11. Getting More from Event Sponsors

Ryan Van Horn11 Creative Ideas for Event Marketing

Custom Printed Foodservice Paper

If you’re talking to event sponsors, keep in mind that they can provide more than sponsorship money! Make sure you ask your sponsors to help you with the marketing and promotion of your event as well. If it’s something that they care enough about to spend their hard-earned profit on, then most likely they will be willing to help you promote it as well.

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Custom packages
Create a sponsorship package that details what you are looking for from your sponsors. Saying what you want is one of the best ways get you want. You can also use this package as a sales tool for building interest, initiating conversations, and leveraging the list of sponsors or partners that have come on board. Don’t limit yourself. Ask prospects to discuss their marketing objectives as well. Then, you can develop a custom proposal that meets both your needs and the goals of your sponsors. Keep an open mind to new, creative ideas!

Help them help you
Without a leverage plan, your sponsors’ results will be minimal. Consider including something such as “thought-leadership messaging” as part of your sponsorship package. This could be anything from including content in your blog to a video that can be shared with their customers and sponsors. Interacting with your sponsors before and after your event will show them that you are willing to support and help their industry in return for their help and support.

Think of creative sponsorship perks
If you look at event sponsorship packages of events similar to yours, you will often see a lot of the same incentives. True, things like inclusion in advertising, or a presence at the event may be enticing to sponsors, but try including some creative perks of sponsorship that they may not be used to seeing in standard event sponsorship proposals. Incentives such as including their label on custom printed sandwich wrappers, basket liners, or other food packaging at your event, is something that may stand out to them as a unique perk. These types of incentives will help to set you apart from other events that may be soliciting that sponsor.