Taking time to really personalize your pitch will pay off in the long run. The more complete the pitch is, the more streamlined the negotiations will be.
Be sure to include these key elements for your pitch:. Event planners have an obligation to come up with compelling proposals of how to include sponsors and how to add value to their events, while sponsors today have to contribute to the success of the event. It is always extremely helpful to put yourself in the position of the sponsor to anticipate the questions they will ask you.
This will speed up the process and avoid unnecessary pitfalls and roadblocks. It can be helpful to see the sponsor as someone who is investing in your mission and event, rather than simply considering them a cash cow. Do you have everything ready in advance like contracts, invoices, asset lists, etc.? The sponsor might ask you to provide these things even before anything is signed, and if no one has them prepared, it can considerably slow down the process.
It not only puts you in a stressful situation, but you will make a very unprofessional impression on the sponsor. CRMs provide great ways to streamline the sponsor outreach and to handle the entire deal flow.
They might include tasks, to-do lists, document management, tracking emails, and many more things that help event planners getting things done.
Starting early and being efficient pays off. It is time-consuming to follow up on every point of contact, but event planners should not make the mistake to hope for a quick sale after the first contact has been established. Set milestones and deadlines, and stay on top of them often.
Organizers have an obligation to make sponsorships compelling and they shouldn't dare come up with any outdated proposals sponsors no longer respond to. Sponsors are companies and companies that want to sell more. Therefore, they are looking for solid ROI or, more often today, ROO return on objectives to measure the success of their sponsorship. As an event organizer, you can make a couple of tweaks that can make your sponsorship proposal more attractive for sponsors.
As an event organizer, you can make a couple of tweaks that can make your sponsorship proposal more attractive for sponsors, such as:. These factors are hard to quantify in numbers except for the price of course. It requires excellent sales skills, pristine preparation, and a solid foundation of relevant data to make sure sponsors will trust you. The interesting thing about any set pricing is the subjective component: everyone is ready to pay a premium as long as they feel the premium is justified.
When applied to sponsorship it simply means that sponsors will pay a premium if the event is compelling and they feel the need to be there. Lesser-known events will obviously have a hard time justifying a premium price. Everything around sponsorship is about visibility, period! But even seasoned organizers sometimes tend to over evaluate the visibility they can give sponsors at their event. My advice: keep expectations grounded. Assess the potential in a very neutral and realistic way without trying to pretend some things aren't attainable.
This goes hand in hand with visibility but sits on top of the specific visibility you are able to grant sponsors. One of the most critical factors is your ability to execute on marketing and communication surrounding your event. Definitely keep in mind that sponsors will closely follow how you perform and will be more than happy to receive regular updates from you before the event. Again this one goes hand in hand with visibility but extends beyond pure visibility.
Are they going to be able to have direct contact with your audience to showcase their products and services? What can be done from your side as well as from the sponsor side to create true added value for sponsors and attendees? These are the questions you need to ask and answer before reaching out to sponsors. Sponsorship needs to extend with the audience beyond the boundaries of an event.
More and more sponsors consider events to be the kick-off for long-lasting relationships between them and attendees, and you can give them a head-start by helping them out before and after the event. Surprisingly often, event organizers consider their sponsors as cash cows instead of what they actually are: partners who contribute to the success of their events.
Organizers must go the extra mile to make sponsorship compelling and communicate this right from the first contact to the sponsor. Attracting sponsors to your event has to do with not only sharing brand values and purposes but also creating unique opportunities for sponsors that enhance the attendee experience.
Potential sponsors are choosing to be a part of your event because they are expecting to see some kind of return on investment, hopefully, a big one. If you let potential sponsors know that your audience is capable of buying and that there will be big decision-makers in attendance, it may put their sponsorship contract on the fast track. Once you have the attention of some companies, you need to create your sponsorship proposals. Skip the usual sponsorship packages and create packages that are targeted to the needs of these companies.
The key is to listen to what they want, without compromising your bottom line goal. When you reach out to potential sponsors, see if they have any great ideas that will bring more innovation to your event and help them to meet their marketing goals. Then, create a sponsorship package together that has your event goals in mind, but also meets the needs of your sponsor. Teamwork is very important and your sponsors will remember that you took the time to make sure that their needs were met.
Another idea when it comes to engaging with sponsors is to think about what the sponsor is trying to accomplish this year. What are their big goals for what they're trying to do?
Instead of saying to them, 'Oh, yeah. We're trying to encourage people to be more sustainable, to use less paper.
If you say to a sponsor, 'Hey, we're trying to do that, what you're trying to do that. What if we made it so that the sustainability element of the event was brought to you by your brand? Also, again it enhances your event and it helps you accomplish and find ways that you can align your goals together. Teamwork is important and you need to stand together with a common goal in mind — to have a successful event. Sometimes in order to get sponsors on your side, you need to show them that they are a part of your team and not just funding your event.
