," Bower said. "Corporations play an important role in our regional and national events. To secure corporate participation and investment, nonprofits and event and festival producers need to provide the value and measurable results that corporate partners seek. "

Bower's firm, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC, specializes in raising the visibility, revenue, and impact of non-profit organizations and events and festivals. Bower is a professional consultant, writer, and speaker, with more than 20 years of experience managing some of the country's most important events, festivals and sponsorships and implementing marketing programs for clients. Launched in 1987, today Bower & Co. improves the results of clients' events, marketing, and corporate sponsorship programs.

She developed and teaches two half-day courses about corporate sponsorship for event leaders through Temple University's School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

To learn more about the 60-page guidebook and to order it, visit Bower's online store. (http://gailbower.com/store/index.php). To participate in a dialog about successful sponsorship strategies, visit or subscribe to Bower's blog (http://www.sponsorshipstrategist.com).