Your target list: The business you are writing to first, with the owner's name
2
Your specific ask: Exactly what you are asking for and what you are offering in return
3
Your story: One or two sentences about why this trip matters to you — write these first, before anything else
4
Your contact details: Email address and phone number
🤖
Using AI to help
If you are finding it difficult to start, use ChatGPT with this prompt:
"Write a sponsorship letter from [your name], aged [age], from [town], raising [target] for [expedition description]. I am writing to [business name], owned by [owner name]. I am asking for [specific ask]. In return I am offering [what you are offering]. The letter should be warm but professional, no longer than one page, and end with a clear call to action."
💡
Always edit: Read the AI draft out loud. Change anything that does not sound like you. Add your genuine personal story in your own words — this is the part AI cannot do for you.
📧
Email vs printed letter
Should you send an email or a printed letter? Both work — here is when to use each:
📧
Email: Faster, easier to follow up, and most businesses prefer it. Use a clear subject line: 'Sponsorship request — [Your name], [expedition], [year]'
📄
Printed letter: More memorable and stands out from the inbox. Better for smaller, independent businesses where you can hand-deliver it personally
🤝
In person: The most effective approach of all — if you can walk into a local business and introduce yourself, your chances of getting a yes increase dramatically
✏️ Write your first letter now
Using the template from Lesson 3 and the guidance above, write your first sponsorship letter. Address it to a specific business on your target list. Spend no more than 30 minutes on it — done is better than perfect.
Brilliant! You have done the hardest part. In Lesson 5, you will learn how to send your letters effectively and — crucially — how to follow up to maximise your response rate.