A few days ago I shared why cold partnership requests rarely get the desired attention. Today, I want to talk about a pattern I keep seeing during conversations with people who come seeking partnerships. Let me start with the main lesson before I dive into the story.
“WE WILL GIVE YOU VISIBILITY” IS NOT A PITCHING STRATEGY.
By Petra Akinti Onyegbule
I work primarily from Abuja, which means whenever I am in Lagos, my schedule is packed to the teeth. Meetings. Reviews. Strategy sessions. You name it. And somewhere inside this controlled chaos, I still try to create time to listen to people pitching one comms or branding idea or the other.
One hot afternoon in the office, the team forwarded a well packaged document to me because “they said they want partnership.”
I was tempted to shift it to later, but I decided to take a quick break from what I was working on and skim through. Who knows, I might just find something innovative.
As I always do with such documents, I jumped straight to their value proposition after a few paragraphs.
And there it was.
The big reveal.
The selling point.
“We will give your brand VISIBILITY.”
Yet another one.
Visibility?
So I scrolled back to the beginning, trying to understand who they were and exactly how they intended to give us this ‘visibility.’
Let me tell you the truth as it is.
Visibility is not a value proposition. It is an outcome, not an offer.
So if all you bring to the negotiation table is “visibility,” then you have not started selling anything meaningful.
Because if it is just visibility a brand wants, why won’t they simply pay for advertising?
At least with advertising, they get:
– Guaranteed reach;
– Clear metrics;
– Brand-safe placements;
– Full creative control;
– A predictable ROI.
Partnership is a completely different ballgame. Partnership means:
– You understand the brand’s objectives;
– You are offering leverage;
– You are connecting them to an audience that matters to their business;
– You are giving them a platform they cannot easily build on their own;
– You are aligning with the business;
– You are reducing their marketing cost or increasing their revenue potential
But “visibility”? No na.
When I was CPS, one strategy I used when drafting crisis communications was to put myself in the shoes of every potential reader, anticipate their reactions, and address their concerns proactively.
A friend here would say, “all bases covered.”
It is the same mindset required when pitching partnerships.
Before you open your mouth to sell an idea, ask yourself:
“If I were the person making the decision for this brand, what exactly is in it for us?”
Because I promise you,
“We will give you massive visibility” cannot be the only reason a serious brand will sign off sponsorship money.
Visibility is not a partnership currency.
Value is.
Insight is.
Audience relevance is.
Brand alignment is.
Conversion potential is.
If you want partnership, pitch like someone who understands business.
Show the brand how collaboration with you advances their strategic goals.
Show how it strengthens their market perception.
Show how it saves them money.
Show how it brings them money.
Show how the partnership lifts both sides, not just your programme.
Because when you pitch only “visibility,” you are not asking for partnership.
You are asking for sponsorship without offering any meaningful return.
And in this economy, nobody is donating their brand for free. Nobody is releasing funds that bring nothing back into the business. Everybody is counting cost and benefit.
Partnership is a premium table.
You either come with value, or don’t come at all.
– Petra Akinti Onyegbule