How can you use events and sponsorships to generate more referrals?

Choosing the right sponsorship partners isn’t just a choice, it’s a reflection of your brands values! - the right partnership can really change the trajectory of your brands success! I’ve seen this time after time with companies we work with.

We host an amazing event every year that helps to educate our community, our partners and our competitors. It’s all about raising the bar in our industry and being a market leader. We don’t do this as a sales or marketing play but the results are undeniable, it helps us gain credibility in our market. Sometimes it’s not about sponsoring the right event, it’s about putting on your own!

Choosing the right event can bring value in many ways. Keep the event relevant to your goals and interests and this will help align you with the correct individuals. You are more likely to take action and interest when the event is relevant to you!

To maximize event impact as a startup CEO, follow these steps before diving into sponsorships: 1) Crystal Clear Value Prop: Clearly express your company's UVP, addressing specific audience needs. Keep it simple, compelling, and easy to understand. 2) Real talk: success stories sell Weave engaging narratives, sharing real-life examples or case studies. Create an emotional connection that resonates. 3) Listening and Adaptability: Actively listen, adapt on the fly, and tailor your message to address objections and align with your audience's interests. Prioritize these essentials for tangible business outcomes before investing in any physical event or sponsorship. Gartner's renowned events deserve a strategic approach.

We are a niche firm who specializes in working with doctors, and there are specialized events available to us. Within these events we are very intentional to be sure we have the right role, exposure, and partnership with the leaders of the event. When these three align, we have seen tremendous success, and when these do not, the event is far less successful for us.

When a brand sponsors an event, it is crucial for them to be present and provide some form of value. One effective way to do this is by offering product demonstrations, which allow attendees to touch and feel the product for themselves. Use this opportunity to engage with potential customers, learn more about their needs, and explain how your products can meet those needs.

In my opinion, one can use events and sponsorships to generate more referrals by leveraging networking opportunities, showcasing your brand, providing exceptional experiences, and incentivizing attendees to refer others.

The ultimatum of participating/sponsoring an event of any organisation is with the objective of creating the brand’s awareness showcasing their expertise/strength (solution/service) which helps them in meeting key stakeholders such as KOLs, etc which help in developing newer leads or even closing deals. It is necessary to evaluate the event that you are sponsoring to and the reach it has amongst your target audience and also to know the past event contribution and it’s success. At last, it is ROI. Post event, the new leads/referrals from your clients shall be communicated via phone/mail and followed by assigning to the sales team to have smooth transition to next steps such as building rapport and understanding the process flow, etc.

Piensa en cómo van a beneficiar tus productos/servicios a tu cliente; este evento le va a ayudar a vender más? Si la respuesta es sí, adelante! El gancho de los descuentos, las consultas gratuitas,... es tu modus operandi y esto formará parte de tu "cómo lo voy a hacer"

Offering value and the opportunity to engage with the audience at events is a great way to start building new relationships. If you have the opportunity to speak and an event, such as a trade show, consider having coworkers in the audience meeting participants and taking their information once they do a quick pre-qualification. During your speaking engagement have a breakout session where the audience needs to do something to participate. This will keep them engaged and excited about the event.

It’s important to have a strategy you & your team feel confident in executing. Over the last decade, here’s some examples that have worked brilliant for clients I’ve worked with. 1. Offer rewards for referrals. 2. Use interactive activities/games to collect contact info and create a buzz at your exhibition space. 3. All the team have a lead capture device. 4. Clear strategy to follow up with leads post show. 5. Encourage colleagues, partners & attendees to share on social media - ‘chance to win’ opportunities for doing so. 6. Invest in additional sponsorship to drive more traffic & engagement to your stand and brand. Such as floor tiles, theatre sponsorship, show guide advertisement & Hanging Banners with simple to use QR code.

The purpose of being at these events is to find clients who need our help and who fit from a values perspective . That being said, we need to be intentional about seeking these potential clients and remind our team members in attendance this is the goal. We have created several value added engagement tools which allow us to connect with potential clients (prospects) and determine together if we should proceed to the next step.

During my time at InGenius Prep as the global leading sales rep, an impressive 90% of our leads stemmed from referrals, events, and sponsorships. These avenues provided us with the hottest leads, often with a recency bias given the timely nature of events. It was crucial to follow up promptly to capitalize on this momentum and convert leads into loyal customers. This approach not only yielded a high conversion rate but also nurtured strong relationships with our audience, contributing to sustained growth and success for the company.

During events, it's essential to collect leads and referrals effectively. Engage attendees at your booth with interactive activities or giveaways in exchange for their contact information. Use digital tools like QR codes or mobile apps to streamline the process. Network with other participants to seek referrals and potential partnerships. Follow up promptly after the event to nurture leads and convert them into customers. These strategies can help maximize the impact of your event participation and drive business growth.

- Set clear objectives to guide your strategy and measure success. - Equip your staff with knowledge, enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills to engage with attendees effectively. - Promote the event beforehand through social media, email marketing, and other channels to create buzz and invite attendees to visit your booth. - Offer compelling giveaways that are both useful and memorable, serving as a reminder of your brand long after the event concludes. - Implement a lead capture system to collect attendee information for effective follow-up post-event. - Take advantage of networking opportunities to connect with other sponsors, speakers, or industry influencers.

This is perhaps the most important step. We have tracked our success rates with prospects and this success drops off significantly with time. It is important to set a calendar invite with agenda before leaving the event or if not to get on calendar early the next week because otherwise we find that prospects forget why they felt such an acute need to meet with you and seek your help.

