Even in a day and age that finds many consumers making independent buying decisions, planned events are still a hugely effective part of how businesses raise brand awareness and achieve important goals. A well-orchestrated event is a highly engaging experience that facilitates stronger relationships, boosts consumer trust, and gives attendees a chance to really connect with brands on a level they’ll remember.
But even the best, most creative events need sponsors. Sponsorship success correlates directly to the overall scalability of your results, so investing enough in yours is crucial if you’re serious about planning a successful virtual or in-person event. However, innovative event sponsorship ideas that break the mold in fun, tasteful ways can be hard to come by.
Here’s a closer look at a few to consider when brainstorming your future events. Don’t be afraid to customize them, make them your own, or come up with additional ideas of your own.
What Event Sponsorship Is
An event sponsor is a business, individual, or other entity that provides the team behind the event with funding. In exchange, the sponsor receives something else of value. This is usually valuable brand exposure, but not always.
The value of attracting the right sponsors goes well beyond simply raising the available budget attached to your event and giving you the leeway you need to make it memorable. Top-tier sponsorship lends your event serious credibility and raises your ability to attract interested attendees.
A really fantastic sponsor often brings other advantages to the table beyond just funding, as well. Examples potentially include perks like hosting space, increased exposure, and access to other valuable event resources like food, entertainment, or activity offerings.
How Does Event Sponsorship Work?
Some sponsors fund events in exchange for speaking opportunities, data related to attendees, and other advantages. Event teams may even offer different sponsorship levels as options, the better to provide an appealing choice for everyone.
A successful event sponsorship deal is all about setting terms and conditions that adequately serve both the sponsor and the team behind the event. It starts with careful planning and budgeting. It continues via steps like the following:
· Putting together a detailed proposal and approaching sponsors
· Offering a variety of different sponsorship benefits to entice the right candidates
· Facilitating receipt of the agreed-upon funds or resources from interested sponsors
· Providing the agreed-upon brand exposure (or other promised benefits) to the sponsor
The Benefits of Sponsorship Levels
Naturally, not all potential sponsors are going to be the same. Some may have deep enough pockets to fund huge aspects of your event, while others may be in a better position to help with catering, transportation options, or other resources. Every brand will want and expect different things out of a partnership, as well.
Offering prospective sponsors a choice via options like virtual event sponsorship packages and tiered sponsorship levels is a solid way to meet expectations. Here are a few of the advantages of making sponsorship levels a part of your event-planning strategy.
Simplified ROI measurement
Establishing sponsorship tiers requires you to take a good look at what you can bring to the table for sponsors versus what you expect in return at each level.
This takes a lot of the guesswork out of tracking and measuring your overall return on your original investment (ROI). It’s clear right from the get-go what each partnership is bringing to the table in exchange for the agreed-upon perks.
Reduced dependency on ticket sales
Ticket sales may be the primary source of revenue for your event, but it’s far from the only possibility. Adding additional revenue streams like merchandise sales or special VIP experiences helps round things out.
Sponsorship tiers help immensely with this, especially considering they’re established and paid for in advance. It helps you start your event on a high note where revenue is concerned.
Inclusivity for sponsors of diverse scales
In 2024, businesses can be incredibly diverse, and collectively, they cover a variety of different sizes, types, industries, and services. Offering a variety of sponsorship tiers gives more different businesses a chance to benefit from a partnership with you.
It gives you access to more different brands, names, audiences, and resource types, as well. The more quality sponsors you can secure, the better it will be for your event’s bottom line and overall success.
Alleviation of administrative burdens
Leveraging sponsorship levels as a way to secure the funding, support, and resources you need to make your event a success helps take the headache out of the entire management process. It’s clear right from the beginning which sponsors will receive which benefits.
It also ensures you have a large chunk of your funding squared away before your event even starts, simplifying the process of planning everything that comes after.
How Do You Ask a Company to Sponsor an Event?
Knowing you need the find the right sponsors for your next event is one thing. Approaching them and successfully securing a mutually beneficial sponsorship is another matter altogether. Here are some tips for finding sponsors that are right for your event and convincing them to sign on.
Create a proposal
When you reach out to sponsors, you should have a professional pitch prepared that covers all the bases. Include information about your event, what your goals are, who the target audience is, and what you’re offering in your sponsorship package.
