When you’re able to leverage the power of sponsorships for your New York events, you can reap a host of benefits. Infuse your event with additional funds. Gain increased visibility and exposure with the right sponsors. And build a network of supporting sponsors for future events when you’re able to drive results for them. But none of those perks matter if you’re struggling to sell sponsorships for your New York events. Here are four things to consider that will help you start selling faster and more frequently with every event or conference you organize.
1. Create a Sponsorship Strategy
You can’t just slap a VIP label on your event ticket and a price point and expect sponsorships to sell. Just as you plan and strategize planning your event, you’ll need to develop a sponsorship strategy.
Make sure your efforts include:
- Target audience for your event
- Sponsor prospects who align with your event guests
- What sponsors need in ROI
- What value your event offers a sponsor
- Your added value for key sponsors
- Tiers of investment and sponsorship benefits
- Metrics and analytics to measure
2. Build Excitement About Sponsorship Opportunities
Once you have a plan and strategy for introducing your event sponsorships, you’ll need another strategy for marketing, selling, and building excitement around them. Develop a plan for which sponsor prospects you plan to target. Create content for sharing your sponsorship opportunities publicly. And make sure you’re just as enthusiastic about your sponsorships as you are about your event itself.
Make sure your marketing efforts include:
- A strong value proposition
- What’s in it for them statements
- Alignment with your event audience
- A FOMO component, like limited sponsor opportunities
- A deadline to opt-in
- Details about sponsorship perks and benefits
- Multiple sponsorship packages and price points
3. Focus on Results for Your Sponsors
Right now, you’re focused on your event and the results for your event clients. But when you’re selling sponsorships, you’ll need to pivot direction and focus on results for your sponsors. When sending email campaigns, making phone calls, and meeting with decision-makers, lead the conversation with what results they can expect from sponsoring your event.
Make sure your conversations include:
- How your event audience aligns with their target audience
- How your event’s purpose aligns with their brand mission
- Brand and company exposure as a sponsor
- Detailed benefits and perks, including VIP access or passes
- Outline of specific ROI expectations
4. Follow Up with Metrics and Gratitude
The easiest way to secure an event sponsorship is by asking for support from someone who’s already experienced success with you as a sponsor before. Cultivating and building relationships with sponsors is the key to always having a full roster of support for every New York event you plan. And the best way to build that network of support is by following up with every new sponsor after the event to share ROI metrics and express gratitude. Once your event ends, dive into the details and create a post-event presentation for your sponsors that outlines how many people they reached and how much publicity they enjoyed. Thank them. And then discuss future opportunities asking if they would like to be on your first-contact list for future similar events.
Leverage these concepts and start selling sponsorships faster! And make sure you explore sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities at The Event Planner Expo 2023 this October! It’s your chance to position your event business as an authority in your space. And you can form more strategic partnerships at this #1 events industry conference than you can all year!
