Interested in earning new revenue, gaining more attendees and building supportive relationships for your next event? Selling an event sponsorship is a great way to do so!
Timing is key when it comes to securing event sponsors. Unfortunately, event hosts often spring into action too late to gain traction on their sales efforts. It is rarely too early to start selling event sponsorships. Many organizations have long approval processes or limited budget to spend on event sponsorships – you want to be first in line to receive their funding.
Consider beginning your sponsorship sales process 4 – 12 months before your event. As you think about who might be a valuable sponsor, consider targeting those that fall in one of these four buckets and tailor your pitch accordingly:
- Branding
Who would see value in being recognized at your event? Perhaps they can sponsor the charging station and their logo prominently displayed? Or sponsor the wifi and their company name can be the password? There are plenty of creative and innovative ways to give exposure!
- Goodwill
Which sponsor wants to be known as a supporter and have their corporate responsibility visible? This supporter might find the most value from being able to introduce the keynote speaker or be involved in another component of the event logistics.
- Obligation
Who do you spend money with already? Could you ask your office supply vendor? Insurance agent? Banker? Consider asking all of your vendor relationships to return the love and support your upcoming event.
- Marketing
Who wants to connect with your attendee demographic? Each event has a unique audience; it’s wise to target supporters that are interested in your network. Be sure and provide details to this prospect about who is in the audience and ways they could sample your product or service during the event.
A few tips as you begin to solicit:
- Don’t be afraid to ask. The biggest mistake we see our client’s make is not asking or waiting until it is too late.
- The sponsorship doesn’t have to include attendance to the event, consider a package that is purely about recognition.
- Don’t be afraid to customize a sponsorship package to meet your client’s needs.
- Remember that many small dollars can add up. Offer an approachable, introductory sponsorship level and then move that sponsor up the engagement ladder each year.
Good luck on soliciting sponsorships for your upcoming event! And remember, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the process, Do Good Events can help.