It’s been a productive Q1 for EMP’s Sponsorship Team, especially the recent success of Nvidia GTC25. Here are some thoughts from our own John Tatusko on key questions you need to ask about your sponsorship program.
As one of the resident sponsorship leads at EMP, “Why sponsorships?” can be a dangerous question to ask. Of course, you want to offer sponsorships for your event, says the guy with the word “Sponsorship” in his title.
Like most engagements, this conversation starts with a lot of questions:
We really need to start by asking why. What problem does sponsorship solve for the event? Is it only about the money? Spoiler alert: It’s almost always about the money.
What is the financial model for the event? Who is paying for all of this?
We need to understand the funding model for the event. Is this a marketing expense? Is the goal break even or turn a profit? Are we just looking to offset costs? What is our ideal ratio of attendee to sponsor revenue? The answers here provide the road map to setting a financial goal for sponsorship revenue.
Most of the programs we at EMP are working on right now – customer conferences, road shows, Sales Kick Offs – leverage sponsor revenue to uplevel the event experience and/or offset costs.
What are we OK with offering as a sponsorship?
Exhibits are always a great place to start, and most sponsors will want some sort of physical presence or, ideally, a speaking position. Looking at elements of the event that we’re going to pay for regardless is a great place to start: lanyards, directional signage, coffee stations, networking events and receptions, etc. From there, it’s a matter of figuring out what you’re OK with offering and what’s out of bounds.
Interested in talking about your sponsorship program and a customized plan to meet your goals? Reach out, I’d love to talk with you.