Leave your prospective sponsors with a one-pager to look over that contains all the information they need to make a decision. Focus on the value your event brings to the table for sponsors who choose to get involved. Create unique opportunities for candidates that are hard to say no to.
Get referrals from peers
Reach out to members of your network for sponsorship recommendations, especially those with experience planning events of their own. (Trusted clients and customers may have some great ideas for you to consider, as well.)
Consider reaching out to sponsors that have gotten involved in events similar to yours, as well. They’ll already be familiar with the process. Plus, you already know right up front that they’re open to sponsorship opportunities like the one you’re offering.
Set your website up to attract sponsors
If you don’t already have a website set up to help generate interest in your event, consider launching one and optimizing it for success. Be sure to add a page geared specifically toward sponsors, and fill it with compelling details and information about your event plans.
Add a contact form that makes it easy for interested sponsors to reach out to you. You stand a really good chance of connecting with interesting, diverse brands you might not have otherwise.
78 Event Sponsorship Ideas for Events
Whether you’re hosting a classic in-person event or integrating virtual elements into the mix to expand your reach, creativity is a must when it comes to your event sponsorship ideas. Here’s a comprehensive list of varied options to get you inspired and thinking outside the box.
Ideas for In-Person Events
The following ideas are especially well-suited to classic in-person events where people will be connecting face to face.
1. Fun activities: Fun, attractive product demos, activities, and photo ops make for terrific ways to attract interest and charm visitors.
2. Charging stations: Consider setting up branded charging stations near your booth. People will stop by to take a closer look.
3. Wi-Fi hotspots: Speaking of helping your visitors stay connected, consider a Wi-Fi hotspot with a creative name or branded password.
4. Stage contests: Put your visitors to the test with a themed challenge that teaches them something relevant.
5. Cool freebies: Hand out fun freebies to visitors to your booth or branded stations to raise brand awareness.
6. Interactive experiences: Interactivity gets people involved and helps them remember brands. Incorporate it into fun experiences for your events.
7. Event T-shirts: Branded T-shirts are terrific ways to boost awareness. Have staff wear them or hand them out to visitors.
8. Special introductions: Letting your sponsors introduce presentations or speakers is a great way to ramp up their brand exposure.
9. Gift bags: Put together beautiful gift bags to hand out to attendees that include items from your sponsors.
10. Hands-on workshops: Organize a themed workshop for your event that includes unique opportunities to get sponsors involved.
11. Speaking opportunities: Sponsors interested in boosting thought leadership cred may appreciate opportunities to speak or present at your event.
12. Stage sponsorship: Featuring a key sponsor’s logo on your main stage is a terrific way to boost brand exposure and raise awareness.
13. Reception hosting: Consider letting sponsors host happy hours, meet-and-greets, or other reception events to provide valuable networking opportunities.
14. Program advertising: Offer sponsors a chance at prime ad placement in your event brochures or programs to showcase their brands.
15. Special recognition: Single out key sponsors for special recognition by presenting awards, certificates, or other options to honor their achievements.
16. Branded lounges: Offering a lounge area at your next event? Consider giving sponsors the chance to sponsor and decorate the space.
17. Photo booths: Everyone loves a photo booth. Branded options give you a unique chance to create connections between sponsors and fun.
18. DIY crafting: Consider creative ways to connect sponsors with fun DIY activities that get people involved.
19. Branded props: Fun, attention-grabbing props – especially any that are photo-worthy – are great ways to elevate sponsors and brands.
20. Tasty treats: Offer visitors some delicious sponsored treats to sample and watch them line up around the block.
21. Privacy booths: Offer guests access to privacy pods where they can make a quick phone call or take a quick time-out.
22. Contactless access: Sponsored QR codes and other forms of wireless access to special areas are great opportunities to tie in sponsors.
23. Hands-on demos: Give attendees a chance to get up close and personal with key products and offerings via demos.
24. Display products: Simply putting products on display where people can play with them can be effective, too.
25. Leverage nostalgia: Take attendees on a fun trip down memory lane with displays celebrating the history of key products and services.
26. Booth videos: Compelling videos encourage attendees to slow down and watch for a moment.
27. Focus groups: Give attendees the chance to be part of on-site product testing sessions, focus groups, and similar options.
