Targeting
Match every prospect to the right tier before first contact. Category exclusivity is your strongest hook.
Sponsorship tiers
Title partner
R4.5M – R6.5M
Platform naming rights across all 7 pillars and 6 nodes
Colour partner
±R1.5M
Own one cultural pillar — Fashion, Heritage & Culinary, or Innovation
Experience partner
R500K – R750K
Category-exclusive ownership of a specific activation or programme moment
CSR partner
R250K – R500K
Youth, wellness and community initiatives with impact reporting
Who to target
| Company type | Right contact & rationale | Tier |
|---|---|---|
Banks & financial services Standard Bank, Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Investec | Head of Brand, CMO, Head of Sponsorships. Established cultural budgets. Hook: footfall-linked ROI from the digital data layer dashboard. | Title |
Telecoms & technology MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, Microsoft SA, Samsung | Head of Sponsorships, Brand Manager, Innovation Lead. Innovation & digital pillars map directly. Hook: BROWN pillar exclusivity and data dashboard access. | Title |
Luxury & fashion retail Woolworths, TFG, Superbalist, Converse, Adidas | Marketing Director, Brand Partnerships Manager. WHITE (Fashion) pillar ownership. Rosebank premium demographic is their core customer. | Colour |
Food & beverage Heineken SA, Distell, Diageo, Vida e Caffè | Marketing Manager, Activations Lead. PURPLE (Culinary) pillar. Physical F&B activations at circuit nodes with direct product integration. | Colour |
Wellness & lifestyle Discovery Health, Virgin Active, Lululemon SA | Head of Brand, Partnership Manager. Wellness pillar with affluent Rosebank audience. CSR angle for community wellness programming. | Experience |
Property & precincts Growthpoint, Attacq, Oxford Parks owners | Head of Asset Management, Marketing Director. Direct economic interest in footfall conversion. Position as asset partners, not just sponsors. | Experience |
Media & OOH Primedia, Clear Channel SA, Arena Holdings | Commercial Director, Partnerships Lead. Media-in-kind and content partnerships. Exchange exposure for distribution rather than cash. | Experience |
FMCG with CSR mandates Unilever SA, Nestlé SA, Nando's, Tiger Brands | CSR/ESG Director, Social Impact Lead. Youth, community, and wellness sub-programmes. B-BBEE and ESG reporting hooks. | CSR |
LinkedIn search strings
Title tier
"Head of Sponsorships" OR "Head of Brand" OR CMO South Africa financial services
Colour tier
"Marketing Director" OR "Brand Partnerships" retail OR fashion Johannesburg
Experience tier
"Activations Manager" OR "Events Partnerships" Johannesburg consumer brand
CSR tier
"CSR Manager" OR "ESG" OR "Corporate Affairs" "South Africa" FMCG OR financial
Outreach sequence
21-day cadence per contact. Alternate email and LinkedIn. Never send the full deck cold.
Li
Day 1 — LinkedIn
Connection request with personalised note
No pitch. Reference their brand, a recent initiative, or shared context. Goal: get the connection accepted.
E1
Day 2 — Cold email
Intro email — single hook, no deck
Subject + one paragraph. Reference Rosebank, Africa's first cultural circuit, and their specific pillar. CTA: 20-minute call.
Li
Day 4 — LinkedIn DM
Lightweight follow-up after connection accepts
Not a repeat — add a new data point: footfall stat, confirmed partner name, or upcoming phase date.
E2
Day 7 — Email follow-up 1
Value-add — attach the one-pager
Short. Lead with category exclusivity: "only one [pillar] partner." Attach 1-page PDF, not the full deck.
En
Day 10 — LinkedIn engagement
Like or comment meaningfully on their recent post
Stay visible without another direct pitch. Never pitch in comments.
E3
Day 14 — Email follow-up 2
Social proof or urgency trigger
Name a confirmed partner or reference the June phase deadline. "We have one [colour] partner slot remaining."
Li
Day 17 — LinkedIn DM
Soft break-up message
Acknowledge they may not be the right person. Ask who is. This often triggers a re-engagement or warm referral.
Ca
Day 21 — Final email
Calendly close — booking link only
Two lines. "Happy to share the full system in 20 minutes — here is a link to book directly." No reply: park and re-engage in 30 days.
Reply triage rules
Asks for info
Send the one-pager only — never the 103-slide deck cold.
Asks for a call
Reply with two time slots and a Calendly link in the same message.
Wrong contact
Ask for the warm referral by name before closing the email or ending the call.
Budget next year
Tag as future pipeline. Set a 3-month reminder. Reply with one warm sentence to keep the door open.
Scripts
Personalise every [bracketed field] before sending. Never fire cold without a personal reference.
Intro email
Subject: Rosebank is becoming Africa's first cultural circuit — [Company] is a natural fit
Hi [First name],
[Company]'s investment in [relevant initiative / brand campaign] caught my attention — it signals exactly the kind of audience 7 Colours of the City is being built for.
