Event planners and organizers have a lot on their plates. You need to rent a suitable venue, create an agenda, schedule engaging speakers, choose high-quality technology, and prepare for unexpected roadblocks. There’s one important question you need to ask yourself early in the planning stage: How are you going to fund your event?
Some companies have substantial marketing budgets that can help fund event costs. But in most cases, outside funding is necessary. Sponsors can help you cover expenses, put on a better event, and build long-term partnerships. In this comprehensive guide, we’re breaking down how to get sponsors for an event, and why it’s worth the effort.
Sponsorship contributions can help offset event costs like venue rental fees, marketing, AV production, catering, and other expenses. By reducing upfront costs, sponsorship funding can also help you achieve a higher overall profit margin.
Securing sponsorships can give you access to better speakers, AV technology, entertainment, and interactive or immersive experiences. Your sponsors may also bring additional value by setting up interactive booths, product demonstrations, or exclusive offerings for your attendees.
Getting sponsors for an event is an excellent way to build your network and make industry connections. Successful sponsorships can help you build long-term partnerships with industry leaders for future events and other business endeavors.
Sponsorships can help both the event organizers and the sponsors themselves build their brands. You can further boost your reach by selecting sponsors who share the same mission, values, and objectives as you do.
Sponsorships tend to project legitimacy and build trust with attendees, particularly if the sponsors are well-known, respected brands themselves. If your sponsors are recognizable and have a positive reputation, their presence at your event can boost your credibility by association.
Make a list of specific objectives. Are you hoping to improve community engagement, educate your audience, boost sales, or facilitate networking? From securing sponsors to hiring entertainment, every aspect of event planning is easier once you have identified clear, achievable goals.
It’s also important to identify the demographics, needs, and interests of your attendees. Prospective sponsors want to know your guests align with their target audience.
When it comes to finding sponsors and building rapport with them, it’s best to take a multifaceted approach. Ideally, you want to secure sponsors with relevance to your event theme or topic and whose target audience aligns with your own.
For example, if you’re hosting a tech trade show, you might seek out leading software development companies, IT service providers, or even technical universities to sponsor your event. If you’re planning a shareholder meeting, suitable sponsors might include major banks, investment firms, or insurance companies. For smaller-scale events, look for local companies seeking opportunities for exposure.
Try searching on event sponsorship platforms like Sponsorship.com or SponsorMyEvent and making connections on LinkedIn. You can also attend networking events and meet possible sponsors face-to-face.
Before reaching out to potential event sponsors, it’s important to understand your competition. Which companies are sponsoring events like yours? What do those events look like in terms of scale, design, theme, and purpose?
Once you find companies with a history of sponsoring similar events, you can determine their goals and reach out to them with a targeted sponsorship proposal that satisfies their objectives.
In order to create a successful pitch to secure event sponsors, you need to offer value. Clearly identify what prospective sponsors will gain from participating in your event, such as product placement, speaking slots, branding opportunities, or attendee data.
For large-scale corporate events, consider offering multiple sponsorship tiers to accommodate different goals and budgets (e.g. Bronze, Silver, Gold). You can also offer custom options, tailoring your sponsorship packages to the individual needs of each sponsor.
A well-crafted event proposal helps demonstrate value to important stakeholders, clarify expectations, and keep you on schedule and on budget. A sponsorship proposal should achieve similar goals. It’s your opportunity to pitch your event to prospective sponsors and demonstrate precisely what they’ll gain by signing on to your event.
At minimum, a successful sponsorship proposal should include the following elements:
Online networking and written proposals go a long way, but the best way to build genuine connections with potential event sponsors is to pitch your ideas face-to-face, either virtually or at an in-person meeting.
Approach these meetings with clear goals, but try to remain open and flexible. While you should have a detailed pitch and sponsorship proposal prepared, it’s also important to bring a list of questions to the table to help you understand prospective sponsors’ goals and ideas. Also be prepared to answer any questions you may be asked, and keep all the essential details in front of you.
As you negotiate the final details of sponsorship agreements, be open to feedback and adjust your proposals based on the needs of individual sponsors. Always use formal contracts so that all responsibilities and expectations are clear on both sides.
Stay in contact with your event sponsors throughout the planning and execution phases. Make sure you meet all your obligations, satisfy deadlines, and provide regular updates throughout the process.
Your job doesn’t end at the conclusion of your event. In the same way that following up with your attendees can help you secure ongoing engagement and gain valuable feedback, so can following up with your event sponsors.
Share a recap of the event with all of your sponsors, including photos or videos, attendee statistics, and media coverage. You should also seek out feedback using surveys or follow-up interviews, and keep your sponsors informed about future events.
There are a number of benefits to having sponsors at your corporate event. From increasing your budget to building brand credibility, finding and securing sponsorships from established companies can take your event to the next level.
Whether you're organizing a trade show, conference, or product launch, you need technology that’s up to the task. At Catalyst, we have the expertise and experience to manage and execute the audio visual elements of your event.
As a trusted AV company, we utilize cutting-edge technology to create captivating visuals and immersive audio experiences.
Contact us today to get started!
Event planners and organizers have a lot on their plates. You need to rent a suitable venue, create an agenda, schedule engaging speakers, choose high-quality technology, and prepare for unexpected roadblocks. There’s one important question you need to ask yourself early in the planning stage: How are you going to fund your event?