28. Hand sanitizer stations: Give guests a chance to clean up and sanitize with an accessible sponsored station.
29. Oxygen bars: Oxygen bars are also great ways to invite guests to sit back, relax, and take a literal breather in a branded environment.
30. Welcome packages: If your event includes overnight accommodations, branded welcome packages in rooms are great ways to showcase sponsors.
31. Branded banners: Banners are classic, accessible ways to put sponsors on full display throughout an event.
32. Bottled water: Offering cold water and refreshments to thirsty guests is a great way to put sponsors front and center.
33. Graffiti walls: Invite guests to channel their inner artist with a fun sponsored graffiti wall that ties into your event theme.
34. Ice sculptures: If your station or brand is food-related, consider commissioning a logo-based ice sculpture to keep treats chilled.
35. Wellness stations: Yoga, massages, meditation breaks, etc. are all terrific ways to invite attendees to stop, relax, and unwind with you for a moment.
36. Sponsored lockers: Offer guests a safe, secure place to stow bags or belongings for safekeeping.
37. Branded receptacles: From recycling bins to containers for freebies, receptacles offer awesome opportunities to put brands on display.
38. Shuttle services: Will your guests need help getting to and from the event? A sponsored pick-up or drop-off option is just the ticket.
39. Accessibility services: Offer sponsors an opportunity to deliver meaningful inclusion-based services like closed captioning, sign language interpreters, or accessibility aids.
40. Sponsored lanyards: Lanyards and event badges are great opportunities to put a sponsor’s logo on full display.
41. Auction items: Have sponsors donate valuable products and branded items for inclusion in fundraising auctions.
42. Branded booth ceilings: Don’t sleep on your booth’s ceiling as a possible placement for sponsored logos. It’s more visible than you think.
43. Sponsored parking spaces: Take the guesswork out of finding a great parking space by offering sponsored options your guests will really appreciate.
44. Live music: Finetune the tone of your event and make it more attractive to sponsors by booking a popular band or DJ to lend some atmosphere.
45. Volunteer recognition: Consider getting sponsors involved in a special ceremony or sub-event to honor all the volunteer workers at your event.
46. Sponsored wayfinding options: It’s all too easy to get turned around at a larger-than-life event, so wayfinding options like signage, virtual maps, etc. can be really helpful.
47. Book signings: Offer thought leadership-oriented sponsors the chance to do a book signing or meet-and-greet at your event.
48. Stair wraps: Incorporating elevator or stairway wraps into your event décor is a great way to put your best sponsors on display.
49. Recovery kits: Give your guests a chance to revitalize and recharge with branded recovery kits. Think Vitamin C, breath mints, electrolyte patches, and more!
50. Sustainability: Paint your event and your sponsors in a positive light by working sustainability into your event themes and offerings.
51. Shoe shine services: Invite visitors to sit down and enjoy a complimentary branded shoe shine on behalf of your sponsors.
52. Pedi-cab services: Help your guests get around large event centers or complexes with branded pedi-cabs. They’re useful and unique.
53. Branded restroom designs: Mirrors, stalls, and similar features are terrific places for logos and other brand assets, as visitors will have plenty of time to check them out while they’re there.
Ideas for Virtual and Hybrid Events
Planning a cost-effective virtual event? The following ideas offer some fun opportunities to loop sponsors into the mix.
54. Sponsored NFTs: Consider integrating appropriate sponsors into a special NFT collection for your attendees to collect and trade.
55. TikTok streams: Bring your event into 2024 with a creative TikTok stream that invites online attendees to get involved.
56. Branded hashtags: The right branded hashtags can help your event go viral, as well as encourage lots of great user-generated content.
57. Display user-generated content: Speaking of great UGC, watch your hashtags. Call out and reshare some of the best contributions.
58. Leverage virtual reality: Virtual reality gives remote attendees a chance to feel involved on an incredible level, so look into branded options.
59. Tie-in apps: Developing a sleek tie-in app for your event helps attendees get involved on a deeper level, whether they’re there in person or not.
60. Live streaming: Live-streaming an event can be a great way to engage attendees and attract top-tier sponsors.
61. Organized tweet-ups: Invite attendees to follow ongoing event conversations on Twitter via an organized sponsored tweet-up.
62. Online Q&A: Set up one or more of your social media profiles to double as running Q&A streams during your event.
63. Metaverse tie-ins: An immersive Metaverse tie-in event is a terrific way to extend your reach and get more sponsors involved.
