An Independent HelmsBriscoe Associate | 636-678-7661 | jstone@helmsbriscoe.com

Jill Stone

Your Meeting Matchmaker Fairy Godmother

Sponsors Need You

in: Event Planning Advice

They do! Your well-planned, well-attended events are an amazing opportunity for companies to be seen by a captive audience. Here are some ideas to get them excited and wanting to be a sponsor!

Swag Bag: This is a mainstay at most events, but don’t miss the importance of this opportunity for sponsors. People love bags, they need them for holding all the materials and goodies they collect while at the event. Hundreds or thousands of people displaying their company’s logo in one space for several days is a win. Be ready to make it more exciting by providing ideas for them. Think about earth-friendly recycled bags, laptop bags, and backpacks.

Food and Drink: Offer to have companies sponsor a snack break, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Attendees will remember the experience if they get to leave with a logoed bottle, wine glass or mug. Take away containers are great for a lunch or snack on the go. Bar sponsors can offer specially designed craft cocktails served in custom glassware. Logos can also show up on fruit and other food items.

Table Captains: A great sponsorship opportunity is for a company to provide table captains during dining, their task is to facilitate discussion and networking at the table.

Interesting Spaces: Think about where your attendees will be throughout the event. Elevators, restrooms, various hallway areas, all are spaces where sponsorship logos and information could be placed. How about sleeping rooms? Think Post-It Notes on mirrors or conference notepads on the hotel room desk.

Parking: If you have people coming from the area, parking tends to be an issue. Even if parking is accessible, it may cost money. Offer for companies to sponsor parking! Even better, ambassadors from the company can welcome guests as they park and give them a “parking ticket” that invites attendees to come visit their booth or break out session.

Charging Stations: A sponsor will be the hero of your conference by providing stations for charging phones, tablets and more. Stations can include staff from the sponsor company that can be on hand to share information about their organization.

Special Lounges: Offer a special space for attendees to relax and unwind. This could become a coveted area! Offer it to current clients and well as those that your team identifies as potential partners, clients, etc. Make the space lovely with well-appointed furnishings and memorable food and drink.

The Floor: The floor provides for plenty of underutilized space for including company logos. Logos could be on removable decals, another option is Gobos.

The Chairs: Create sponsored areas filled with “chatty chairs” where attendees can hang and chat with other attendees. Consider hosts that can bring drinks and snacks to chatty chair participants.

Go Print: There are several ways companies can be seen in print; notepads, badges, and programs just to name a few.

Go Digital: There are so many opportunities here! Companies can sponsor apps, social posts, Wi-Fi and more. Evaluate each bit of digital property and offer a sponsorship get.

At your event, you offer brand visibility, targeted marketing, positive perception, community and relationship building opportunities to sponsors. Help them make the most of their sponsorship and they will be back year after year.

 

 

More from Jill: