Find creative ways to incorporate sponsors into your community event
Kiwis love a good community gathering. Yet the reality is, while popularity is rising and the expectation is to deliver a better event each year, budgets aren't growing at the same rate. How can you raise the bar, without draining the bank?
The answer is simple: find creative ways to manufacture more sponsorship opportunities and integrate sponsors into the event. No we’re not talking about adding another logo to the billboard. There are other creative approaches you can use to recognise and reward a contributing business’ generosity.
Leverage technology
In this day and age, free Wi-Fi and phone charging stations are a given. Event organisers can supplement that cost by offering the opportunity for companies to sponsor them, the Trade Show News Network reported.
Wi-Fi can be a hefty expense, but a creative sponsorship opportunity as well. Photo: ANZ Migrant.
With internet connectivity being a significant investment, you’ll want to provide multiple means of publicity that go beyond a simple sign telling the crowd which business paid for it. Placing the logo of the donor at the login screen is a great start, but consider also adding it to the back of cards with login information that are given out to attendees. Phone charging stations can be offered to local businesses with smaller budgets looking for an opportunity to donate.
Furthermore, if your event has a dedicated app, don’t forget that this also offers valuable real estate for sponsors. The key is to find a balance with how often the sponsor’s advertisement pops up, as you don’t want it to be obtrusive for users.
Think outside the box
There are a lot of exciting innovations being made when it comes to brand experience. While the aforementioned sponsorship opportunities are creative ways to display a sponsor, organisers can also work with event marketing professionals to truly bring a brand to life.
With the right team in place designing the strategy, event managers can create a unique experience that provides immense value for benefactors through community engagement. Instead of posting a logo everywhere to generate brand recognition, consider offering companies with a large amount of spending power the opportunity to sponsor a popular game, activity or part of the event, Meeting and Conventions reported. For example, a technology company could provide virtual reality gear for the day.
This type of sponsorship helps donors build rapport with the community and create a memorable experience. It’s likely people will remember these organisations better than those they didn’t interact with, and allows event managers to place a premium on the donation opportunity.
Interested in finding more creative ways to incorporate sponsors at your event? Contact Orange today.