Virtual conferences have become the new norm for many events, but they also pose some challenges for attracting and engaging sponsors. How can you offer unique and valuable sponsorship opportunities that stand out from the crowd and deliver results? Here are some ideas to inspire you.
One way to showcase your sponsors and provide them with more exposure is to create customized landing pages for each of them on your virtual event platform. These pages can feature their logo, message, video, offer, or any other content that they want to share with your attendees. You can also include a call to action button that leads to their website, social media, or contact form. This way, you can drive more traffic and leads to your sponsors and give them a dedicated space to showcase their brand.
I suggest introducing a tiered sponsorship package that includes these additional incentives for a premium. Streamline the process using self-service portals and boost engagement with interactive elements. Consider integrating analytics tools to provide sponsors with insights into their landing page performance, allowing them to track the effectiveness of their sponsorship investment.
Another way to offer unique sponsorship opportunities is to invite your sponsors to host or co-host interactive sessions with your attendees. These can be workshops, Q&A, demos, games, polls, or any other format that allows your sponsors to interact with your audience and showcase their expertise, products, or services. You can also encourage your sponsors to offer incentives, prizes, or discounts to the participants of these sessions to increase engagement and retention. Interactive sessions can help your sponsors build rapport, trust, and loyalty with your attendees and generate more interest and sales.
To incorporate interactive sessions for sponsors, consider hosting sponsored workshops, Q&A sessions, demos, games, polls, or networking events. These opportunities allow sponsors to engage directly with attendees, showcasing their expertise and offerings while fostering rapport and trust. By encouraging participation and offering incentives, sponsors can build loyalty and generate interest and sales within the audience.
A third way to offer unique sponsorship opportunities is to send branded swag boxes to your attendees before or after the event. These boxes can include items such as t-shirts, mugs, stickers, pens, notebooks, or any other merchandise that your sponsors want to provide. You can also include some of your own event materials, such as agendas, flyers, or badges. Branded swag boxes can create a sense of excitement and anticipation for your attendees and make them feel more connected to your event and your sponsors. They can also increase brand awareness and recall for your sponsors and create a lasting impression.
You can also include ad cards for your sponsors in the swag boxes that has a bar code which can be scanned on the phone and it takes you to the sponsors ad/message or can win raffle items.
Branded swag builds excitement, strengthen attendee-event and sponsor connections, and boost brand awareness and recall, leaving a lasting impression. Additionally, consider setting up a swag table where participants can pick and choose their items, further enhancing engagement and customization.
A fourth way to offer unique sponsorship opportunities is to set up virtual booths for your sponsors on your virtual event platform. These booths can simulate the experience of a physical trade show or exhibition, where your attendees can visit different stalls and learn more about your sponsors. You can also enable features such as chat, video, audio, or screen sharing to facilitate communication and interaction between your attendees and your sponsors. Virtual booths can help your sponsors showcase their products or services, collect feedback, answer questions, and generate leads.
Include virtual booth opportunities as part of your sponsorship packages, offering different tiers with varying levels of booth customization and exposure. Provide sponsors with options to customize their booth layout, branding, and interactive features.
A fifth way to offer unique sponsorship opportunities is to give your sponsors social media shoutouts before, during, and after the event. You can use your event hashtag, tag your sponsors, and share their content, offers, or testimonials on your social media channels. You can also encourage your attendees to do the same and create a buzz around your sponsors. Social media shoutouts can help your sponsors reach a wider audience, increase their online visibility and reputation, and drive more traffic and conversions.
These are some of the unique virtual conference sponsorships that you can offer to your potential or existing partners. By offering these opportunities, you can create more value and benefits for your sponsors and make them more satisfied and loyal. You can also attract more attendees, generate more revenue, and enhance your event reputation and success.
In this digital era, social media shoutouts play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of any event. With the widespread use of social networking platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, these shoutouts have become an essential component of event marketing strategies.