Successful sponsor acquisition in event planning and organisation

Acquiring sponsors is a crucial step in making your event a success, as sponsors provide financial and other forms of support for your B2B events.

Read here to learn how to effectively acquire sponsors for your next function.

Preparing for sponsor acquisition

Target audience analysis

A thorough analysis of your intended audience is the first step in finding suitable sponsors for your event. The reason is simple: Sponsors want to be associated with events that appeal to their own target groups.

Components of a target audience analysis include:

• Demographic characteristics
• Professional interests (e.g., interest in a specific customer group)
• Behaviour

Creating a sponsorship conceptThe main focus here is to define clear goals for the sponsorship: How do you want your partners to support you?Sponsors can support you in various ways, including:

• Direct financial contributions
• Non-monetary contributions (e.g., providing an event venue)
• Services (e.g., social media posts on their profiles)

The next step is to develop an attractive offer for your sponsor. Your partners benefit from your event through:

• Increased visibility (e.g., prominently placed logos)
• Direct contact with the target audience (e.g., through an event booth)
• Extended reach through social media accounts

Compiling sponsorship materials

Professional presentations and brochures are essential tools for winning over potential sponsors. It’s not just about high-quality graphic design but about the content as well. Ensure all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your event are clear for your potential partners.

Important KPIs for your B2B event include:

• Number of attendees
• Social media reach
• Speakers and panellists

Ideally, it’s best to complement your sponsorship materials with success stories from partnerships at past events.

Strategies for successful sponsor acquisition

Researching and identifying potential sponsors

Suitable sponsors for your event can be found through various databases and networks. For example, you can use industry directories to get a quick overview of potential partners.

Whether a company is a good fit as a sponsor depends on your target audience analysis and sponsorship concept. It’s also important to analyse the current sponsorship strategies of relevant companies. This helps determine if a potential partner can achieve their own goals by sponsoring your B2B event.

You can also look for sponsors on LinkedIn. One major advantage here: You can quickly get in touch with relevant individuals.

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Approach and communication

From the first moment of contact with potential sponsors, make it clear you are familiar with their sponsorship strategy. Address their goals and explain how supporting your event can help them achieve those objectives.

A detailed presentation of your sponsorship offer is also crucial. To provide tailored offers for as many sponsors as possible, it’s best to create sponsorship packages in various sizes.

Negotiations and contract agreements

Prepare thoroughly for possible questions. In addition, make clear which areas are negotiable from your side and which points are non-negotiable. 

At the end of the negotiations, you will sign a sponsorship agreement. This contract should cover all key aspects of the partnership, including the sponsor’s contributions, payment terms and the duration of the sponsorship.

Effectively utilising event partnerships

Integrating sponsors into your event

There are various ways to integrate sponsors into your event, such as prominent logo placement on the event website or in promotional materials.

Another popular option is setting up sponsor booths and providing presentation opportunities, allowing your partners to directly interact with the target audience.

Support and communication

Ensure regular communication with your partners. Providing updates throughout the event planning process will help you identify and address your sponsor’s needs early on.

During the event, the event management team should provide the sponsor with dedicated support.

Once the event has concluded, ask your sponsor to provide feedback so you can evaluate your partnership and identify areas for improvement.

Challenges and solutions in sponsor acquisition

Common obstacles

Finding sponsors for a B2B event isn’t always easy. There’s often a limited budget and little time available for sponsor acquisition. Constant competition is also an issue, as many other events also seek financially strong partners.

That makes it even more important to approach sponsor acquisition with maximum efficiency and a well-thought-out strategy.

Practical tips and best practices

For support during your sponsorship search, you can turn to professional agencies.

Another option is to use event management tools to structure your sponsor acquisition, ensuring optimal use of your limited resources.

How, you ask? With evenito, for example.