Talk to the various food and beverage distributors who supply your venue to inquire about the options for entering into sponsorship deals with their companies. Soft drink and beer companies are often open to making deals to promote their brands through featured drink specials, in-house advertising and other marketing promotions.
Contact the radio stations in your market with a program format that matches the music featured in your venue. Radio stations can provide a variety of sponsorship options, including free or reduced advertising rates and on-air promotions in exchange for promoting the stations in your venue and providing access to the artists who play there as well as their music.
Draw up a professional introduction letter to send to other potential sponsors outlining the particulars of your venue, the benefits of becoming a sponsor and basic ideas for how to make the sponsorship beneficial to both parties (banner display, product sampling, etc.). Ask for permission to send a more detailed proposal once they have expressed interest.
Include in your detailed presentation the age range and demographic information of your current and targeted audience, an overview of your venue and lineup of upcoming acts, how the sponsors will be included, what type of investment you are seeking from them and what they will receive from the partnership.
Outline any factors that separate your venue from other similar venues in the market, and prepare a list of reasons the sponsor should choose your venue over others to commit their resources to. As the sponsors are also trying to maintain profitability, be sure to stress the ways in which a sponsorship agreement will have a positive effect on their bottom line as well as yours.