This may mean offering them a little something extra to give them brand awareness or a bigger ROI. Understand that for different sponsors and contacts you are going to need to approach things in a different way.
What might appeal to one person, may not to the next. For example, a salesperson is going to respond positively to leads. When you speak with them, make sure that you mention the big decision-makers that will be at your event and the number of attendees. On the other hand, when you work with a marketer you are going to need to show them concrete data — results from last year, differentiation, added value, and opportunities.
They will also care a great deal about the price of the sponsorship. Everyone has objectives that they need to hit in order to achieve their goals, so educate yourself. Show people that your event is the right event for them. That means you need to know your target audience, the behavior of the target will they buy , results from last year, potential reach, market size, and more.
Seriously, do your research - you will get asked these questions. Would you buy a house without looking at the market value and having an official inspection? No, it is too risky. Finally, make sure you know when to pitch your event. Most businesses make their sponsorship decisions in the last quarter of the year, so plan accordingly! It will take several months to get approval on sponsorships from the right people, so make sure you have your pitches out months before that.
Now that you have a plan on how to get your sponsors, you need to know where to find them. See what companies make sense for you to have onboard and if you can get referrals from others. Here are our tips on where to look:.
Anyone can do that! This will bring your sponsor back year after year, engaging with your customers and investing in your bottom line which makes for a happy event manager! Nothing is better than when a sponsor thanks you profusely for allowing them to invest in your event!
We know the proof is in the pudding so below are few examples of how you can turn the ordinary into extraordinary when it comes to event sponsorship. We all know customers buy them and we also know they often end up on the floor, torn up, and spilling out of the garbage cans near registration. However, you can easily resolve this by putting your sponsor's ad on the belly band, which wraps around the event guide but with a call to action that entices attendees to fill out their name and info on the inside of the belly band.
They would then bring it to your sponsor's booth to enter their name to win a prize also creating a qualified lead. Wonder why nobody buys them? What does it mean to sponsor an event? Sponsors offer funding or products and services to support events, trade shows , teams, nonprofits, or organizations.
In exchange, you get business exposure and a chance to connect with new customers. The bigger the event, the more press and social media mentions you get before, during, and after the event day.
With many sponsorships, you get featured ads, signs, or radio spots that boost brand recognition. If you plan promotional giveaways, a huge number of people will be toting your branded swag. Quality matters, so choose events with a track record of attracting good press and customers. Sponsored events often cater to niche audiences or member organizations. You gain opportunities to engage one on one with people looking for relevant product solutions.
Few people are motivated to check out a store that always looks sad, shabby, and empty. Likewise, online shoppers are turned off by e-commerce sites with no branding, business details, or security certificates. Public perception can make or break your business. On the other hand, customers form positive opinions when your business is tied to high-profile events.
Customers will assume your business is reliable and reputable if you can sponsor other organizations. In a survey, the Event Marketing Institute found that 74 percent of consumers are more likely to buy products after exposure to a branded event marketing experience.
Use the clout you earn as a sponsor to grow your reputation in your community. Think about the amount of time you normally spend hunting for 10 qualified leads. How about 20, 50, or ? Not only do events bring you a host of compatible customers, but they also show the human side of your business. Forming an emotional connection is half the battle of building brand loyalty. By attending in person, you can learn about customers, promote your products, and build a mailing list. Event holders typically provide data about attendees or attendance rates in advance.
Do your research well, and you can plan a strategy for meeting as many people as possible. Along with leads, consumer events allow you to rack up sales on the spot. Picture a restaurant that sponsors a local music venue or sports team. Setting up a branded booth to feed hungry fans is an easy way to get new business. Sponsored Sessions Sponsored speaker sessions, consults, panel discussions are the best ways of engaging and connecting with attendees. What do you need to know before becoming an Event Sponsor?
To be strategic with your choice of events to sponsor and get the most value out of your investment, here are a few important questions you need to cover with the event organiser — 1. Event Theme and Content Assess the following event information to check for relevance with your brand objectives.
What is the event about? When and where? What is the vision, inspiration and purpose of the event? What subjects will the event cover? Who are the key personalities featured at the event? What are the unique highlights and features that will set it apart from other events? Who should attend? What are the key benefits of attending?
Attendee Profile Check for the attendee profile of the event to assess how they match with your target market. What are the demographics? What are their key interests and aspirations? What industries, affiliations, etc. Sponsor Package Here are a few basic points for determining the value of the event sponsorship package and compare these with what you would normally spend on traditional advertising.
Are You Future-Fit to Lead? Event Announcement — Indigenous Leadership Summit
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