reaperinvest Sponsor Pitch
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Pitch sponsors for your podcast, newsletter, YouTube channel, or event
- Create a sponsorship deck with audience data and package pricing
- Design tiered sponsorship packages with clear deliverables
- Write outreach emails to potential sponsors
DO NOT use this skill for affiliate marketing proposals, influencer campaign briefs (use influencer-campaign-brief), or advertising media buys. This is for pitching sponsorship of your owned media.
Core Principle
SPONSORS BUY ACCESS TO YOUR AUDIENCE — LEAD WITH WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS AND WHY THEY BUY, NOT HOW GREAT YOUR CONTENT IS.
Phase 1: Inputs
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Media property | "What are you seeking sponsorship for? (podcast, newsletter, event, YouTube)" | Newsletter |
| Audience size | "How large is your audience? (subscribers, downloads, attendees)" | No default — must be provided |
| Audience demographics | "Who is your audience? (profession, age, income, interests)" | No default — must be provided |
| Engagement metrics | "What are your engagement rates? (open rate, listen-through, views)" | No default — estimate if unavailable |
| Desired price range | "What are you looking to charge per sponsorship?" | Will calculate based on audience |
| Sponsorship format | "What can you offer sponsors? (ad reads, banner ads, mentions, product features)" | Ad read + newsletter mention |
GATE: Do not proceed without audience size and demographics.
Phase 2: Deck Structure
Sponsorship Deck Outline
## [Property Name] — Sponsorship Opportunities
### 1. About [Property Name]
[2-3 sentences: what it is, why it exists, what makes it unique]
### 2. Audience Snapshot
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| [Subscribers / Downloads / Attendees] | [Number] |
| Growth rate | [X% month-over-month] |
| [Open rate / Listen-through / View rate] | [X%] |
| Primary demographic | [Description] |
| Average income | [$X range] |
| Top industries | [List] |
### 3. Why Sponsors Choose Us
- [Audience quality signal — purchasing power, decision-maker status]
- [Engagement proof — click rates, response rates, testimonials]
- [Past sponsor results — if available]
### 4. Sponsorship Packages
[See tiered packages below]
### 5. Past Sponsors (if applicable)
[Logos or names of previous sponsors for credibility]
### 6. Next Steps
[How to get started — reply, book a call, fill out a form]
Tiered Packages
### Package Options
**Tier 1: [Name] — $[Price]**
- [Deliverable 1 — e.g., 60-second mid-roll ad read]
- [Deliverable 2 — e.g., newsletter mention with link]
- [Deliverable 3 — e.g., social media shoutout]
- Duration: [Per episode / Per month / Per event]
**Tier 2: [Name] — $[Price]**
- Everything in Tier 1, plus:
- [Additional deliverable]
- [Additional deliverable]
**Tier 3: [Name] — $[Price]**
- Everything in Tier 2, plus:
- [Premium placement or exclusivity]
- [Custom content integration]
Phase 3: Pricing and Outreach
Pricing Guidelines
| Media Type | Pricing Model | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast | CPM (cost per 1,000 downloads) | $18-50 CPM |
| Newsletter | CPM or flat rate | $20-80 CPM |
| YouTube | CPM or flat rate | $20-50 CPM |
| Event | Flat sponsorship fee | Varies widely |
Outreach Email Template
Subject: Sponsorship opportunity — [Property Name] ([Audience Size] [subscribers/listeners])
Hi [Name],
I run [Property Name], a [type] for [audience description]. We reach [number]
[subscribers/listeners/attendees] who are [key demographic detail — purchasing power,
decision-maker status, or specific interest].
[1 sentence of social proof — growth rate, engagement metric, or notable past sponsor]
I think [Sponsor's Product] would be a great fit for our audience because [specific
reason tied to audience-product match].
I have a few sponsorship options ranging from $[low] to $[high]. Happy to send our
full media kit or jump on a quick call.
[Your name]
[Property Name]
Phase 4: Polish
- Proofread all audience data for accuracy
- Ensure pricing is competitive for the audience size and niche
- Include a one-page PDF version of the deck for easy sharing
- Add links to sample content so sponsors can evaluate quality
Example: Business Podcast (5,000 Downloads/Episode)
Pricing: $25 CPM = $125 per mid-roll read. Package at 4 episodes/month = $500/month.
Tier 1 — Spotlight ($500/month): 1 mid-roll read per episode (4x/month) + show notes link. Tier 2 — Partner ($900/month): Tier 1 + pre-roll mention + newsletter feature (1x/month). Tier 3 — Presenting Sponsor ($1,500/month): Tier 2 + branded segment + social posts + exclusivity in category.
Anti-Patterns
- Leading with your content, not your audience — sponsors care about reaching buyers, not your episode count
- One-size-fits-all pricing — always offer 2-3 tiers so sponsors can choose their investment level
- No engagement data — download counts without listen-through rates or open rates without click rates look weak
- Pricing too low — underpricing signals low quality. Research comparable properties before setting rates.
- No clear next step — every pitch must end with a specific action (book a call, reply to discuss)
Recovery
- Small audience (<1,000): Position as a niche, high-engagement audience. Emphasize quality over quantity — click rates, conversion data, audience demographics.
- No past sponsors: Offer a discounted trial sponsorship (1-2 episodes or issues) to build case studies.
- No engagement data available: Start tracking immediately. Provide estimates based on platform averages and commit to sharing real data after a test period.
- Sponsor wants custom integration: Be flexible but price custom work higher. Add a "Custom Package" tier with "Contact us for pricing."