Pacers promote ticket sales and add value to corporate partnerships with new digital channel
OPPORTUNITY
Sponsorship sales is a hard concept to grasp. The benefits tend to be ambiguous and intangible, and too often become something that’s not easily communicated. And sure, having a team on the rise helps with conversations, and sometimes makes it easier to get a prospective partner on the phone. But it doesn’t lock in a sale.
Partnering logos are starting to pay close attention to fan data. They care more about social reach and how the property’s business strategy grows audience, engages fans and reports the data. The Indiana Pacers have been looking for a way to up proven value and ROI for their corporate partnerships.
“The real struggle these days in selling corporate partnerships is finding the right mix of elements and benefits to drive the impact each individual partner is looking for. With an individualized approach, the success rate is higher and we’re able to offer our partner a tailored path to own.”
– Michael Lake, Corporate Partnership Sales Director
SOLUTION
Corporate Partnership Sales Director Michael Lake redesigned the Pacers’ sponsorship strategy to focus on hyper-customized plans that don’t hinge on the team’s performance, but rather measure the sponsor’s impact. To capitalize on their targeted audience, Lake implemented 175 users from the Pacers property onto Sigstr in April of 2015. He also enlisted the help of the Sigstr customer success team. By including a campaign design services package to create new designs each month, he’s driving new engagement.
As a value add-on for their corporate partnership, Lake had the Sigstr design team include the 2016 Opening Night game sponsor, Kroger, in their clickable call-to-action banner for the October tip-off.
The Pacers Sports and Entertainment Group saw fast results with the sleek design! In six days, the campaign was seen on every implemented employee’s 1:1 human email. Because of the exposure, they raked in 53,000 views and 228 clicks from an audience hand-selected by the NBA team.
By offering up concrete metrics, Sigstr allowed the Pacers to take measurable returns back to the sponsor. Sigstr helped identify the link between the investment and corporate KPIs for Kroger. And that correlation prompted the partner to sign an agreement, on the spot, to retain sponsorship of Opening Night for the 2017-2018 season next year.
CAMPAIGN RESULTS
OTHER CAMPAIGN DESIGNS
VISION
The Pacers implemented nine more campaigns in two months after ending their Opening Night Campaign, snagging another 300,000 views and 1,300 clicks.
The group’s use of Sigstr to accompany promotional advertising goes beyond the email signature. It’s also bringing content to a targeted audience selected by the brand.
Sigstr has improved productivity through the corporate sponsorship sales strategy because it facilitates the metrics to prove return. Sponsors value Sigstr’s dynamic nature, which updates the call-to-action banners automatically, even in messages sent prior to the update. And brands see, in real time, when their campaigns are viewed and interacted with. That insight offers up greater visibility and control throughout the engagement.
“We were able to show Kroger the exact number of impressions on each email, and to use this in tandem with the numerous other places we were highlighting their game night sponsorship. It was a huge value for us – and for them!”
– Michael Lake, Corporate Partnership Sales Director
The Pacers Sports and Entertainment Group continues to use the Sigstr design services to create tailored content and align promotions for each property within the organization. From the Indiana Pacers, to the Fever and Mad Ants to Bankers Life Fieldhouse as an event venue, the group has offered a value-add for corporate partnerships with tangible returns using Sigstr specifically for each property.
