Sponsorship Tiers & Pricing: How to Structure Irresistible Packages
Today’s corporate sponsors don't just look for their logo slapped on a banner as a "thank you." They’re looking for real value, visibility, and most importantly, strategy. If your sponsorship tiers feel like an afterthought, you’re likely losing money – and devaluing your event's true potential.
Building irresistible sponsorship offerings is all about creating clear, tiered options that deliver value for both parties. Ready to up your game? Below are the steps to follow, whether you’re producing a conference, gala, or expo.
1. Identify What You Are Selling
It isn't the lanyard. What corporate sponsors really want is access to a well-crafted audience, aligned brand visibility, and the ability to interact with attendees in a meaningful way. When developing your sponsorship packages, don't simply list your deliverables. Explain the value.
Ask yourself:
• What type of visibility will this provide a sponsor?
• What type of engagement or brand alignment will they get?
• Will a sponsor leave with data, leads, or some other tangible item?
The clearer you can define these areas of ROI, the easier it will be to defend your pricing.
2. Develop Tiers Around Outcomes, Not Simply Visibility
While the classic Gold-Silver-Bronze model still works; it’s only super effective if each tier feels substantially different. Many planners develop tiered sponsorship levels by slashing the number of benefits until they hit a dollar amount. That’s a quick way to make the lower tiers feel like leftovers.
Instead, develop tiers based upon the level of involvement and outcomes. For example:
• Top Tier: Deep engagement opportunities, exclusivity, speaking opportunities, lead capture
• Middle Tier: Strong visibility, digital promotion, on-site branding
• Lowest Tier: Brand alignment, basic presence, low lift.
This way, each tier should feel comprehensive.
3. Define the Deliverables Clearly
"Logo Placement" is not a deliverable. But "Placement of Logo on Stage Banner, Home Page, and Attendee Badge Lanyards" is. The more specific you ar, the more confident a sponsor will feel committing to your event. Wherever possible, include quantities:
• Social reach
• Size of email list
• Estimated attendance at the event
• Average dwell Time or interaction rates from past events
Quantifiable measurements are a sure-fire way to move sponsors from "Maybe" to "Where Do I Sign?"
4. Provide Options for Add-ons and Customization
After you’ve developed your tiers, consider adding à la carte perks. Some sponsors will want customization to round out their package. Give them a menu of upgrades:
• Sponsorship of Sessions or Lounges
• Custom Swag
• VIP Access
• Sponsored Wi-Fi or Charging Stations
• Post-Event Content Mentions
Make it easy for sponsors to customize without disrupting your overall pricing model.
5. Limit Premium Sponsorship Levels
Limited availability creates scarcity, and scarcity generates demand. If there are only two "Presenting Sponsor" slots, the position has more prestige. Also, limiting the availability of premium sponsorships creates a reason to increase price. Limited availability helps create urgency and makes sponsors feel like they’re getting something others can’t.
Just make sure the cap is real. If five "Exclusive" sponsors are listed on your event signage, you’ll lose all credibility.
6. Highlight the Value of Your Target Audience
Don’t forget: Your target audience is valuable, whether you're bringing in 200 executives or 2,000 industry professionals. Your attendees are the reason sponsors are interested in participating. Promote them as such.
Incorporate demographics, job titles, industry breakdowns, and prior sponsor testimonials. Any information that demonstrates the value of your target audience and shows that your event is full of decision-makers, not freebie chasers.
Build Packages That Sell Themselves
Ultimately, effective sponsorship packages are 50% storytelling and 50% structure. A well-crafted sponsorship package will provide potential partners with compelling reasons to believe that your event is the ideal platform, and provide clear, confidence-boosting reasons for them to say "yes" to your event.
Want more insights like this? We were thrilled with the success of the 2025 Event Planner Expo and can't wait to share our plans for 2026. Stay tuned... announcements and details coming soon!
