Teach Your Sponsors Well February 25, 2020 by Betsy Bair If you, as a conference organizer or meeting owner, think selling sponsorships at your event is just about those four to five days when thousands gather face-to-face, think again. You are worth so much more than that. It’s time to stop devaluing your events, said Kim Skildum-Reid, owner of Power Sponsorship, a firm that specializes … [Read more…] Filed Under: Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , attendees as fans, selling sponsorship, sponsorship, sponsorship revenue
Sponsorship Needs to Be More Than Banners and Clings December 17, 2019 by Dave Lutz Sponsorship is the most powerful form of marketing. When done well, it can change participants’ attitudes and behaviors about a brand. Banners, ads, signs and enhanced listings shouldn’t be lumped into the same category — they don’t make that emotional connection. Recently I’ve received invitations to attend webinars and download industry research reports and articles … [Read more…] Filed Under: Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , banners, booths, clings, emotional connection, exhibits, sponsorship
How to Turn Around Your Sponsorship Revenue December 11, 2019 by Dave Lutz If your conference is like most, sponsorship revenue is underperforming. There are two benchmarks we like to use to identify healthy conference revenue business models: Industry revenue — 30 percent or more of a conference’s total revenue should come from the combination of sponsor, exhibit and advertising revenue. Expo/sponsor revenue ratio — for every $3 … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , education champion, packages, revenue, revenue ratio, sponsorship, tiers, VIP experience
Time to Retire Your Platinum, Gold and Silver Sponsorship Levels September 22, 2017 by Dave Lutz The most effective sponsorships are all about the attendee — the fan, the sponsor’s target market. If they don’t win over the attendee, the sponsorship may not be sustainable. The same could be said for the naming of your sponsorship levels. It’s time to reimagine the precious metal sponsorship categories — and unless you’re the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , attendee-centric sponsorship categories, sponsorship, sponsorship activation, sponsorship levels
10 Ideas for Improving Your Pay-to-Play Conference Presentations August 22, 2017 by Dave Lutz There’s a place for sponsored content in conference programs, if you’re thoughtful in your approach. The seventh of the TED Commandments — “Thou shalt not sell from the stage: neither thy company, thy goods, thy writings, or thy desperate need for funding; lest thou be cast aside into outer darkness” — is especially timely advice. … [Read more…] Filed Under: Business Model, Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , association, association best practices, content marketing, education champion, Pay-To-Play, sponsored content, sponsorship, thought leadership
The Wrong Way To Approach Conference Sponsorship June 4, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Logos hanging from the ceiling at the tradeshow. Ads covering windows, elevator doors and escalator ramps. Symbols, signs and emblems stuck to the floor, carpet and wrapping columns. Logos on lanyards, room keys and conference bags. All of these are the traditional ways conferences approach sponsorship. And the majority of them have little value or … [Read more…] Filed Under: Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , sponsor acquisition, sponsors, sponsorship
Delivering Community And Connections at Conferences June 3, 2014 by Sarah Michel Does your conference have connexity? Not sure what that means? Or even if your conference has it? Well, the success of your face-to-face meetings depends on it! Connexity Happens When… Connexity happens when community and connecting collide! In a good way of course. Your attendees crave these two things: They want to connect with others … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Networking, Experience Design, Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference community, conferences, connections, connexity, sponsorship
The Function Of Content Changes In Revolutionary Conferences October 18, 2013 by Jeff Hurt Conference organizers strong commitment to content actually blocks the path to more attendee-focused and learner-centric conference experiences. This focus on content as the core of the conference creates a barrier that obstructs presenters. Most speakers freely acknowledge that the need to cover content strongly influences, and often dictates, their presentation decisions. Our allegiance to content … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Sponsorship & Exhibits Tagged With: , conferences, content, meeting industry trends, sponsorship, trends
Disruptive Revolutionary Conferences Are Coming: The Need To Refocus On Our Customer October 17, 2013 by Jeff Hurt “If anyone is going to disrupt this industry, it is going to be us!” I love this quote from Smart Customers, Stupid Companies. I think more conference organizers should adopt it! Here’s my question for meeting professionals and conference organizers: Are you going to have “Smart Attendees, Stupid Conferences or Smart Attendees, Smart Conferences?” To … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conferences, meeting industry trends, revolutionary conference, sponsorship, trends
It Is Time To Revolutionize Conferences October 16, 2013 by Jeff Hurt The traditional conference is in dire need of creativity, innovation and reinvention! It has been stuck in an ancient, out-dated rut for too long. Those planning and organizing conferences need to see themselves as creators and artists. As Seth Godin says in Linchpin, “An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity and boldness to … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conferences, meeting industry trends, sponsorship, trends - See more at: http://velvetchainsaw.com/?s=trends#sthash.g8yHnu7l.dpuf
