Value Added

Value Added Defined Value Added refers to any additional perks or package components you offer a prospect to sweeten your proposal—beyond on-air spots. These perks are most often off-air elements—both tangible and intangible. Many stations reserve Value Added elements as a way to reward those clients making a substantial sponsorship commitment, but others choose to include some of the following examples as a part of every sponsorship agreement. Examples of Value Added Stations offer a…

Value Added Defined

Value Added refers to any additional perks or package components you offer a prospect to sweeten your proposal—beyond on-air spots. These perks are most often off-air elements—both tangible and intangible. Many stations reserve Value Added elements as a way to reward those clients making a substantial sponsorship commitment, but others choose to include some of the following examples as a part of every sponsorship agreement.

Examples of Value Added

Stations offer a variety of Value Added elements to their sponsors. Some examples include:

  • Pledge Premium Pick Up: At sponsor’s location
  • Posters on Site: Promoting programs or acknowledging/thanking sponsors for their support
  • Static-window stickers: Recognizing or thanking sponsor for their support
  • Counter cards: Acknowledging support of public radio
  • Retail POP:  Offering and promoting a benefit day at a sponsor retail location. Station receives a portion of the day’s sales
  • Coupons: Offer the sponsor the opportunity to put a coupon or offer in member mailings such as invoices or renewal letters, or as part of emails to members
  • Membercard: Sponsor products prominently incorporated as a discounted benefit for members
  • Postcard/Tune In Mailings and Emailings:  Tagged with sponsor logo and contact information
  • Thank you ad: Run in local newspaper or business journal recognizing sponsors, or in station newsletters and other member/listener communications
  • Annual Report:  Recognition either as a listing or a logo
  • Pledge: Sponsors can be involved in many ways. They can offer a challenge grant or have executives host as on-air talent. Some stations have had businesses sponsor a premium item. Last but not least, there is always a phone bank opportunity for employees.
  • Networking opportunities: Such as station sponsored business “after hours” events, town hall meetings or client-targeted professional development workshops offered by the station
  • Social Media: Recognition on station’s social media feeds
  • Digital: Recognition and link to sponsor site from station website, mobile app
  • Invitations: VIP perks for station special events, tours of station for sponsor employees
  • Member Magazine or Program Guide: Feature article or listing in membership magazine or newsletter. Some stations even offer print or display ads in these publications.

Should You Offer Value Added?

Corporate Support professionals have mixed feelings on offering Value Added. It is possible that Value Added elements can devalue your on-air sponsorship – giving the impression that the on-air isn’t worthy of support without the Value Added. At the same time, it can be hard to charge for Value Added elements down the road if you are quick to add them into a package without monetary value factored in. But it’s also true that sometimes Value Added elements can tip the odds in favor of a signed contract. The best approach is most likely a balanced one. Offer Value Added elements sparingly. Try to create Value Added opportunities that don’t cost the station money (like listing all sponsors on your station website) or take too much of your time in the delivery. Consider offering Value Added to only your largest or most loyal sponsors.

What About Bonus Spots?

Some stations offer bonus spots to their sponsors as a “Value Added”. While this practice may have merit in certain situations (i.e. during the COVID-19 pandemic), we don’t really consider bonus spots Value Added. And we would like to offer a word of caution—bonus spots should not be the norm. By offering bonus spots you are in essence offering a discount on your per spot rate.

However, this approach is sometimes used in the interest of maintaining a total contract value by adding extra spots instead of caving to pressure to discount the existing contract. Bonus spots are also sometimes used as a legitimate make-good—when you have made some sort of error that merits such a gesture.

Anna McDonald

Greater Public Corporate Support Advisor

(703) 655-2944 (Eastern Time Zone)
amcdonald@greaterpublic.org
Corporate support