I've been working in the marketing industry in one form or another since 2011.

And I've been to a LOT of marketing and business conferences and events over the years.

I'll be real. A LOT of them suck, Reader.

This is not a dig on folks who put these together. I know it takes a lot of work to produce an event. And it's work I have no interest in doing.

But there's very little innovation.

If you've ever been to one of these events, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

At best, the content is stuff you've heard before that at least confirms what you already know/believe. And at worst, it's dry, valueless, and yawn-inducing.

You spend 50% of your time networking (the true value of these things), 48% scrolling on your phone, and 2% actually getting a real takeaway.

Well, I'm here to say that Justin Moore and his team just knocked me on my ass with an event that completely surpassed all my expectations.

And you know I'm not one to blow smoke. It was actually that good.

The Sponsor Games Experience

If you don't know Justin, he runs Creator Wizard, where he offers sponsorship education and coaching for creators who want to make fat stacks through sponsorships. (Let's not even talk about how my little DnD nerd ass is obsessed with his branding.)

He's been a full-time creator since 2014, and he used to run an influencer marketing agency. And over the years, he's generated over $5M in brand partnerships. In other words, he really knows his shit.

And while I have followed Justin for a couple years, I haven't really taken the time to absorb his content. I was drawn to his kind, fun personality. He's just a guy that you want to win, whatever he's doing. You feel good about rooting for him.

My girl, Sara Loretta, helped him produce this event, so naturally, I wanted to go to support them both... even though I didn't really know much about sponsorships. I've never had a sponsorship. And while it's something I'm interested in, I thought it was likely very far off for someone with my audience size.

I could not have been more surprised and delighted by an event.

It's called Sponsor Games. And it was everything I never knew I wanted from an event.

There were no boring presentations with generic content you can find with a quick Google search. It was Justin taking you step-by-step through his process for securing sponsorships with interactive games where you can put that knowledge to work.

*In my best Stefon from SNL Weekend Update voice*

It's got everything—Team challenges, heated Kahoot! games, branded lattes, Sponsor Shark Tank, tacos, a Wizard Flat Stanley, and plastic guns that shoot money with Justin's face on it.

Red team (the best team) shooting the money guns.

And the best part was working with a team.

I can feel your eyes rolling from here, but hear me out.

They put us into teams that Coach Bianca carefully curated based on our personalities. Shout out to Doc, Bagas, Espree, and Kristen (who unfortunately missed the money gun experience pictured above).

I had the absolute best time getting to know these people, and it was a way to take the networking experience one step further. We even made a sensual ASMR video for a Swingline stapler that brought Justin to his knees. I will never forget these people.

You've already got what you need to create a great sponsor pitch

One of the biggest realizations I had at the event is that I already have what it takes to create a great sponsor pitch (and so do you!)

All the skills and strategies you'd use to write a great sales email are the same things you need to create a great sponsor pitch.

At the end of the event, they had a Shark Tank-like pitch competition where participants pitched their dream sponsor in front of a panel of judges. My favorite pitch came from Jerry Potter, who is all about helping entrepreneurs get more out of their marketing without adding more hours to their schedule. So basically, the dad-joke version of me but for podcasting and YouTube.

Jerry's pitch was a masterclass in persuasion and appealing to your audience:

• Jerry used humor and relatability to appeal to his audience. In other words, he was a human speaking to humans. You know that's my favorite approach to selling anything.
• He used proof to support his statements. It's one thing to say your audience is interested in hearing more about the sponsor's tool. It's quite another to pull actual comments from a video as proof that they're interested.
• He was genuine AF. He genuinely loves using the brand he was pitching to, and you could tell. When you're writing sales copy, your genuine belief in the thing you're selling (or lack thereof) comes through. Remember that.

>> Check out Jerry's newsletter. If you're interested in using YouTube or podcasting to grow your business, Jerry is your man.

I'm inspired AF

More than anything else, this event inspired me to start creating content again. I loved being around people who love what they do, and it's inspired me to get back to what I love doing most—creating content that adds value to your life and business.

TL;DR: I had a BLAST at Sponsor Games. And I highly recommend you follow Justin and get on the waitlist for next year if sponsorships are on your radar.

Cheers!
Sarah Jane Burt