How to Handle a Sponsorship Request for a Blog

You can handle a sponsorship request for a blog whenever one comes in to determine whether the sponsor is right for your blog. When a company or individual sponsors your blog, he offers you some sort of compensation to be able to place his company name, logo or other branding paraphernalia on your blog, be it through sidebar ads or you consciously working the brand into the blog's content. Make sure the parameters of a sponsorship deal are acceptable to your before you agree to going through with one.

Instructions

1. Write back to the person who requested the sponsorship request as immediately as possible to acknowledge your receipt of the request. Include a note that you will re-connect as soon as possible if you aren't able to engage in a substantive discussion of the deal right now so that he knows you may still be interested.

2. Read through the email carefully so that you understand, in a few words, what the potential sponsor expects from you and what you can reasonably expect to receive in return. If you run a Mom blog, for example, and a children's clothing company wants to advertise on your website, the site may offer you free clothing for your child to wear in photos you post. Alternatively, some sponsors offer flat-rate financial compensation.

3. Follow up with the prospective sponsor. Provide a "Yes" or "No" response if possible -- and with explanation as to the reasons you came to your decision. If not, ask the sponsor to clear up ambiguities that make it difficult for you to decide. For example, if the email said "We will compensate you at a generous rate," ask for more details about how the sponsor calculates the rate.

4. Read through any documents and complete any authorizations the sponsor requires if you answer "Yes" to allowing the sponsor to appear on your blog. Ask for clarification on any items of the deal you don't understand and if you don't agree with something, request that the sponsor amend or remove it before you sign the document. Don't sign the contract until you fully understand the parameters of the deal.

5. Install any codes or ads the advertiser sends you on your site. Alternatively, begin to weave the brand or product into your blog's content if the parameters of the deal specify that you actively promote the product or service to your readers.