We are transforming Rosebank into Africa's first walkable cultural circuit: seven pillars — fashion, heritage, culinary, lifestyle, innovation, wellness, and business — structured into a 35–40 minute precinct experience that converts footfall into sustained economic activity. Phase one launches June 2025.
The [Fashion / Innovation / Wellness] partnership is open. It is a category-exclusive position — one brand, one pillar, full integration across the programme.
Worth a 20-minute conversation?
Mnive Nhlabatsi
Commercial Director, 7 Colours of the City
mnive@sevencoloursofthecity.com | +27 65 576 4869
Keep the subject line exactly as written — "Africa's first cultural circuit" is the hook. Personalise the [initiative] reference specifically; generic praise will be ignored.
Follow-up email 1 — Day 7
Subject: Re: Rosebank cultural circuit — one thing worth noting
Hi [First name],
Following up on my note from last week.
One thing I did not mention: each partnership tier carries category exclusivity. The [Fashion / Innovation / Wellness] position is available to one brand only — no competing category partners across any node or programme layer.
I have attached a one-page overview. It covers the circuit structure, your specific pillar benefits, and the investment range.
Happy to walk you through the system on a quick call — does [Day] or [Day] work?
Mnive
Reply in the same thread ("Re:") — it lifts open rates significantly. Attach the 1-page PDF here, not the master deck.
Follow-up email 2 — Day 14
Subject: 7COTC — June timeline & partner update
Hi [First name],
Quick update: we are finalising the partner roster ahead of our June launch and I wanted to reach out before the [pillar] position closes.
[If applicable: We have confirmed [Partner name] as our [tier] partner — which means the [pillar] category is now the primary open slot.]
Given [Company]'s footprint in Rosebank / positioning in [category], this felt like the right moment to reconnect.
If a 20-minute overview makes sense, I can make time this week.
Mnive
Use real deadline language only if it is true. Fabricated urgency damages trust at the call stage. Name a confirmed partner if you have one — social proof converts.
LinkedIn connection note
Hi [First name], I lead commercial partnerships for 7 Colours of the City — a cultural circuit we are building in Rosebank. Given [Company]'s work in [category], I thought it worth connecting. Would love to share what we are building.
300 character limit on LinkedIn. This sits at ~255 chars — do not add more. Goal is acceptance only, not a reply.
LinkedIn DM — Day 4
Hi [First name],
Thanks for connecting. I sent a short email earlier this week — just flagging in case it landed in your junk.
The short version: we are building Africa's first walkable cultural circuit in Rosebank, launching June 2025. There is a category-exclusive [Fashion / Wellness / Innovation] partner slot open that maps well to [Company].
Happy to send a one-pager if it is easier to review asynchronously, or we can jump on a 20-minute call.
Either works — whatever is most useful for you.
"Whatever is most useful for you" removes pressure and positions you as a peer, not a vendor.
Break-up DM — Day 17
Hi [First name],
I have reached out a couple of times about 7 Colours of the City — if the timing or the fit is not right, completely understood.
If sponsorship decisions sit with someone else at [Company], I would genuinely appreciate a name or an intro. Otherwise, I will leave things here and circle back when the timing makes more sense.
Either way, appreciate you connecting.
Break-up messages consistently generate the highest reply rates in a cold sequence. The lack of pressure triggers a response. Do not add a Calendly link here.
Post-call follow-up email
Subject: 7COTC — next steps from our call
Hi [First name],
Really valued our conversation — thank you for making the time.
As discussed, I am sending through [the master deck / the one-pager / the investment breakdown for the [pillar] tier]. Key points from our call:
— [Recap point 1]
— [Recap point 2]
— [Any specific question they raised — answered here]
Next step from our end: [what you agreed to do]. From your side: [what they said they would do, and by when].
I will follow up on [specific date]. In the meantime, feel free to reach me directly on +27 65 576 4869.
Mnive
Send within 2 hours of the call. The recap shows you listened. Always name a specific next step with a date — "I will be in touch" kills momentum.
Call opener — first 60 seconds
"Thanks for making the time. I want to use this well so let me give you the 90-second version first, then we can go wherever is most useful for you.
7 Colours of the City is a precinct-scale cultural infrastructure programme — we are building Africa's first walkable cultural circuit in Rosebank. Seven cultural pillars, six physical nodes, a 35–40 minute circuit designed to convert footfall into economic activity. Phase one launches June.
The reason I wanted to speak with [Company] specifically is [pillar fit / Rosebank footprint / audience overlap].
Before I go further — does that framing land, or would it help to start from a different angle?"
[Then listen. Do not pitch the deck until they confirm interest.]
The closing question is the most important sentence on the call. It prevents you pitching into silence and opens real dialogue.
Objection handling
Every objection has a reframe built from 7COTC's actual architecture. Know these before every call.
Send me more information first.
Send the one-pager only — not the full deck. Respond: "Attaching a one-page overview. Happy to walk you through the full system on a call — it is built to be experienced, not just read." The deck requires context to land.
Our budget is already committed this year.
Acknowledge, then plant: "Understood. We are also planning the 2026 programme — I would rather get you into the conversation early so you have first right of refusal on your category. Can we schedule an overview for Q4?" Tag as future pipeline.
