Companies are constantly flooded with requests to sponsor an event or group, so securing new sponsors or demonstrating value to current sponsors can be a challenge. What makes your association stand out? Why should they choose to support your event or group?
Here are three non-traditional approaches that can help you increase sponsorships and your bottom line.
Build your own sponsorship packages
If your association still utilizes traditional sponsorship levels you might be missing out on an opportunity to maximize revenue and increase offerings to attendees and members. We love to customize everything from our cable subscription to our cars, so why wouldn’t our sponsors want that same opportunity?
Need Wi-Fi in a meeting space? Want to have a smoothie bar? Mobile app? List everything you are offering, alongside an amount and any recognition they will receive. Sponsors can then pick and choose what value they want to bring to members and attendees.
Exclusive event or session
While brand exposure is great, at the end of the day your sponsors really want access to your members. Offer an exclusive, high-ticket sponsorship option that gives them just that.
Invite influencers and decision makers to a pre-conference event or let them in early to a session or reception. During that time give the exclusive sponsor a chance to talk about their company or reveal a new product or service. Don’t have the flexibility to add to your schedule? Brand a general session room or existing event or service with their name and let them give a brief introduction.
Social Media Partnership
When it comes to social media what helps you can also help the brands and companies that are sponsoring you. Negotiate a social media sponsorship to provide a minimum number of posts about a sponsor – tag them and brand a hashtag that specifically recognizes your association or event and their company.
This approach exposes you to their followers just as much as they are exposed to yours, which raises awareness of your association and events. Get even more people talking about you and your sponsor by allowing them to host a giveaway for sharing or tagging relevant posts