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How To Make An Impact On Event Sponsors & Attendees

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Sponsors are the backbone to any event. We appreciate them and we need their financial support. But there’s more to events than having the largest logo on the printed sign or dropping a pen and leaflet into a swag bag. 

It's worthwhile to consider that for as much time as we spend crafting our attendee's event experiences, it's equally important to think through how sponsors will experience your event. How can you help maximize touch points that will reinforce the value they bring to your attendees? Let's make the most of the time they are on site!

If you want to make a bigger impact on sponsors at your next event, we can help.

Here are four ideas for reinvigorating existing partnerships and enticing prospective sponsors:

  1. Design A Food & Wine Festival
    Sponsors primarily want to see a return on investment, and that often starts with networking. Facilitate conversations by designing a Food & Wine Festival with stations that feature a tasty treat paired with a sponsor. Get creative with the names, for example, Financial Frites, HR on a Half Shell, Vino & Vitality. Optimize your attendee experience by creating a designated path through the festival, eating and greeting others along the way!
     
  2. Create A Swag Bar

    Create a catalog of swag you think your attendees will appreciate and use beyond the event, like an umbrella, USB Drive, reusable straws, travel kits, or whatever has proven popular with your group in the past. The sponsors first choose which item they want to provide, and then all items are showcased in the registration area. Attendees are able to walk through the “swag bar” and choose which items they would like to take. This reduces waste for the event planners and the venue, provides useful long-lasting items for the attendees, and gives another opportunity for the sponsors to be recognized through branded tables.

  3. Engagement Stations
    Engagement areas are sought-after but can often be a burden on an event budget. Why not give the sponsors an opportunity to fund one? Whether a photo-op station, a password-protected speak easy lounge, a touchscreen quiz, or a paint-by-numbers mural, the possibilities are endless. Attendees will try something new or create an event memento and the sponsors will have an opportunity for branding and interaction.
     
  4. Tap That

    Sponsorships are often rewarded with time on stage, but this can create timing concerns for the event planner and often leads to commercials versus content. Instead, use their time on stage in a panel session where they share valuable knowledge on a particular topic, like industry innovations, recruiting a strong workforce, being resilient in a downturned economy. This allows attendees to see the sponsors as colleagues, and allows the sponsors to say “we’ll be available after this session if you want to discuss further.”

Are these tips helpful for your team to keep in mind for your event? Did we miss anything that you've found success with? We'd love to know your thoughts. Let us know what you think.

Let's Elevate Your 2019 Event Sponsors & Attendees

Are you interested in hearing for more impactful event tips and info about how we can help you plan your next event? Want to learn more about the benefits of partnering with a live production management company like LAI LIVE? If you're ready to start working with an event production company to enhance your next event, contact our team today!

To get in touch with a member of the LAI Live team right now, you can also call us at 202-783-0300, email us at Contact@LAIevents.com, start a live chat, or fill out the form below.

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