New York event planners who specialize in curating various corporate events know the importance of event sponsorship partnerships. Sponsors are great for boosting event marketing helping to spread the word about your conference or event to an even broader audience. They’re also pivotal for surging funds to your event production efforts.
We’re often sharing insights and best practices to help you find and land great-fit event sponsors. Today, we’ll help you elevate your event sponsorship game with next-level advice.
1. Deliver What Sponsors Want in Unique Ways
To really appeal to new event sponsors, you’re going to want to use the uniqueness of your corporate event. They’re less interested in throwing money at an engagement that just includes a sign or brief mention online. Instead, get creative with how your sponsors can interact with the audience and sell the sizzle of the captivating event experience.
- Look to integrate your sponsor’s product into an event activation or gamification experience.
- Offer sponsors opportunities for bigger visibility, including stage sponsorship, dedicated press releases, and event app supporter positioning.
- Engage sponsors with “spotlight” mentions throughout the event, promoting a specific offer.
- Provide post-event access to target audience guest list access with email or contact lists.
- Create a sustainable sponsorship opportunity for sponsors interested in eco-friendly and green alignment opportunities.
- Set up VR booth activations, creating immersive experiences around the sponsor's core offerings and brand.
- Bring VIP sponsors in to host workshops or masterclasses at your conference, positioning them as an authority brand.
- Tie sponsors in with event celebrities or influencers for collaborative appearances and engagements.
2. Dig Deeper for More Impactful Sponsor Relationships
Don’t just ask for the sponsorship; tell your event story and build strategic partnerships with them. They’re looking for more impactful connections that provide value beyond the event. And you can deliver by creating mutually beneficial collaborations. It starts by understanding a sponsor’s motivations, expectations, and goals.
- Target audience pitching: explore beyond the demographics and find more profound ways to connect your event attendee roster to the sponsor’s core buyer persona.
- Studying previous sponsorships: explore the potential sponsor’s past engagements and other events they’ve sponsored to see what they found valuable before.
- Common ground: explore ways to establish collaborative touchpoints, identifying common ground and values your event offers that align with the sponsor’s values.
3. Attract Event Sponsors Using the Right Channels
It used to be that sending over your sponsorship packages via email was enough to gain some event sponsorship traction. However, today’s sponsors are skimming over those generic emails in favor of more personalized connections. As an event planner, start exploring various channels to reach new sponsors in more engaging and customized ways.
Email: Emails still work, provided they’re segmented and personalized to your targets. Lead with compelling offers with MailChimp or Constant Contact-type platforms that allow customization and provide metrics.
Sponsor Platforms: Sponsorship-specific platforms like SponsorPitch or SponsorMyEvent can be great for event planners who routinely need to secure event sponsors. These third-party platforms help to align your event with potential sponsors who have the same audience and values.
Social Media: Get in front of potential sponsors using social media, where you can build genuine connections with the promotional buzz around your New York event and event planning brand. It’s where you can showcase your personality and attract sponsors authentically.
4. Wow Them Before, During, and After Your Event
Your responsibility to the event sponsor isn’t over with the conclusion of the event. Today’s sponsors will keep coming back to be a valued partner when you’re able to wow them before, during, and after the event. Look for ways to lay in high-value impact over the long term for the most successful relationships.
Before: Share a roadmap for sponsorship success prior to the event, demonstrating the visibility, the target audience, and the goals.
During: Connect with the sponsor during the event, ensuring their in-person experiences are value-packed.
After: Follow up with the sponsor after the event to provide attendee feedback, event data, and proof of value in terms of brand visibility and/or leads.
5. Lasting Impressions with Appreciation
Another key way to make lasting impressions with your New York event sponsors is with layered gratitude and appreciation efforts. Reach out immediately after the event to thank them. But take those gratitude strategies even further by following up again regularly, not asking for business but just solidifying your relationship with them.
- Create a sponsor highlight video.
- Send unique event-related gifts.
- Draft personalized thank you cards.
- Stay engaged on social media by liking/sharing their posts.
- Invite them to other networking or exclusive events as guests.
- Check-in quarterly with them, sharing news or community information.
Learn to Elevate Every Aspect of Your Event Business at The Expo
Keep these event sponsorship insights handy as you look to elevate your sponsorship game in 2024. And remember that the one place to learn more high-value ways to elevate every aspect of your event business is The Event Planner Expo 2024. Explore securing your tickets and highlight your business to thousands as an Expo Exhibitor!
