Event sponsors are the individuals and businesses who support an event, typically in the form of funding. In essence, they provide you with the money you need to organize and run your event. At the same time, their sponsorship can also help increase awareness of your event and provide you with some positive publicity. In short, sponsors play an integral role in the success of an event.
Event sponsorship isn’t a one-sided deal, though. In exchange for helping to finance your event, your sponsors should get something in return. In many cases, that’s increased brand exposure through event advertising and product placement. Event organizers may also offer perks to sponsors that include speaking opportunities, discounted tickets, or access to attendee data.
To get sponsors for your event, you first need a solid proposal that will help you establish relationships with sponsors. One goal should be to retain each sponsor, so make sure that your proposal sets you up to build long-term partnerships with as many sponsors as possible. A poorly constructed proposal can ruin your sponsor relationships and your event.
Details About the Event
You’re asking potential sponsors to invest their money in your event, and they’ll want to know how their money will be used if they decide to proceed. You want to set the stage and make your event sound compelling and interesting.
Be sure to include these specifics:
- Dates and times
- Location
- Size and scope
- Theme, if any
- Program schedule, if any
- Mission and/or goal(s)
If you’ve held the event before, make sure to provide some history about it as detailed in the next section.
Past Event Attendance Information
People will be more comfortable giving money to an event that has proven to be a success. You want to give them as much information as possible about previous attendee demographics. They will then know if their target audience fits with your event, and how much they will want to support it. Potential sponsors will want to know with whom they’ll be able to connect at your event.
Provide details like:
- How many attendees have been at your past events
- The number of attendees you expect to have at your upcoming event
- If applicable, the titles and responsibilities of your attendees
- Any additional attendee demographics that you feel may be relevant
In addition to your general attendees, don’t forget to highlight VIPs and special guests who have attended past events in your sponsor proposals. If possible, include the VIPs of your upcoming event, too. If you don’t have a solid list yet, provide information about what special guests you expect to host this time.
Highlights from Previous Events
You want to include some highlights from previous events to reinforce your credibility. This type of sponsor outreach can show them how they will benefit from partnering with you. If you conducted surveys following previous events, share some of the most compelling information. Transform the data you compile from your surveys into statistics. You can always change out the data in a proposal to appeal best to each potential sponsor.
Information that might be beneficial could include any of the following as noted by previous sponsors:
- Any increase in revenue in the days following your last event
- Any increase in leads
- The percentage of sponsors who plan to sponsor again
You might also consider including quotes from past sponsors, which you can take from your surveys if they provided additional feedback.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Offering multiple sponsorship options allows you and your potential sponsors to create a customized package that works best for them. Present your options in a format that’s easy to understand. A tiered chart is one of the most common formats event planners use. It should let them know what you expect from them and what they can expect in return.
The opportunities you present will be dependent upon your specific event. Some options to help get you started, however, include:
- Booth space
- Mini-sessions or presentations
- Guest blog posts for your event page and social media account
- Including their logo in marketing materials (emails, flyers, etc.)
Bonus Benefits of Sponsoring Your Event
Don’t forget to include the bonus benefits of sponsoring your event in your sponsor proposals. What else can event sponsors get when they decide to work with you (outside of the items they choose from your list of sponsorship opportunities)? These benefits may include such things as:
- Media coverage
- Posts on social media
- Potential networking opportunities
An Explanation of Your Strengths as an Event Planner
Finally, you’ll want to introduce yourself and explain your strengths as an event planner. Your potential sponsors should know with whom they’re working and what makes you worth their investment. Highlight the events you’ve run and your past successes. Describe what it is that you do, and tell your company’s story. Try to make an emotional connection with potential sponsors. While they are supporting your event, they are ultimately working with you.
A Great Sponsor Proposal Can Help You Win Event Sponsors
Drafting a great sponsor proposal is key to winning event sponsors for your next event. After adding all of the essential details, it’s time to include your call to action (CTA). Your potential event sponsors won’t know what steps to take without it. Should they call or email you, or can they expect you to follow up with them?
If you want potential sponsors to reach out to you, make sure they have your contact details. You might place that information in the footer of each page of your proposal for easy sponsor communication. With a strong CTA, you’ve got an excellent ending to a well-crafted sponsor proposal.
Are you in the process of planning an event and looking to attract potential sponsors? With Events.com, you can have access to a variety of sponsorship solutions. Through your Events.com account, you can create, send, and track sponsor-related documents like proposals and agreements. You can also enter sponsor information that is used to auto-fill these documents. Events.com offers three different plans based on the number of events or event series you manage each month. These allow you to create a potential sponsor database, draft and customize proposals, and convert proposals into official agreements. For more information and to schedule your FREE demo, visit Events.com today!
