So, you have acquired conference sponsorship for your conference, a much-needed cash injection that can transform your event from being ordinary to memorable and extraordinary. Before you look at ways to maximise exposure for your sponsor, you need to understand what they want.
What Does Your Sponsor Want?
First, they spend money, and that investment must be justifiable. They need to see a return on investment.
To provide them with the outcomes your association sponsorships want to achieve, you need to prove how sponsoring your event can help reach and engage their target audience.
There are many reasons why they sponsor your event:
- To increase awareness around a new product or service
- To increase brand awareness
- For acquiring new audiences
- To build relationships and engagement with your online community
- To reposition themselves
The only way you will identify what it is they are looking for is by asking the right questions. It is then in your hands – you must forge a plan to achieve this.
Whether you want to attract a new sponsor or look to impress and retain your current sponsor, here are four ways to maximise their exposure and help them achieve their goals.
Related: Why do you need sponsors for your association event?
1. Through Brand Awareness
Use your event app home screen to make a powerful first impression for your sponsor. This is often the first engagement an attendee will have with your conference, so this is the best place to offer them exposure.
It would be best if you also displayed sponsors on all email communication. This includes post-event communication. Don’t forget to add their social media links on your website, event app and across your association’s social channels.
Further, you need to tie into their brand mission as this will give your sponsor more stature in the marketplace.
2. Through Physical Branding
Although we are in the digital age, there is still value in physical branding. The main reason a brand sponsors an event is undoubtedly visibility. They want to be seen by as many people as possible within their target audience. Here are some ways of maximising exposure for your sponsor.
Promotional items
Your sponsor should appear on the promotional material for the conference, such as the event brochure, giveaway bags that include items like pens, mugs and on the actual giveaway bag itself.
This ensures that all conference attendees who visit and interact with your exhibition stand will be more aware of the brand and its logo.
Signage
Your event sponsors need to appear on posters, flyers, outdoor branding and screen advertising during the event.
Event Branding
Another idea for sponsorship opportunities is to create exposure by allowing your main sponsor to be included in the name of your event.
This can either be alongside your name, such as “presented by…”, or if your event is called “FutureTech Brighton” and your sponsor is “EnergyCore”, then call it something like “FutureTech Brighton X EnergyCore”.
This will be massive exposure for your sponsor as no one will have a choice but to see their name every time they visit your event.
Read more: How to find sponsorship opportunities for your association events
3. By Giving Them Facetime With Your Audience
Online Branding
Another fun way to give them exposure is by allowing them to take over your social channels for a day or two as part of your sponsorship packages. Let them do a Facebook Live video and get your audience to interact and ask industry-related questions.
Keynote Speaking
If you are hosting a conference and your sponsor is a player in your relative industry, allow them to host a talk. This will be incredibly effective for them to get face-to-face with your audience.
This is an excellent way to attract key decision-makers to sponsor your event, as they will have an opportunity for self-promotion to their target audience.
Help them generate leads.
Event sponsorship is of enormous value because it allows your sponsor to get face-to-face with prospective clients.
Allow your conference sponsors to meet with your attendees, as this will generate new leads for them to pursue.
4. Through Social Media
Social media can be your most powerful tool if used correctly. All of the content you post online needs to resonate with your audience. The more creative you get with social media, the better your success.
The only way to be seen, though, is by building a creative social media strategy that is targeted. There is little point in creating exciting, engaging content that you do not promote. You will also need to back this up with a social media budget.
Due to the sophisticated targeting capabilities of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you will be able to drive more relevant traffic to your website and, therefore, to your sponsor’s website.
We have organised hundreds of conferences and meetings all over the world. Suppose you need assistance with gaining sponsorship for the conference, offering a sponsorship program or maximising visibility for your sponsor, feel free to reach out to us. In that case, we’d love to see how we can assist.
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Congrex Switzerland is an internationally operating agency delivering customised solutions. This encompasses the overall organisation of conferences and meetings, including the management of hotel rooms and strategic consultancy. Annually Congrex Switzerland organises approximately 45 events with over 73’000 delegates. Amongst our clients are international associations, governmental organisations, and corporations.