We don't sponsor events.
Reframe: "7COTC is not an event — it is permanent cultural infrastructure. Your brand is embedded into the district for the programme duration, not a logo on a banner for a weekend. It is closer to a precinct partnership than a sponsorship."
What is the ROI?
Lead with what is measurable: "We track footfall by node, dwell time, and digital engagement through our data layer. Title partners receive full access to reporting dashboards. We can model projected impressions based on current Rosebank footfall data — I can share that on the call."
I'm not the right person — I'll pass it on.
Do not let it die in a forwarded email. Ask: "Would you be comfortable making a direct intro, or should I reach out to them directly? If so, who should I address it to?" Get a name or a cc before closing.
The investment is too high.
Introduce the next tier: "Understood. The Experience partner level starts at R500K and gives you ownership of a specific activation moment rather than the full pillar — and it still carries category exclusivity within your activation."
We need to see proven traction first.
Name the ecosystem: "We are building alongside Rosebank Management District, Havas South Africa, Electtric South, and Baz-Art. The infrastructure is in place — partner slots are limited precisely because we are not scaling beyond what the circuit can support."
We already sponsor Joburg events.
Differentiate on permanence: "Most sponsorships are moment-based — they spike and fade. 7COTC is a district infrastructure play. Your brand is woven into Rosebank's cultural identity for the duration of the programme, not just a single day's audience."
Pipeline
Every prospect saves automatically to this browser. Use Export to back up your data and Import to restore it on any device.
0
Total prospects
0
Replied
0
Calls booked
0
At decision
Automation stack
Start with Apollo + Instantly + Calendly — that covers 80% of the workflow.
Recommended tools
Apollo.io
Free → $49/mo
Find verified contact emails by job title, company, and location. Build prospect lists by tier. Export directly to your email sequencing tool. Free tier gives ~50 verified leads/month.
Instantly.ai
From $37/mo
Automated cold email sequences with personalisation variables. Set up the 21-day cadence once — it runs automatically. Tracks opens, replies, and bounces.
Lemlist (alternative to Instantly)
From $59/mo
Stronger LinkedIn integration and personalised image/video insertion. Better for warm-ish lists where extra personalisation pays off more.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
From $99/mo
Advanced search filters — seniority, company size, function, geography. Save leads and get alerts when they change roles or post. Run in parallel with email.
Calendly
Free → $12/mo
Drop a booking link in every final-touch email and DM. Set up a "7COTC Overview — 20 min" appointment type. Connects to Google Meet or Zoom. Sends automatic reminders 24h and 1h before the call.
Loom
Free → $15/mo
Record a 90-second personalised video for Title-tier prospects. Reference their brand by name and paste the Loom link in follow-up email 2. Dramatically higher reply rates than text-only outreach.
Weekly rhythm
Monday
Add 10–15 new prospects to Apollo. Build the week's email sequence in Instantly/Lemlist. Record Loom videos for top-tier targets that have not replied.
Tue – Thu
Send LinkedIn connection requests (max 30/day to avoid account flags). Reply to all email responses same day. Update Pipeline board.
Friday
Review pipeline. Move prospects to correct stages. Book any calls that came in. Tag "budget next year" contacts for Q4 re-engagement.
Volume targets
50
Prospects/week added
8–12%
Target reply rate
3–5
Calls booked/week
1 in 6
Calls → deck request
Deploy guide
Host this file on Netlify in under 5 minutes — free forever, no account needed for the first deploy.
Option A — Netlify Drop (fastest, free, no account)
1
Download this file
Save this HTML file to your desktop. Name it index.html
2
Go to Netlify Drop
Open app.netlify.com/drop in your browser — no login required.
3
Drag and drop the file
Drag your index.html file into the Netlify Drop zone. It will deploy in seconds and give you a live URL like random-name.netlify.app
4
Bookmark the URL
Open the URL in Chrome on any device. localStorage now works properly — every prospect you add is saved permanently to that browser session.
5
Back up your pipeline weekly
Use the Export backup button in the Pipeline tab to download a JSON file of all your prospects. Keep this in Google Drive as your safety net. Use Import backup to restore on a new device.
Option B — Netlify with free account (keeps your URL permanent)
1
Create a free Netlify account
Sign up at netlify.com with your email or Google account. Free tier is sufficient.
2
Create a new site and drag-drop
In your Netlify dashboard, click Add new site → Deploy manually. Drag your index.html file in. Your site is live.
3
Set a custom site name
In Site settings → General, change the site name to something like 7cotc-outreach. Your URL becomes 7cotc-outreach.netlify.app
4
To update the app in future
Go to Deploys → Drag and drop a new version of the file. Your URL stays the same and data persists in localStorage.
Important note on data
localStorage saves data per browser per device. If you open the app in Chrome on your laptop, that data only lives in Chrome on that laptop. To move data between devices, use the Export backup button to download a JSON file, then use Import backup on the new device. Do this weekly as a habit — it takes 10 seconds and protects your pipeline.