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Head's Up for Event Producers
Now more than ever it’s imperative for event and festival producers to be on top of their game in creating unique, interactive ways for sponsors to get involved. More money is being spent in this marketing category, but it’s being allocated to fewer events overall. Meaning, sponsors are eschewing the shotgun approach and instead looking for ways they can really dig into an event and be an active participant. The days of throwing up some signage and calling it a day are behind us for the most savvy marketers, and savvy event producers know this. This means it’s harder to compete for sponsorship dollars, an already highly competitive arena. So if you’re not in the game, then get in now or you’re out.
I could outline an exhaustive list of things you should already be doing to attract sponsors, starting with mobile media and online social networks. But instead I would suggest you research events that are similar to yours but perhaps bigger and see how they pull it off. Some music events that do an excellent job are Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival (same producers); Coachella and Stagecoach (ditto); and South by Southwest. Even if your event is not music-related, you can still use these examples to get great ideas.
Posted Sunday March 30, 2008
in event marketing/sponsorship,
festival/event management,
festivals
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Behind the Scenes
The current strike by TV & movie writers is an excellent example of the critical yet often overlooked talent and hard work that is required to produce…. well, just about anything that people want. Witness the recent cancellation of the Golden Globes, the highly touted kick-off for the all important awards season.
Just as in Hollywood, events and festivals require a huge amount of heavy lifting – literally and figuratively – to be pulled off. I often half-jokingly refer to my love of festival producing as a type of brain damage, and folks with the same affliction always nod knowingly.
Posted Thursday January 24, 2008
in festival/event management,
festivals
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What a Sponsor Wants
I often hear or read questions that go something like this: “How can I find a sponsor that values my (cause, industry, etc.)?”
Like individuals, sponsors want to know what’s in it for them. If they “like” your cause, it’s because your cause lines up with what the sponsor’s customers like, and sponsoring your cause will help them to reach those customers. So to find a sponsor, you have to create value that will give them great ROI – “Return on Investment”. Sponsorship is strictly a marketing decision, and they want marketing benefits in exchange for their money.
Go here for more information to give you some ideas about what to offer a potential sponsor.
I strongly advise you, if you are seeking a sponsor, to hire a professional such as Combo Platter that understands your industry, the sponsor procuring process, and how to speak the language of marketing decision-makers.