Whether you organize conferences, festivals or endurance events, effectively connecting event sponsors to attendees is critical not only for acquiring sponsors, but also retaining them. These slides were originally presented during a webinar hosted by Virtual Event Bags and Eventbrite Australia, the goal of which was to help event organizers learn more about: * The importance of fostering the connection between sponsors and attendees * How organizers have tried to do this in the past * Actionable recommendations to delight both your attendees and sponsors * Practical tips to immediately apply to your next event You can find a summary of the webinar at http://www.virtualeventbags.com/?p=1122

1. 5 Tips to Connect
Event Sponsors to
Attendees
Laura Huddle, Head of Marketing
Eventbrite Australia
Gary Schwake, President & Co-Founder
Virtual Event Bags
#connectsponsors

2. Laura Huddle, Head of Marketing Australia
Eventbrite
e: laura@eventbrite.com
t: @lauracoltrin
Who Are These People?
Gary Schwake, President & Co-Founder
Virtual Event Bags
e: gary@virtualeventbags.com
t: @garyschwake
#connectsponsors

3. Tell Me More!
❏ Founded 2010 to help event organizers connect sponsors to attendees
❏ 1,000 events across the globe (U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe)
❏ Customers are conferences, trade shows, festivals, endurance runs
w: VirtualEventBags.com
t: @virtualeventbag
❏ Eventbrite enables people all over the world to plan, promote, and sell
out events of all kinds
❏ Since 2006, processed over 200 million tickets and registrations
worldwide, totalling nearly $3 billion in gross ticket sales
w: Eventbrite.com
t: @eventbriteAU
#connectsponsors

4. • Substitute for Advertising
• Event Affiliation
• Influence the Sponsored Organization
• Inspire & Focus the Internal Company
• It Makes the CEO Happy
Why do companies
sponsor events?
#connectsponsors

5. What methods do you use today to
help connect your sponsors to your
attendees?
QUICK POLL #1
❏ Printed materials / goody bags
❏ Email newsletters
❏ Page on event website
❏ Logo at the event
❏ What are sponsors?
#connectsponsors

6. Does your activation plan create a connection
between your sponsors and attendees?
CHALLENGE
Event Gear
Logo
Feature in
Email Blast
Event Day
Promotion
Event Day
Banner
Event Website
Logo
#connectsponsors

7. “Doing the same thing
over and over again
and expecting a
different result”
Albert Einstein
INSANITY
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8. How you deliver event-related
content may also depend on ...
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9. When do you deliver sponsor and
event-related content to attendees?
Before During After
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10. What tools do you use to deliver
sponsor and event-related content?
Mobile App
QR Codes
Email
Social Media
Event Bag
Website
#connectsponsors

11. What is the Attendee Experience?
1
Confusing Disconnected Redundant
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12. What is the Sponsor Experience?
2
Inflexible Expensive Opaque
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13. What is the Event Organizer Experience?
3
Complex Inefficient Wasteful
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14. 3
Access before, during & after the event
across multiple devices
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15. Create Share Report
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16. What types of events do you organise?
(Check all that apply.)
QUICK POLL #2
❏ Conferences and seminars
❏ Endurance events
❏ Festivals and fairs
❏ Fundraisers and charity events
❏ Concerts and music events
❏ Other
#connectsponsors

17. Sponsor Connection Tip #1
Conferences: Provide Sponsors Visibility Pre-Event
Elevate by BizBash + Eventbrite
At the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, marketing,
and events lies Elevate: Where Events Meet Innovation, an
annual conference and workshop series for event organizers. Get
ready to step outside of your everyday world of events, try
something new and be inspired with a day of learning and
innovation.
Sponsors / Exhibitors Create Awareness *Before* the Event
❏ Feature sponsors creatively pre-event, showcasing benefit to attendees.
❏ Highlight sponsors in social media with event hashtag. Encourage reciprocal
engagement from sponsors (mutually beneficial).
❏ Creatively drive sponsor awareness via email and your website
❏ Create opportunity for sponsors and attendees to pre-schedule meetings.
#connectsponsors

18. Sponsor Connection Tip #2
Endurance: Activate Non-Retail Sponsors
Examples of Non-Retail Sponsors
❏ Financial Services: Banks, Credit Cards
❏ Professional Services: Healthcare, Legal
❏ Automotive
Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival
Melbourne staged its first marathon in 1978 on a
course that began in Frankston. Now the race has
become the biggest marathon in Australia with a
record 6218 completing the course in 2012 and more
than 35,000 entries across the four accompanying
events - The Flight Centre Half Marathon, The Coffee
Club 10km and the Asics 5.7km run and 3km walk
events.
#connectsponsors

19. Sponsor Connection Tip #3
Festivals: Added Value to Vendors
Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival
The 10th Annual Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival is one of
the premiere spring events in Breckenridge each year bringing
over 40 breweries for tastings, live music, a VIP area and
wonderful food and retail vendors. Enjoy a weekend of playing
outdoors and a Saturday afternoon of beer tastings from some of
Colorado’s finest breweries & other breweries from around the
world!
Festival Vendors Can Capture New Customers After the Event
❏ Re-engage with attendees, and capture incremental new customers
❏ Offer a special only available to festival attendees
❏ Cross promote sponsors and vendors
#connectsponsors

20. Sponsor Connection Tip #4
New Sponsor Opportunities: Attractions
Moms@Work Conference
Join hundreds of working moms to explore strategies and
approaches for balancing a successful career and a happy home.
Attend stimulating breakout sessions on stress management,
family finances and work-life balance.
Leverage Audience and Destination to Bring New Sponsors
❏ Think locally. Bring in city-specific sponsors.
❏ Consider your audience. Target new sponsors interested in that
consumer segment.
❏ Take advantage of pre-event messaging to drive awareness
#connectsponsors

21. Sponsor Connection Tip #5
Cross-Platform Exclusive Discount Offers
New Orleans Jazz Half Marathon & Festival
The race begins and ends in historic Lafayette Square, and if
followed by a post-party featuring live music by local artists and
delicious New Orleans fare. The 7th Annual Jazz Half Marathon /
5K and Festival will be held on October 31, 2015.
Exclusive Discount Offers Delivered to the Consumer’s Device of Choice
❏ Ex: First 100 visitors to our booth receives a free t-shirt.
❏ Ex: 20% off your first order if you signup today.
❏ Ex: Enter our raffle to win free FitBit.
#connectsponsors

22. Are you interested in learning more
about Virtual Event Bags or Eventbrite?
QUICK POLL #3
❏ Yes, I’m interested in learning more about Virtual
Event Bags & Eventbrite.
❏ Yes, I’m interested in learning more about Virtual
Event Bags.
❏ Yes, I’m interested in learning about Eventbrite.
❏ Maybe later; I’m not organising an event right
now.
❏ Thank you, but not at this time.
#connectsponsors

23. Time for Questions!
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bit.ly/vebdemobit.ly/1JDx2f3