Event Sponsorship & Activations – It’s more than a logo on a sign!

Event Sponsorship & Activations – It’s more than a logo on a sign!

Contribution by Boutique Events Specialists Our Forté

Events are a great way to build relationships with corporate partners, and event sponsors these days are smart, knowledgeable, in tune with the market and are looking to spend their money where they can get the best ROI. Corporate event sponsors view their sponsorship as a marketing tool, it’s a way to help get their brand in front of their target audience. So… a simple logo or name on a sign isn’t going to cut it these days!

Working with your sponsor to ensure a beneficial relationship for both parties and creating customized benefits is the best solution. This way, you are building a strong foundation with an open and honest conversation of what they are looking for and how you can make that happen for them.

Here are some tips to get you started.

Sponsor Package

This should highlight the marketing opportunities for the company and be less about the organization and what it does. Remember, they are interested in how their brand aligns with the people at your event.

• How many people are at your event?
• What is their demographic? Are they repeat guests?
• How many social media followers do you have?
• How many page views do you get on your event page?
• Include pictures from previous years, so they understand what the event is like

The Ask

Too many times people have a 10 page plus sponsorship package, they email to companies and then wonder why they have no sponsors at their event. Companies receive 1,000’s of packages a week asking for sponsorship dollars. Emails are easy to delete and ignore. This is the time you want to use your organizations ambassadors (board members and key volunteers) to make connections for you. There should be a discovery meeting first and then a package should be sent based on the initial conversation, that way you are sending them what they are interested in and for an amount that makes sense; avoiding too many options and various prices for them to pick from.

Activations

Logos or names on a sign just don’t cut it anymore! Yes, you still need them, but this is not a reason for a sponsor to give you money. Activations need to fit with the company brand and should be unique! Here are a few examples:

• Bank – Cashier table sponsor (also providing them the opportunity to have their staff volunteer at the event to run the cash table)
• Charging station – could be provided by a tech company. These stations could be throughout the venue
• WiFi – is not always free at a venue, the sponsor’s name could be the password
• Finish line food at a run/race could be at a grocery store, so finishers can take their own snack directly from the store shelf
• The ideas are endless!

Events are a really great way to strengthen corporate partnerships and relationships, but you need to do it right! Make sure you build in the time to prepare the proper package, make an ask the right way and provide unique and fun activations for your event sponsor.

Jennifer & Ashlee

As a boutique event management firm, we partner with charities, non-profits and philanthropic corporations to create and execute fundraising events and work with our clients on fundraising and sponsorship programs. Working with Our Forté Events allows our clients to maximize funds raised, save time and be more strategic in their sponsorship and fundraising solutions and approaches; stepping outside of the box and enjoying the work they do and the value they bring to the communities they support.