How do you attract sponsors and partners for your event?

How do you attract sponsors and partners for your event? For many events, the revenue from ticket sales only covers part of the costs. If you do not have a large budget, sponsorship and partnerships can offer a solution. But how do you actually secure sponsors and partners for your event?

It is not easy to attract sponsors for the event you are organizing. You will have to take plenty of time to find companies and build a relationship with them. A convincing sponsorship proposal is important for this. But before you can draft one, it is good to understand why companies sponsor events. By considering how you can create value for a sponsor with your event, the chance of finding the right sponsor is much greater.

Drivers

You will have to ask yourself: What’s in it for them? Because by sponsoring your event, a company will also want to achieve something. This could be, for example:

● Raising awareness for a brand, new product, or service

● Generating new leads

● Getting in touch with potential employees or collaboration partners

If you know what the key drivers are for companies looking for sponsorship opportunities, you can capitalize on them. For example, you can offer options for banners or sampling, but perhaps a company would benefit more from publishing content on your highly visited event website, or would value being able to connect directly with the attendees during your event. By including a list of sponsorship opportunities that your event has to offer in your proposal, you make it clear how your event can contribute to, for example, greater brand awareness or lead to more revenue.

Partnerships

A step further than a sponsorship deal is a partnership. This involves entering into an intensive and sometimes even long-term collaboration with a company, from which you both benefit. For example, you can connect a knowledge partner to your event who provides the keynote speakers. Or a tech partner who uses their technology to create a true experience for the visitors. Brand fit is a prerequisite for a partnership. Partners must complement each other; only then will a partnership be a success for both parties.

Own network 

Then the question remains: which companies are you going to approach? To find potential sponsors, social media can be an effective tool. Through social media, you quickly find out if you serve the same target group and if your values align. Or look at which brands have sponsored similar events. They might also be interested in your event. But the greatest opportunities lie with companies in your own network or those you have done business with in the past. This means potential sponsors and partners are often closer than you think.

A post shared by Meerbusiness (@meerbussinesamsterdam) on Jan 28, 2019 at 5:39am (PST)

Organizing an event in Amsterdam? Theater Amsterdam is the place for congresses, conferences, or concerts. Want to know more? Feel free to contact us.