Just finding the correct contact at a large company can be a long and difficult process. And you probably have to plan promotions such as a premium giveaway far in advance. Even if you do a deal, it could take a year or more before it comes to fruition.

Approach your pitch to a potential sponsor as you would a bank loan. What does a bank officer think about when you ask for money? Not "How can I help this person," but "Will the bank get its money back, plus lots of interest?" That's the cold truth of the world. Everybody wants to know, "What's in it for me?" Your potential sponsor is no different.

If your video will be seen by an audience that the sponsor has not been able to reach, or a market that the sponsor has lost to a competitor, then your video will be attractive to the sponsor. Do your research before you make contact with the sponsor. Don't expect the sponsor to see the connections that are apparent to you.

Make sure your presentation materials are high-quality and professional. As an individual, you have to work much harder to land a sponsor than a large company (such as Disney) with a track record and existing distribution channels. You can't pitch a sponsor on a vague idea. Work out every detail of your proposal in advance, from celebrity spokespeople to packaging to how you'll deliver the finished tapes to how much warehouse space the boxes of tapes will need to what the postage will be on the tapes sent out as premiums. It is likely you will get only one chance to open that door and keep it open.

Think about every question that a sponsor may ask, and answer it in your proposal. Make the deal extremely easy to approve and almost impossible to turn down. Then you will be ready to find the person at the sponsor's company who has the power to sa…