June 28, 2024
Research indicates that roughly 20% of revenue from US trade shows comes from sponsorships. This makes it crucial to build a community of loyal sponsors to maximize event ROI. The following tips help sponsors and exhibitors walk away from each event ready for more.
1. Encourage and Incentivize Attendee Engagement with Event Sponsors
One fun and effective way to boost sponsor satisfaction and loyalty is by encouraging attendees to engage with them. Use an event app like Touchpoint Ignite that offers gamification features to turn event activities into engaging experiences. This makes it easier for attendees to interact with sponsors. Create engaging activities such as scavenger hunts, badge games, or competitions to promote interaction with sponsors. For example, each time an attendee has their badge scanned or checks in at a booth, they get points. Add more points for taking photos with swag and posting them to the event’s social feed. View a demo or engage with sponsors in the app. More points! Consider offering prizes or incentives for attendees who participate in these activities. This approach increases engagement. It also encourages attendees to visit more sponsor booths and learn about sponsor offerings. The key is to create a dynamic environment. In this environment, attendees are motivated to interact with sponsors in meaningful ways. One of Certain’s customers implemented a gamification strategy for their events. The customer witnessed a record high number of booth check-ins. Sponsors noticed this. Making sponsor interactions fun and rewarding for attendees creates a win-win situation. This arrangement enhances sponsor visibility and attendee experience.
2. Offer Early Bird Discounts for Future Events with Post-Event Survey
Another great strategy to ensure sponsor loyalty is to offer exclusive, early-early bird discounts for your next conference. On the last day of your event, send sponsors a post-event survey that includes a discount code for next year’s conference upon completion. This tactic serves a dual purpose: it encourages valuable feedback from your sponsors and incentivizes their participation in future events. This approach not only boosts your chances of retaining sponsors but also provides you with critical insights to improve future events. By making sponsors feel valued and offering them exclusive benefits as well as an opportunity to share feedback, you enhance their overall event experience and foster long-term loyalty. Furthermore, this strategy helps you secure early commitments from sponsors, which can be crucial for your event planning and budgeting. Knowing that you have committed sponsors well in advance allows you to plan more effectively and allocate resources more efficiently.
3. Package and Share Relevant Event Learnings with Event Sponsors
After your event, take the time to package and share relevant learnings and insights with your sponsors. Touchpoint Ignite’s conversational AI interface allows you to easily generate tailored reports for event sponsors. You can ask specific questions like, “What sessions had the most positive feedback from C-level security professionals?” or “What types of content are CMOs viewing?”. Providing sponsors with detailed engagement stats and attendee feedback helps them plan for and optimize future events. It provides them with the insights to understand what to expect of event audiences and enables them to plan accordingly. This extra step demonstrates your commitment to their success and shows that you value their partnership. Sponsoring events is a significant investment. Sponsors constantly evaluate the ROI of their participation. Offering tailored insights and actionable data goes a long way in proving the value of your event. If any event hosts offered these options, they’d immediately be at the top of planners’ lists when budgeting. Building loyal, repeat sponsors is essential for the success and sustainability of your events. By encouraging attendee engagement with sponsors, offering exclusive discounts, and providing tailored event insights, you can create a compelling value proposition that keeps sponsors coming back year after year. Remember, the goal is to create a mutually beneficial relationship where event sponsors feel they are gaining significant value from their investment. With the right event management software, you can empower your teams to transform your events into valuable sources of revenue generation and customer engagement. And focusing on these strategies, you can enhance sponsor satisfaction, increase event revenue, and build a strong community of loyal sponsors and exhibitors. For more ideas on how to drive attendee and sponsor engagement, check out Certain’s Learning Center.
Written by Marcela Ricci, Event Marketing Manager
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