Businesses come across various event sponsorship opportunities throughout the year, such as music festivals, theatre productions, sports competitions, cultural events, conferences, and trade shows. These platforms are great for increasing your brand’s visibility and improving its image. Sponsorship typically involves offering financial support, services, discounts, or relevant materials for the event. If you’re interested in sponsoring an event and want to understand all the benefits it can bring to your company, stay with us and we’ll provide you with all the details!
What does it mean to be an event sponsor?
Being an event sponsor means collaborating with the event to benefit both the company and the event. The sponsoring company gains visibility and can promote its brand through various event platforms, such as posters, websites, flyers, promotional T-shirts, stages, and more. Additionally, event organisers may offer spaces to showcase products or services and provide the opportunity to hold conferences or participate in talks. The types of sponsorship can vary, depending on the agreement between the parties.
Partnerships can take different forms:
Financial Sponsorship
This type of sponsorship involves the sponsoring company providing a certain amount of money in exchange for advertising space across various platforms and media at the event.
In return, your brand will gain significant visibility as your logo appears in various locations and formats during the event.
However, the level of visibility will depend on the amount of funding provided. In fact, brands that contribute more funds will naturally receive more prominent exposure, appearing more visibly than those offering a smaller amount. It’s worth noting that this is the most commonly used form of sponsorship.
Sponsorship by Providing Materials
Sponsorship through provision of materials involves a brand providing equipment and supplies in exchange for promotional opportunities. For instance:
- A beverage brand could supply plastic cups, promotional umbrellas with their logo, and other branded items for the event.
- An audio equipment company could loan their equipment in exchange for visibility.
This way, your products will be showcased at the event, serving as a platform for your goods and services, in addition to the agreed promotional space.
Sponsorship in Exchange for Services
In this type of partnership, a brand can offer discounts on its services or even provide them for free in exchange for advertising. For example, if you’re a printing company, you could offer discounts on the printing of posters and flyers. Alternatively, if you’re a media outlet, such as a radio station, newspaper, or website, you could offer visibility through advertising space.
What benefits does a company gain from sponsoring an event?
Sponsoring an event is an effective communication strategy beyond traditional media channels. The benefits are numerous, which is why many companies are eager to take part in it.
1- Make the Most of Advertising Spaces and the Audience
When you sponsor an event, the objective is to gain visibility in return. This communication model enables you to reach an audience whose size may vary depending on the scale of the event. However, even for local events, the impact of a well-executed sponsorship campaign can be substantial.
2- Fresh Content to Talk About
As a sponsor, you have a unique opportunity to elevate your brand by championing the event you support. The success of the event will not only enhance your brand’s visibility but also create valuable associations. A significant advantage is the abundance of content you’ll have to share before, during, and after the event. Additionally, by showcasing your sponsorship on social media, you’ll align yourself with the event’s ethos, connecting with its audience and broadening your own community.
3. Unlock New Opportunities by Expanding Your Network
Sponsoring an event offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry professionals and like-minded brands. These events attract numerous companies, paving the way for potential collaborations and partnerships.
4- Attend Events to Work, but Also to Enjoy
Another advantage is that sponsoring brands are usually invited to these events. This allows you to ensure smooth operations on the day, create engaging social media content, network with new industry contacts, and, of course, savour the event yourself.
Looking to Sponsor an Event? Master These 5 Steps
Empower your brand by following these step-by-step tips to become an event sponsor and conquer your objectives.
1- Conduct Market Research and Create a Marketing Plan
Before sponsoring an event, carry out a study to ensure the event meets your expectations. You need to determine, among other things, if:
- It aligns with your values
- It attracts your target audience
- It offers sufficient and impactful advertising platforms
Also consider:
- The projected costs
- The number of expected sponsors
- The results from previous projects
- And, finally, potential opportunities
You can request demographic data of the participants to ensure they match your target customers. This way, you can confirm that the event is relevant to your business.
2- Act Early and Take the First Step
Start well in advance to plan your needs and negotiate your contributions and desired advertising spaces. Reach out to the event’s communications department and present your proposal.
3- Negotiate Exchanges
When negotiating, aim for mutual benefit. Highlight your unique contributions and consider how you can add value. The collaboration should be a win-win, with each party offering advantages and opportunities to the other.
Event sponsors and partnering companies usually need to present a thorough project proposal. Following this, a contract will be drawn up to outline the terms of the sponsorship.
4- Prepare Your Promotional Strategy
Once you’ve secured your spot and outlined your communication plan, don’t forget to submit all necessary materials to the event, including visuals, brochures, social media links, and more. Keep the buzz alive by scheduling impactful social media posts and maintaining regular communication about your sponsorship.
5- Provide Promotional Gifts to Participants
Now is the time to prepare your stand with promotional items branded with your logo, such as those we offer at Gift Campaign.
Using merchandise as part of your sponsorship strategy is a powerful tool. These branded gifts are cost-effective, useful, and appreciated by all. They’ll give you great visibility during the event. With a wide variety available, there are suitable items for every type of event:
- Festival: Hats, fans, balloons, umbrellas, sunglasses…
- Sports Event: Lanyards, caps, T-shirts, wristbands, water bottles…
- Trade Fair: Notebooks, pens, tote bags, USB drives, pencils…
This is the perfect opportunity to enhance your brand by offering promotional items with your logo. Generosity makes a powerful impact, and this positive experience will be closely linked to your brand.
How Much Does It Cost to Sponsor an Event?
Sponsoring an event is an opportunity for companies of all sizes, not just big brands. The cost of sponsorship varies based on event size, significance, and desired advertising space. The main goal is to increase visibility, leading to higher revenue and making the campaign profitable.
For example, a major brand might sponsor a high-profile sports event or support a famous team, like Spotify sponsoring FC Barcelona. Although the sponsorship cost will be high, aligning the brand with the sport and its values is always positive. The visibility and marketing benefits will be substantial.
Alternatively, a small business could sponsor a local event and provide materials and branded promotional products. The cost will be lower, but it can still have a significant impact on visibility and brand recognition.
Conclusion:
Sponsoring an event is much more than just a marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity to enhance your brand image, reach a new audience, and establish long-term connections with your community. By selecting events that resonate with your values and target audience, you can increase your visibility and get a higher return on investment. Don’t hesitate to take the leap and position your company as a significant player in the event world.