Sponsoring an event is a great way to gain exposure for your business. You can have your logo on the advertisement, you get to be associated with the cause, and people are more likely to remember who sponsored it when they see your name in connection with something else later. This blog post will give you some tips on how to sponsor an event successfully.
1. Partner up
The first thing you need to do is find a local event that aligns with your business. If it’s not something relevant, then no one will care about the sponsorship! Once you’ve found an appropriate cause for sponsoring, see if there are any other brands that might be interested in partnering up as well. The more companies involved, means more people will attend and participate. In addition, having more than one sponsor can also help you save money. If the event is not free, ask if there are any discounts for multiple sponsors; it will be cheaper to get your name out there.
Sponsoring an event together may sound like something only big companies do, but that’s far from reality! Smaller businesses who partner up with other small businesses do just as well since they attract a similar crowd and target audience. When partnering up on sponsorship opportunities, make sure you both have perks or some kind of advantage over the others so customers know why they should pick your company rather than someone else’s.
2. Brand everything
Sponsoring an event is not just about getting your name out there; you want people to associate the brand with something else. Make sure that this comes across in all aspects of the sponsorship, from what’s given away at registration to how it’s advertised and, even if necessary, who presents it.
Your logo should be everywhere! Whether it be flyers, posters, or business cards from aura print advertising the event, on everything handed out at registration, as well as anything used during/for the presentation portion of things like t-shirts for employees or speakers wearing branded clothing. Even make sure your company name appears somewhere prominent on stage! Don’t forget to include a link back to your website either – email attendees beforehand asking them where they heard about it if need be.
The presentation portion of the event is an excellent place for advertising! The presenter can mention your company name or display not only what you’re giving away but where they found it (a link back to your website, which will increase traffic by at least tenfold!). If there are any giveaways during this time, make sure that in order to qualify, participants have to follow you on social media, sign up for a newsletter, etc., because then people who may not be interested still stay aware and keep track of what you do online.
3. Utilize social media marketing
Sponsoring an event is not only about the presentation and what you offer there; it’s also essential to get people talking before, during, and after the occasion. Ensure that your logo appears on all social media posts regarding the event, whether they’re announcing sponsorship or simply sharing pictures from their experience. This will allow others who aren’t present yet to see how excited everyone already is for this year’s event! Also, make sure that you’re using hashtags! This is especially important if the event takes place on a certain day, like New Year’s Eve or July Fourth.
4. Have giveaways
As a special incentive to get people involved, have giveaways throughout the event. This will allow you to engage with more attendees and spread awareness of your brand and increase visibility for everyone present! These could be anything from pens that say “thanks” or company-branded candy bars (which can double as treats during break time). It’s important that all items given away are useful since they reflect well on both parties if used in everyday life.
In addition, make sure that there is a clear deadline set beforehand, so no one feels cheated out of their chance at winning something great. After all, this might be an opportunity for them to win free product/service(s) from your company while supporting another local business!
In conclusion, sponsoring an event is a great way to reach out and interact with your target audience. As a result, you can create brand awareness, increase customer loyalty, generate sales leads, and even gain potential consumers who may not have heard about you otherwise! Although it’s important for this strategy to be planned carefully in order to make sure everything runs smoothly (and no one leaves disappointed), the results will definitely pay off once the excitement has died down from what could potentially turn into thousands of people hearing about your company!
Image Credits: Luc van Loon
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