We’re always sharing insights and tips for New York event planners about securing, maximizing, and generating revenue with event sponsorships. But if you still haven’t developed a sponsorship strategy, keep reading. This may be the helpful guide you’ve been waiting for to start. Event sponsorships are absolute game-changers that can catapult your business to new heights, provided you know how to tap into them.
What Types of Sponsorships Are There?
Sponsorships are entirely customizable, so you can create sponsorship packages that uniquely align with the style and theme of your New York event. For example, you can create sponsor platforms for just about any engagement, from charitable and corporate to social and virtual. Here are just a few types to keep in mind:
- Financial or Cash Sponsors
- In-Kind Sponsors
- Prize Sponsors
- Food and Beverage Sponsors
- Digital Sponsors
- Media Sponsors
- Promotional Sponsors
- Merchandise Sponsors
Knowing you have the ability to offer sponsorship opportunities that present specific value to specific participants, you’re sure to secure all kinds of sponsors for your next event.
Developing Your Sponsorship Packages
Once you’ve outlined your sponsorship type, in line with your event, you can then develop packages to sell. These might be metal tiers, like bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Or you can create packages with names that tie into your event theme. But the idea is to create a series of opt-in levels, from entry-level to premium positioning, each with added value propositions, perks, and rewards. Here are just a few incentives for inspiration when crafting the benefits of each sponsorship package:
- Logo placement, marketing appearances, and mentions
- Website presence and social promotion
- Exhibitor booth spaces or discounts
- Merchandise brand placement
- Media and press releases
- Speaking engagements or opportunities
- Free passes or tickets
Just be sure to add to and sweeten the deal with each layer and price point. And it can help to choose a middle-of-the-road package to label as the “Best Deal” to direct interest.
Who’s Your Target Audience for Sponsorship Packages?
When it’s time to sell those sponsorship packages, you’ll want to identify and focus on a target audience of potential sponsors. Which businesses or brands will find the most value in the event you’re planning? How does your invite list of attendees appeal to local, regional, and national brands? Companies that are targeting an audience that just so happens to be attending your event will almost always entertain sponsorship opportunities. Consider these business segments when marketing your packages:
- Events industry vendors
- New local businesses
- Regional, national, and global brands interested in your audience
- Brands in line with your event theme
- Charitable organizations
- Municipalities and government councils
- Any sponsors from the previous year’s event
What Metrics Work Best?
Once your sponsors are in place, make sure you’re using the right metrics and measuring the most important data to gauge success. Once the event is officially over, you’ll be able to present success stories with analytics to your sponsors. And when they see how successful the event was for their exposure and results, they’ll be more apt to routinely sponsor events you plan in the future. Check out these metrics:
- Brand impressions
- Direct purchases or opt-ins
- Website visits
- Social media engagement and promotion
- Leads generated
Start building sponsorship opportunities for each New York event you plan, and you’ll see increased profits, improved engagement, and company growth! Learn more about improving your business with sponsorships and so much more at The Event Planner Expo 2023! Get on the waitlist and get in the room with the biggest industry influencers for all the best insights!
