Are you an event planner looking to host an event in the near future? Are you worried about how you’re going to attract sponsors?
Everything you’re feeling is normal. However, you don’t need to feel worried or anxious about your business expo anymore. As the number one event planning conference, we have access to a lot of resources and we are here to share some of them with you.
This guide will give you 11 ways to find and attract event sponsors. Continue reading, so you’re ready for your next event.
1. Do Your Research
Throwing a pitch together at the last minute without any research is a big mistake. Having a plan is crucial. You and your team need to take the time to do some homework on your potential sponsor.
Depending on how big your sponsor is, they may have other planners, markers, and business owners reaching out to them. How will you make your pitch stand out?
Research the company you are reaching out to. What events have they sponsored in the past?
Are they facing any challenges? Knowing who they are as a company will prove to be beneficial during your proposal. Your potential sponsor will know you care if it’s clear that you’ve taken the time to research them.
2. Make It Personal
That brings us to our next point of making the pitch personal. Make it personal to you and to them. You can’t do this if you don’t know anything about them.
Making an emotional connection will grab their attention and increase the chances of them working with you. You’ll want to tell your story.
Tell them why you do what you do and what your mission statement is. Keep in mind you want the person you’re sharing your proposal with to be interested in who you are.
3. Build Relationships
Building relationships with your sponsors is key. It would be best if you showed yourself as trustworthy and honest. You also need to prove to your sponsors that you are knowledgeable.
Share part of your marketing strategy and ask them about theirs. You can discuss what types of media you plan to use. You may want to ask the potential sponsor about their current promotional efforts.
Do they line up with yours? Are you going to be effective today? These are a few questions you can ask yourself while listening to their answers.
4. Talk to Sponsors from Related Events
The majority of brands know the value of these sponsorship packages. They benefit significantly from them. For this reason, you should talk to sponsors who have worked with professionals on events that are similar to yours.
If a sponsor has worked with a brand that is related or similar to yours, then you know they have an audience base like yours. Some of your goals will already be aligned and your sponsor will see that.
It may be easier to work with a brand that has sponsored events before. They will have ideas that you may not have thought about and their experience can prove to be useful.
However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid smaller brands. Even if they haven’t sponsored an event, it can still be beneficial to work with them.
5. Offer Custom Sponsorship Packages
Every sponsorship is going to be slightly different. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all when it comes to sponsorship packages.
The needs and wants of a smaller brand may not be the same as a larger brand. You may miss out on sponsorship if you don’t offer them personalized packages. Giving the brand options is a great way to ensure you and the business sponsors benefit.
6. Decide What Benefits You Can Offer
In order to work with a reputable event sponsor, you’ll need to offer them a good deal. It’s a give-and-take relationship.
The first time you’re working with a brand, you may want to take less and give more. This will show your sponsorship that your main goal is to put on an exceptional event.
Offering free benefits may not seem ideal; however, you’ll be surprised by how much good comes out of it. Remember that the goal is to attract sponsors, and free stuff is one way to do that.
For a trade show, you may want to offer a free booth to your sponsor. You can also post about their brand for free or mention them in your newsletters that get sent out to your audience. Offering small benefits can go a long way.
Even if you don’t want to offer free benefits, show your sponsor what they will gain from working with you. Will they make more sales?
Are you giving their brand more visibility? Sponsorships would like to know prior to the event what they are going to gain from working with you.
7. Share Details About Attendees
In order to attract sponsors for your business expo, you need to share details about your attendees. Your potential sponsor needs to know who the audience is.
It will be useless for them to sponsor an event where the attendees don’t need their product or service. Having data about the estimated number of attendees will help as well as information about the demographic.
8. Choose Brands That Share Your Values
When looking for a brand to work with, you want to ensure they have the same values as you. Your consumers, the people who are going to be at your event, are coming to support you and your mission.
You already know what your audience likes and care about, so find a sponsor that has the same values. Your attendees will be more likely to engage with the sponsor if they know what they believe in.
Pitching to sponsors is also very time-consuming and there are many brands out there. It’s important to pick and choose which brands you want to work with. You don’t want to waste your time talking to a brand that doesn’t share the same mindset as you.
If your event is centered around ending animal cruelty, research the brands to make sure they don’t sell products that are tested on animals. Maybe your event is about ocean conservation, you might not want to have a sponsor that produces single-use plastic products.
9. Follow-Up
If you want to attract a business sponsor, you must follow up after your presentation. Give them some time to consider your offer and then give them a call or send them an email.
While your event is at the forefront of your mind, your sponsor likely has other business decisions to make. Contacting them after your pitch is a great way to remind them about your potential business partnership.
This will show them that you’re serious about working with them. It also gives you an opportunity to address any of their concerns leading up to the event.
There’s a balance when it comes to following up before an event. You don’t want to overwhelm them with emails and calls.
10. Utilize Digital Tools
Another way to attract sponsors is to use digital tools. There are online resources that can help you reach your goals when it comes to your event.
There are several different tools depending on what type of event you’re planning. For example, if your event is for athletes, then you’ll use a different online source than if you’re planning a corporate event.
11. Ask For Their Opinion
It’s crucial that you involve your sponsors in your post-event evaluation. You want them to know that you care about their ROI (return on investment).
Take the time to ask them what they liked about the event and the process leading up to it and what they think needs improvement. Once you receive this feedback, it’s important to apply it to your next event.
Taking constructive criticism and making changing will show all your sponsors that you care. They will likely want to work with you again in the future if you’re committed to improving.
Be sure to send a thank-you card or gift. You can also use that time to invite them to your next event if you already have one scheduled.
Attract Sponsors to Your Event
We know that your event is important to you. We know you want to be successful and we want to see you grow and thrive as well.
Next time you’re planning an event and trying to attract sponsors, reference this article. These tactics will help you get the best sponsorships out there.
For more event planner resources, consider coming to our expo in October. You will learn so much about the industry and how to be successful. Get your tickets here!