64. Scholarships: Sponsored scholarships and similar opportunities are terrific ways to attract top-tier sponsors.
65. LinkedIn reviews: Offer attendees a sponsored opportunity to have their digital resume or LinkedIn profile reviewed by experts.
66. Research sponsorships: Give key sponsors a chance to facilitate, fund, or otherwise sponsor cutting-edge research related to your event.
67. Sponsored virtual booths: Virtual booths are great ways to make virtual and hybrid events more immersive, as well as attract sponsors.
68. Online scavenger hunts: Organize fun scavenger hunts to get attendees engaged and generate valuable potential leads for sponsors.
69. Branded social media filters: Fun photo filters and photo frames are fun, easy ways to let attendees rep your event, as well as their favorite brands.
70. Gift-matching offers: Partner with a company willing to match donations to help multiply funds collected during an event and encourage generosity.
71. Implement surveys: Use surveys to gather insights from attendees. Offer sponsors the chance to include questions of their own.
72. Branded virtual backgrounds: Branded assets make great fits for fun virtual backgrounds, Facebook covers, and similar options, so get creative.
73. Sponsored slide transitions: In-person or virtual slideshows make great fits for branded content. Just insert it strategically in between the rest of your slides.
74. Maximize the pre-event period: Consider inserting sponsored or branded logos and other content into pre-event assets like email blasts, social media advertisements, etc.
75. Sponsored website displays: Once sponsors sign on to be part of your event, showcase their logos on your event website to boost exposure and lend credibility to the festivities.
76. Offer naming rights: Consider offering a VIP sponsor the chance to have their name added to the name of your event. Naming rights are a very big deal.
77. Sponsored video ads: In between video presentations or looped booth video clips, insert branded content that showcases your sponsors and all that they do.
78. Mobile coupons: Create a special coupon or discount package for attendees that includes incredible offers from your sponsors.
Tips to Integrate Event Sponsorship Ideas
As you can see, the possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to creative, head-turning event sponsorship ideas to try. But there’s an art to selecting the right ones and successfully integrating them into your planning process. Here are some tips for doing things right.
Think seriously about sponsorship levels
As proven by the lists above, sponsorship options can be anything from branded freebies and strategic shout-outs to prestigious options like naming rights. Sponsorship levels give you multiple opportunities to include a variety of options.
Keep in mind that your middle tiers will likely attract the most takers, so pay special attention to the offerings you include there. Reserve premium or exclusive options for your biggest, most generous sponsors.
Consider what your audience values
Naturally, some options are going to appeal more to your event’s attendees than others, so it’s important to make sure your choices align with audience values.
Are you hosting a crowd that you know is really eco-conscious? Look for ways to integrate sustainability into the mix. Do you expect a tech-savvy crowd or hope to attract lots of young, hip Gen Z attendees? Look into trendy, cutting-edge options that will really turn heads.
Align your choices with the goals and values of your sponsors, as well. Remember, you’re looking to please them just as surely as you are your event guests.
Customize your sponsorship proposals
Consider offering custom-tailored sponsorship packages to especially desirable sponsors to make the idea of getting involved more attractive. Many sponsors will appreciate the opportunity to benefit from very specific perks that help them achieve important business objectives.
Include a good mix of possibilities, including visibility-based benefits like event materials, networking opportunities, and more. Be open to discussing additional possibilities with special candidates.
Share relevant data
Data and statistics can be very convincing when it comes to appealing to the right sponsors. Include relevant insights about your attendees to let sponsors know they’ll be reaching the right crowd. Share numbers that reflect past event successes if available, as well.
Do the same when it comes to suggested sponsorship ideas. If something specific has been especially effective for a brand like your target sponsor, let them know as part of the discussion process.
Think outside the event
Sponsorship opportunities don’t have to start and stop at the entrance to the event itself. There are plenty of ways to integrate sponsorship and brand visibility into related necessities like transportation, hotel accommodations, and similar resources.
So, give some thought to options like rideshare vouchers, sponsored shuttle services, and branded amenities baskets for hotel rooms. Guests appreciate such things a lot more than you may realize.
Ultimately, fantastic business events that people remember for years to come are largely about creativity and innovation. Consider some of the suggestions above for adding a little extra oomph to your next event.
