3 Strategies I Used to Pitch a $12,500 Sponsorship to Paperform (LIVE Call Breakdown)

Talking to brands is never not scary.

But it can get easier.

Last month, I pitched Paperform a $12,500 sponsorship renewal (LIVE on a call) for Sponsor Games 2026.

If this call didn't go well...

I might have to cut my ​Sponsor Games 2026​ food budget in half (literally one of the best parts of the event 😂)

So yeah...

There was some pressure lol.

Today I wanna break down the 3 strategies I used to pitch Paperform (and how you can 10x your chances of getting sponsored).

Strategy 1: The Direction Shift

Early in the call, Diony and I started talking about Paperform's new product they're getting ready to launch.

It's absolutely HUGE for them.

At this point, most creators take the comfortable approach and power through their pre-planned pitch...

"Oh cool! So here's my audience demographics..." 🙄

And I totally get it.

You don't wanna waste any time, right?

But after helping hundreds of creators land millions of dollars in sponsorships here's what I've learned:

When a brand tells you about something they're excited about, that's your cue to LEAN IN.

So I asked Diony:

• "Wait, tell me more about Stepper."

• "How are you thinking about launch strategy for 2026?"

• "What's the goal here? Awareness or conversions?"

• "Is this a pivot for the whole company or just an addition to the product suite?"

And she immediately got EXCITED! 🤩

Diony started talking about Paperform’s vision, their challenges, and what success looks like for them.

And the more she talked, the clearer it became what I needed to pitch her.

She didn't need an event booth.

She didn't need logo placement.

What she needed MOST was a way to showcase Paperform's new product (Stepper) to qualified creators who could become long-term partners.

See the difference?

⚡Pro Tip: This works the same way even if you're pitching your 1st sponsor. Ask about the BRAND's goals first, then figure out how you can help.

Strategy 2: The Feedback Loop

At ​Sponsor Games​ 2025, we tried something that... didn't really work.

We set up sponsor tables around the perimeter of the room where brands could display swag, drop off business cards, chat with attendees...

Ya know...

The typical “conference booth in the corner" thing lol.

But as we saw during the event, almost nobody went over to those tables. They just kinda… sat there 😬

I KNEW Diony remembered this.

Her team definitely noticed.

And I could've just... not brought it up, right? Avoid the bad stuff?

Tempting, yes...

But if there's an elephant in the room, the brand's already thinking about it.

So I ripped the band-aid off:

"Look, I wanna be honest with you about something. The tabling strategy last year didn't work as well as we'd hoped. Those tables kind of sat empty most of the event, and I know that wasn't great ROI for you guys."

Then I switched to the positive:

"But here's what DID work… RJ from your team absolutely CRUSHED IT getting to interact with attendees directly… at meals, during the games, and especially when I gave him an on-stage shoutout during the Sponsor Tank.”

And you know what Diony said?

"YES. Exactly. That's what we found valuable too. The relationship-building was worth every penny."

Boom.

When I brought up what DIDN'T work (the sponsor booth in the corner thing), this accomplished 3 things:

1. Built massive trust: Showed I'm honest and paying attention

2. Reframed the conversation: Focused on what DID work

3. Set the stage: Made it wayyyyy easier to ask for MORE money because I'm committed to making the next partnership even better

This is especially important if you're asking for huuuuge chunks of money.

Because think about it:

If I'd ignored the booth issue and just said... "Hey same deal as last year but $5K more, how's that?" 😭

Diony would've been sitting there thinking:

“Huh? But what about those empty tables we paid for?"

Exactly lol.

So by addressing the issue myself, I showed her I care about ROI and I want to make their Sponsor Games 2026 investment even better.

That set the stage to ask for MORE money.

⚡ Pro Tip: If there’s something potentially concerning to the brand (your engagement rate, your niche, whatever...) bring it up yourself and show how you’ll deliver results anyway!

Strategy 3: The Future Vision

At this point, I've asked about Paperform’s goals, addressed the booth issue, and things are going well.

Now it's time to actually pitch.

But rather than listing deliverables like “We’ll mention you in 5 emails, you get a booth, here’s your logo placement” (Boooooring 😂)...

I painted a VISION:

"Diony, here's what I'm thinking for Sponsor Games 2026... We're doubling headcount to 75 creators who are serious about landing brand deals. We're making it all-inclusive… breakfast, lunch, dinner, all catered. And we're integrating sponsors wayyyyy more deeply into the programming. Not just booths in the corner, but hands-on time with creators who are actively learning."

Diony was nodding. She was with me.

So I went for it:

"And here's an idea I'm REALLY excited about: What if Paperform financially sponsored an attendee? Meaning someone walks away from Sponsor Games with a $2,500 deal with Paperform already in hand?"

Diony's face completely LIT UP.

"Oh my god,” she said. “There's an emotional response I wasn't expecting... there's a buy-in that's greater than, way greater than a money value and a money return."

And in that moment, I KNEW we had something special.

When you paint a future vision that shows emotional impact and strategic value…

…that’s when the brand stops thinking about CPMs and starts thinking about an actual PARTNERSHIP.

And partnerships pay more.

Wayyyyy more 😉

3 Takeaways You Can Steal From My $12,500 Pitch Call

1. Ask about their goals before pitching your solutions. When a brand mentions something they're working on, LEAN INTO IT. Ask questions. Understand what they're trying to do. Then craft your proposal around THEIR objectives (not what you want to sell).

2. Address the elephant in the room. If something didn't work well before (or there's an obvious drawback of working with you), tell them! This builds massive trust and shows you're committed to getting great results.

3. Paint a future vision that benefits THEM. Don't just pitch deliverables ("I'll post 3 times on Instagram"). Show the brand the IMPACT of those deliverables. Show them how it solves their actual business problems.

Remember...

Negotiation is just a conversation.

The more honest and curious you are in that conversation, the better your results will be.

Wanna see the full $12,500 pitch call?

Even though it didn't end exactly as I planned, this is a perfect example of how real brand negotiations sometimes go.

Click here to see what happened.