The Schmooze network offers a wide range of targeted marketing and promotional opportunities. With its three branches of activities (Professional, Social and Young Professional) and over a dozen events each month throughout the year, sponsors have the opportunity to engage with their target audienc. in a personalised and effective way.

Our membership is currently about 450 (as of June 2009) and we gain about 10 members a week with a renewal rate of about 75%. The majority of our members are established professionals aged over 30 to 50 across the full sprectrum of professional sectors with a 70% private / 30% public split.

In addition, the website enjoys a 15% growth per month of unique visits (some 10000 unique visits in May 2009) offering additional profile and the emailing list has some 1500+ direct recipients representing over 250 organisations. We also cross promote our activities through the distribution lists of our strategic networking partners such as other networking organisations or professional bodies.

Sponsorship Levels

We aim for a sophisticated and personalised approach that respects the intelligence and taste of our membership, and to ensure our sponsors receive the recognition and support they deserve.Sponsors enjoy co-branding, links and information about their expertise in the information promoting the event such as on the website listing, and much more to ensure they get both due recognition of their support as well as value for your investment.

• Principal Network Sponsor: This level provides co-branding on all Schmooze communications and website, featured member interviews, and a range of promotional opportunities and benefits as mutually agreed. This option represents a significant level of support to the overall Schmooze network of approximately $10k per year. The agreements are for a 12 month period with a view to continuing.
• Branch Partner Sponsor: As Schmooze has three branches, the Professional, Young Professional and Social, there are opportunities for a single company to be the sponsor, for a minimum of 12 months, of one of these branches. The level of recognition is similar to the Principal Network Sponsor and the investment in in-kind and/or cash is approximately $5000.
• Principal Member Benefit Sponsor: This option allows members to promote in depth their expertise and services via a full-page on the website in the Members Lounge, and promoted through the e-news and elsewhere as a member benefit. The page would include on-going benefits, offers, or discounts exclusive to members in return for a referral fee payable to Schmooze for any converted business as per mutual agreement.
• Principal Monthly Schmooze Event Sponsor: Our monthly Showcase event for both the Professional and SYPG are a great vehicle to introduce your company to our members and guests in a setting of your choice. The investment is the total cost of the event, (except for entertainment) in return for co-branding for the event on the website and all promotional materials, as well as the opportunity to bring your own guests to the event and more. Indicative investment is approximately $2-3000 depending on scale of the event.
• Event Sponsor: This option provides for sponsoring or hosting boutique networking events such as networking dinners, social or sporting events, or invitation-only dinners or lunches. The investment would be the cost of the event, in return for co-branding for the event on the website and all promotional materials etc. Indicative investment is approximately $500-1000 depending on scale of the event.
• Event Partner: The option provides for companies to contribute to an event via lucky door prizes, or in-kind support at a particular event in return for company information being included on the website/invitations and recognition on the night.

Some of the other options include:

• participating in the Schmooze Lifestyle Series which provide social opportunities to members
• offering special offers or ongoing benefits to Schmooze members such as discounts, tickets, special rates

Its a policy that we only use member venues and services for our activities, so we would expect that any sponsor would join the network (which is itself a superb way to source hundreds of new contacts and raise your professional profile) and hosting events also offer a great opportunity to invite existing/potential clients to reinforce your relationship with them. If you don't have a venue, but want to host an event, we can assist with access to leading venues (most of whom are also Schmooze members) and arrange preferential rates on your behalf- or you can arrange your own event in consultation with Schmooze.

For a confidential discussion about sponsorship possibilities the Schmooze Network can offer, please contact Phillip Jones.

Finally, we are intending to expand the network's activities to other places in Australia, so if you are outside Canberra, then we would be interested in hearing from you.