I’m still very much a fan of handwritten cards mailed to your perspective leads post event. Thanking them for their time, recapping part of a conversation that you had with them and ending with next steps that you intend to follow up on. In my experience, people are more apt to read an entire personalized thank you card (with business card) versus an email, similar to the others that they receive daily. It takes you only a few minutes to hand write a card that has huge upside.

This is perhaps the most important step. We have tracked our success rates with prospects and this success drops off significantly with time. It is important to set a calendar invite with agenda before leaving the event or if not to get on calendar early the next week because otherwise we find that prospects forget why they felt such an acute need to meet with you and seek your help.

Staying relevant and connecting through events and networking are important. Stay connected. Communication is the number one key....follow up!!!

Following up as promised is key to building your reputation. In your follow up message include an interesting fact that you learned about them. Your follow up message is your opportunity to allow the conversation to continue with a formal meeting.

Remember to be in it for the long game not the short game. The relationships that will result in key referrals will take time to groom and nurture. Don’t forget to practice the give and take philosophy. Stay in touch by sharing thoughts leader content, industry and economic updates.

Referrals aren't elusive pursuits chased down; they're the natural byproduct of cultivating meaningful relationships and delivering exceptional experiences to users. When you prioritize building connections and providing delight, users are compelled to share their stories organically. Whether it's the tale of engaging with key stakeholders, relishing unforgettable experiences, or reaping the benefits bestowed by your company, these narratives become the catalyst for referrals. It's about imprinting an indelible impression on the minds of users, where referrals become the icing on the cake of an already remarkable journey.

In my experience referrals stem directly from an overall ability to meet an expectation that was requested. You meet an individual, you listen to hear their needs and you implement a plan to take care of those needs. Never over promise, always be realistic and do everything you can to handle things in the manner that you say them. Plan. Implement. Execute. Once these things are done, and service was rendered exceptional, ask for the referral just in the same way you asked for the business. Just like you never wait on a sell to come to you, you confidently ask your pleased customer for the information of their friends and family to then share your abilities with them, and have your client back your credibility on your behalf as well. Boom.

Referrals are known to be the best source of business. Achieving that can be difficult at first but once you feel comfortable and confident it’s as simple as any other request of favor.

Conocer al cliente es fundamental, dependiendo del negocio lo que se busca es solución, a algo que nesecitaria o que precisa de forma urgente, atender y dar una respuesta o asesorar a lo que el cliente necesita, aporta valor y referencia ante otros competidores.

Before attending any event start with why are you attending, who do you anticipate you’ll meet or engage with. Often we attend events as it’s the ‘right thing to do’ vs focusing on the outcome we want the event to deliver. Then you can consider what type of presence you need e.g stand, demo Booth, speaking slot etc. this should appeal to your key target audience. Have a clear plan as this article says on following up, most leads are likely top of funnel & will need time invested to nurture these to customer/ conversion. Be prepared to invest!

In my experience events are an amazing way to get to know the people within your marketed area & also their needs and wants within the community. As a realtor and we all know the stigma that comes with that …… I think getting out there and being vulnerable and real with people is something needed so badly right now in the world. Also, it’s a way to understand and appreciate connections we all share but seem to forget all too easily. We are all human and no matter anyone’s financial situation or personal …… I want to be the agent that they knew they could contact to help them out to the best of my ability and not place their business in the streets. That’s how you gain lifelong clients. Trust and showing them compassion is free & remembered.

Track key metrics such as the number of leads generated, referrals received, conversion rates, and revenue attributed to event participation. Analyze the data to identify trends, successes, and areas for improvement. Gather feedback from attendees, sponsors, and referral partners to gain insights into their experiences and satisfaction levels. Use this information to refine your event strategies, sponsorship choices, and referral programs, focusing on initiatives that yield the highest return on investment. By continuously measuring and improving results, you can enhance the impact of events and sponsorships in generating referrals and driving business growth.

Check with all the persons who participated and then filter those to whom you can reach fast and those who are slow pacers to follow them

To ensure the effectiveness of using events and sponsorships for generating referrals, it's crucial to measure your results. Track the number of referrals received, conversion rates, and overall return on investment (ROI) from your activities. Use this data to refine your strategy, focusing on what works best and improving areas that are underperforming.

Create experiences that are unique and memorable for your guests. The volume of events has increased dramatically post pandemic and the bar has been raised for hosting meaningful events that attract strong attendance. Do not use your event as a sales pitch for your company. Focus on creating an environment that provides valuable content, unique education,and engagement for your desired guests that aligns with your brand.

A lot of companies jump into big investments in events without thinking through some very basic questions. For example Who is the target buyer persona or buyer personas that you want to engage with at this event? Where are these personas likely to be in their lifecycle with your company? What is your SMART goal for this event? What do you need to do ahead of time to maximize your potential return on investment? What do you need to make sure that you do at the event to focus on return on investment? And finally, what do you need to do post-event? Btw, if you're sponsoring somebody else's event, how do their audience demographics - especially based on last year's attendees - - line up with **your** ideal client profile?

Create strategic partnerships. Co-op marketing - you can expand your reach and engagement in similar markets and possibly enter new ones. Referral agreements - leverage your relationships. Identify where you can mutually benefit, and what is it worth? It can be a win-win for both parties. But choose wisely - you are the company you keep.

Something else to consider in sales: Being personable, think ahead of events, I usually send my clients some gifts that have meaning in unexpected times, not when everyone else sends them.

Il convient de souligner que cet article est intéressant. La puissance grandissante de l’IA générative dans l’analyse de nos métiers.