How do you handle a sponsor who is dissatisfied with the visibility they received at the conference?

The first thing I would do, whether the interaction with the sponsor's rep is in-person, virtually or via a telephone call, would be to give them a sincere apology, for the fact that the level of visibility provided, was not at a level that satisfied them. A well-done apology immediately disarms disgruntled people and sets the tone for upcoming discussions. I would then ask them to describe their expectations and identify in what ways was their experience different from their expectations. I would then actively listen to them describing these, ensuring that my tone, body language while listening, etc. convey the fact that I empathise and want to resolve the situation.

Listening actively and showing empathy can not be overrated. It dials down tensions quickly and opens up an opportunity for a collaborative effort to make amends.

With respect to sponsorship packages, in the first place I try to ensure that the details of the packages at each level are very clear and non-technical so that anyone can understand clearly what is promised. I also advocate that only one person maintains connection with the sponsor where possibly, to eliminate the sideline oral promises, that so often result in this situation of unmet expectations.

I find that offering additional exposure for the next event is an easy way to turn a negative into a big win. You will not only be compensating the dissatisfied sponsor, but you'll also have signed on a sponsor for the next event. It would be a good idea to leverage post-event comms to compensate for sponsor visibility. This often happens when big sponsors are signed on late and they have missed out on a bit of the opportunities that existed in the event marketing stage.

Si le partenaire est d'accord avec les nouvelles propositions, posez vous des questions... car repartir au combat avec un allié mécontent exige de se surpasser, ou de repartir au combat avec un potentiel tra?tre...

It is important to keep all sponsors especially the dissatisfied ones close. A clear communication path and schedule needs to be created and strictly adhered to. This gives the aggrieved party a sense of comfort and assurance that their issues are being addressed and are considered important. If issues are unresolvable, this trial of communications serves as proof that you tried and put in all the required effort to find a solution.

It is important to create a checklist/tracker to ensure that all deliverables are duly produced, verified and accepted. For example, if sponsor acknowledgments in all communications are the deliverable, ensure to have copies of press inserts, radio announcements, screen grabs of social media placements sent to and received by the appropriate point person on the sponsor side.