Turning Events into Investments: A Sponsor's Perspective

Have you invested in a sponsorship or exhibitor opportunity and then wondered if it was worth it? How can you turn an event you sponsor into an investment that delivers a substantive return?

The most important step is to make sure you actually get what you paid for - literally. Below are recommendations that will help you maximize both sponsor and exhibitor opportunities.

If you paid for it, make sure you get it

1. Leverage all sponsor and/or exhibitor benefits you are entitled to receive from the event host.
2. Adhere to all deadlines and instructions and turn in all forms and materials on time.
3. Furnish a quality logo and/or advertisement that fulfills the requested size and resolution specifications.

Face-to-face contact is often the most potent connection you can make with future customers or referral sources. Below are ideas on how sponsors can leverage that coveted face time during an event. (You can see additional ideas in my previous article An Attendee's Perspective).

Make every minute count

1. Do due diligence on individuals who you expect to attend and would like to meet.
2. Attend the entire event. Opportunities may present themselves when you least expect it.
3. Prepare and offer event attendees a special takeaway as a way to meet them and exchange business cards.
4. Have additional, non-event-related reasons for you to keep in contact.
5. If you promise to do something for someone you meet at an event, be sure to follow up. This gives you the opportunity to stay in contact and to establish a reputation of dependability.

The value of an event happens on a continuum, not just on "game day." Below are several suggestions that will enable sponsors and exhibitors to drive value out of their sponsorship investment well beyond the four walls of the event venue.

Turn those minutes into days or even weeks of value

1. Don't be shy about asking for additional benefits beyond the contracted ones.
2. Volunteer or otherwise get involved to raise your visibility before and/or at the event.
3. Issue a press release highlighting your role as a sponsor/exhibitor, post it on your website and e-mail it to your network.
4. Link your website to the event website.
5. Forward the promotional e-mails you receive from the event host to your network with a personalized note highlighting your role as a sponsor/exhibitor.
6. Highlight your role as a sponsor/exhibitor in your own e-mail publications.
7. Request copies of the printed event marketing collateral, tag the pages on which you are featured and distribute to your network with a personalized cover note.
8. Post news of your role as a sponsor/exhibitor on blogs, Twitter, Facebook and/or LinkedIn.
9. Provide any complimentary registrations you receive to your colleagues, current clients, and/or prospective clients.
10. Encourage your colleagues to attend the event to enhance your visibility.
11. Use your exhibitor booth as a central hub for your colleagues attending the event.

When investing your time, capital and resources in an event sponsorship, it is easy to go through the process while missing out on the value. By following the simple strategies outlined above, you can transform your event sponsorships into valuable investments.

Tracy Kwiker is president of Pivotal Events, based in California. Contact her at: tracy@pivotalevents.com.

The information and views of this contributing columnist are not necessarily the views or opinion of Meetings + Events or its parent company, Tiger Oak Publications.