Prepare For 2016 NOW, Before Your Event

Committees are preparing for the final push before their summer events. Things are getting busy! And its kids sports and BBQ and wedding season, to boot. But sponsors for 2016 are going to want information on your association and event. That means NUMBERS, and RESULTS, and PHOTOS. You can’t get those after the event happens, you have to be set up to get them while the event is going on. This means being prepared for the future. Sponsors want to know how many people attended, demographics on those people (where are they from, male/female, ages, spending power). They want to see photos from the event to picture themselves and their products and how they might fit in. Not just arena photos, although those are good, but photos of the tradeshow areas, banner locations, and who else is participating. They want to see what the stands look like. Are they full? Is there audience participation? Shopping? What growth areas did you have? More awards? Was there press coverage? Social media activity? Did the social media mention sponsors? In order to increase sponsorship and attendance, you have to prepare at this year’s event for next year. And the time to make current sponsors feel valued is now. Find out what they want to accomplish at your event and make sure it happens in order to keep them renewing for next year. Events with proactive partnership marketing mentality and numbers will be the ones getting the 2016 sponsor dollars.