Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Crystal,
You could have contact info and ask attendees if they are willing to opt in to the first contact from the sponsor.

Having sponsored scores of events in an earlier life, logo soup doesn't bring the value portrayed. Coupons that go to each attendee are more effective.

Michael

Dear Crystal,

First of all, forget the economy.

Whatever we focus on most magnifies. Right now, all everyone talks about is the economy, the economy, the economy. And because of this the "problem" gets bigger and bigger, the monster gets scarier, and its teeth get sharper: all the better to eat us with!

How about a truce? Enough with the economy.

What you don't say is what your market areas are.

What is it about your market areas that compel people to get involved?

What connects your potential sponsors to your event? What connects your sponsors to your customers and clients?

Is it family? Is it a solution? Is it a time of year, or a time of day, or a particular event?

Only you know your market, so unless you're going to offer more information, only you can make this connection.

But the whole logo soup thing?

No. Resist.

Look, I understand the presumption that the sponsor's logo has got to be eight feet wide on every postage stamp, but the only people who care about the size of sponsor logos in situations like this are you and the sponsor.

Not your audience. I agree with Michael. The "value" of logos adds nothing of real value to your audience.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Hi Crystal,

I think there are two things to consider in this situation:

1. What can you offer them?
2. WHY should they be a sponsor?

The stuff you can offer them for #1 is an endless list, so I'd suggest you start with #2. This is where the meat of your answer will be, and will help drive answers for #1.

The overwhelming answer to this question is to get in front of the event's attendees. They're likely potential customers and the sponsor wants a chance to tell people more about what it can do for them. Assuming that's true, give your sponsors an opportunity to really talk to the attendees, not just throw their logo in people's faces. Maybe a chance to do a seminar or present to customers. Ideally, whatever they talk about should be somewhat relevant to the event, but if they're a premium sponsor I'd probably give them some leeway.

No matter what, be sure to look at it from a sponsor's perspective of what they want rather than what you can give them without losing money or disrupting your event.

I hope this helps some!

Nate Custard

Try to coordinate the timing of your event with a new product launch or branding activity of the sponsor so you can share the exposure that the event offers.

make sure you give the sponsor the opportunity to set up a booth or have promotional people on hand to do product testing and offer giveaways - make this opportunity exclusive to the premium sponsor only.

Good luck

Crystal

Sounds like your sponsorship is a bit of a tacked-on afterthought rather than properly embedded throughout the proceedings.

Why do you even want a sponsor for the event? Is it just about the money, or are you looking for the sponsor to add some other value, like product samples for delegate welcome packs, or maybe just value by association of their brand with your event?

Or is it about holding the vendor to ransom, on the basis that future buying from them is dependent on sponsorship?

How is your vendor relevant to your customers? Should you even be connecting the two groups together like that? Is there any danger they might create a relationship without you as an intermediary?

Can you indicate the industry, and the types of customers and vendors that will be attending/sponsoring, to put a bit more perspective into the question?

Thanks

ChrisB