Some companies have substantial marketing budgets that can help fund event costs. But in most cases, outside funding is necessary. Sponsors can help you cover expenses, put on a better event, and build long-term partnerships. In this comprehensive guide, we’re breaking down how to get sponsors for an event, and why it’s worth the effort.
Sponsorship contributions can help offset event costs like venue rental fees, marketing, AV production, catering, and other expenses. By reducing upfront costs, sponsorship funding can also help you achieve a higher overall profit margin.
Securing sponsorships can give you access to better speakers, AV technology, entertainment, and interactive or immersive experiences. Your sponsors may also bring additional value by setting up interactive booths, product demonstrations, or exclusive offerings for your attendees.
Getting sponsors for an event is an excellent way to build your network and make industry connections. Successful sponsorships can help you build long-term partnerships with industry leaders for future events and other business endeavors.
Sponsorships can help both the event organizers and the sponsors themselves build their brands. You can further boost your reach by selecting sponsors who share the same mission, values, and objectives as you do.
Sponsorships tend to project legitimacy and build trust with attendees, particularly if the sponsors are well-known, respected brands themselves. If your sponsors are recognizable and have a positive reputation, their presence at your event can boost your credibility by association.
Make a list of specific objectives. Are you hoping to improve community engagement, educate your audience, boost sales, or facilitate networking? From securing sponsors to hiring entertainment, every aspect of event planning is easier once you have identified clear, achievable goals.
It’s also important to identify the demographics, needs, and interests of your attendees. Prospective sponsors want to know your guests align with their target audience.
When it comes to finding sponsors and building rapport with them, it’s best to take a multifaceted approach. Ideally, you want to secure sponsors with relevance to your event theme or topic and whose target audience aligns with your own.
For example, if you’re hosting a tech trade show, you might seek out leading software development companies, IT service providers, or even technical universities to sponsor your event. If you’re planning a shareholder meeting, suitable sponsors might include major banks, investment firms, or insurance companies. For smaller-scale events, look for local companies seeking opportunities for exposure.
Try searching on event sponsorship platforms like Sponsorship.com or SponsorMyEvent and making connections on LinkedIn. You can also attend networking events and meet possible sponsors face-to-face.
Before reaching out to potential event sponsors, it’s important to understand your competition. Which companies are sponsoring events like yours? What do those events look like in terms of scale, design, theme, and purpose?
Once you find companies with a history of sponsoring similar events, you can determine their goals and reach out to them with a targeted sponsorship proposal that satisfies their objectives.
In order to create a successful pitch to secure event sponsors, you need to offer value. Clearly identify what prospective sponsors will gain from participating in your event, such as product placement, speaking slots, branding opportunities, or attendee data.
For large-scale corporate events, consider offering multiple sponsorship tiers to accommodate different goals and budgets (e.g. Bronze, Silver, Gold). You can also offer custom options, tailoring your sponsorship packages to the individual needs of each sponsor.
A well-crafted event proposal helps demonstrate value to important stakeholders, clarify expectations, and keep you on schedule and on budget. A sponsorship proposal should achieve similar goals. It’s your opportunity to pitch your event to prospective sponsors and demonstrate precisely what they’ll gain by signing on to your event.
At minimum, a successful sponsorship proposal should include the following elements:
Online networking and written proposals go a long way, but the best way to build genuine connections with potential event sponsors is to pitch your ideas face-to-face, either virtually or at an in-person meeting.
Approach these meetings with clear goals, but try to remain open and flexible. While you should have a detailed pitch and sponsorship proposal prepared, it’s also important to bring a list of questions to the table to help you understand prospective sponsors’ goals and ideas. Also be prepared to answer any questions you may be asked, and keep all the essential details in front of you.
As you negotiate the final details of sponsorship agreements, be open to feedback and adjust your proposals based on the needs of individual sponsors. Always use formal contracts so that all responsibilities and expectations are clear on both sides.
Stay in contact with your event sponsors throughout the planning and execution phases. Make sure you meet all your obligations, satisfy deadlines, and provide regular updates throughout the process.
Your job doesn’t end at the conclusion of your event. In the same way that following up with your attendees can help you secure ongoing engagement and gain valuable feedback, so can following up with your event sponsors.
Share a recap of the event with all of your sponsors, including photos or videos, attendee statistics, and media coverage. You should also seek out feedback using surveys or follow-up interviews, and keep your sponsors informed about future events.
There are a number of benefits to having sponsors at your corporate event. From increasing your budget to building brand credibility, finding and securing sponsorships from established companies can take your event to the next level.
Whether you're organizing a trade show, conference, or product launch, you need technology that’s up to the task. At Catalyst, we have the expertise and experience to manage and execute the audio visual elements of your event.
As a trusted AV company, we utilize cutting-edge technology to create captivating visuals and immersive audio experiences.
Contact us today to get started!
Are you planning a shareholder meeting, conference, product launch, trade show, or other type of major event? You need to make sure the production value matches the quality of your event’s content. Working with a reliable, proven leader in audio visual event production like Catalyst ensures your event runs smoothly, exceeds the expectations of your audience, and has the impact you want.
Get in touch today to schedule a free consultation, learn more about our services, and tell us about your event.