Secrets For Growing Conference Sponsorship Revenues

Many conference and trade show organizers are focusing more attention on exhibit and sponsorship sales.

Yet, the traditional revenue mix from exhibits and sponsorship is changing.

More digital demonstration channels are being adopted and booth footprints are shrinking. The future opportunity is to shift reduced marketing spend from exhibitor booth square feet to more sponsorship.

Bigger Deals, Fewer Buyers

Recently, Dave and I had the pleasure of leading a session at the ASAE Annual Meeting: Secrets For Growing Conference Sponsorship Revenues. During this session, we explored a number of sales strategies and approaches to help associations capitalize on this shift.

Ultimately, it’s about bigger deals with fewer buyers. It’s about segmentation, discovery, and organizing around your best customers and their goals, not your products.

Here is the PPT from that session. You’ll notice that the learning objectives align with three sponsorship phases:

1. Promote
2. Sell
3. Deliver

What changes have you noticed about your sponsors and exhibitors buying habits? What changes are you making in your strategy and approach to sponsorship sales?