Feb 15, 2021

7 ideas for virtual event sponsorship

Woman taking notes during a virtual event.

Rounding up sponsors for your next virtual event is easier if you have a clear vision for the role those businesses and individuals will play. You can include them in pre- and post-event activities as well as during the event. Here are seven ways to get your sponsors involved.

1. Include sponsors in the registration information

Your sponsors should be an active part of the event before it even begins. Give them a presence on your registration page, including their names and logos. Add that information to the email confirmation you send attendees and the directions for logging in to the event.

2. Give shout-outs on social media

As you promote your virtual event on social media, devote one day to each sponsor, thanking them for their support and highlighting unique aspects of their business. You can even link to their websites.

3. Send guests a digital event bag

Just because an event is virtual doesn’t mean you skip the swag. Your attendees will love getting a virtual grab-bag of extras from your promotional partners. Sponsors can offer free sign-ups for their services or coupons recipients can redeem by visiting a physical location.

4. Provide your guests with branded food

Luncheons may look a little different with a virtual event, but you can still bring your attendees food branded with your sponsors’ names. Try these ideas:

  • Brand napkins with all your sponsors’ logos
  • Allow sponsorship for each course, such as one sponsor’s logo on the sandwich wrapping and another on dessert
  • Add branded water bottles to attendees’ lunch kits

Have your attendees pick up their lunches ahead of time or drop them off if you have enough help. Your sponsors will appreciate the effort to stand out.

5. Play short commercials during dead time

During a virtual event, your guests sit through plenty of downtime waiting for the speaker to begin or their breakout room to open. Take advantage of this by inviting sponsors to film short ads that you run during these times. This offers sponsors a chance to convey their messages in addition to sharing their logos.

6. Incorporate sponsors into opening remarks

Make sure to thank your sponsors by name as you begin the event. Go beyond the usual, “We couldn’t be here without our sponsors.” When you mention them, include a description of what they do and why they are a valued partner. Your sponsors will love the individual attention.

7. Add poll questions related to your sponsors

Keeping your attendees engaged is critical to your success, and polling them during the event keeps them interested. Use questions that relate to your sponsors or allow sponsors for each question to keep their names top of mind with your attendees.

Use GiveSmart’s Fundraising Software

If you’re searching for additional ideas for your next virtual event, GiveSmart is offering a webinar on fostering sponsor relationships, and we’d love to see you there!

Related

GiveSmart accepts digital payments
March 28, 2024

How Accepting Digital Wallet Payments Benefits Your Nonprofit

Digital wallets, also known as e-wallets, are a secure and convenient way to allow donors...

Read More
GiveSmart 2023 Impact Report
March 20, 2024

GiveSmart 2023 Impact Report

Last year was an important one for GiveSmart customers, and we want to share the…

Read More
Fundraising event
March 15, 2024

Event Fundraising Ideas from the Experts

Feeling the pressure of the upcoming fundraising event season? You’re not alone!   Two out of…

Read More
clients-B

What our clients say

We needed a platform to make sales online and to track and display ads for our sponsors. GiveSmart was perfect. We ended up making close to $15,000 more than we had hoped for. Definite better ROI than we anticipated. The interface is easy to use and provides plenty of options to get help if needed.

Michelle M.

The Rotary Club of South Whidbey Island

Using GS has created ease in auction bookkeeping, payments, and generating post-event thank you/tax letters. While we were online during COVID, our interactions with our GiveSmart via phone, email, and zoom were seamless. A representative always got back to us within the day. I would recommend GiveSmart to anyone doing a large online event.

Julie G.

MicroFinancing Partners in Africa

GiveSmart is highly flexible - you can use it for [a] simple registration and check-in, to full-scale galas with complex order forms, onsite upsells, live auctions, seating management, and more.

Jamie F.

Hope Chest for Breast Cancer

GiveSmart is easy to use and ideal for virtual events and can be used for in-person events to manage the silent auction, seating charts, and check-in to the event. Being able to use the platform for unlimited events within the contract year is very useful and being able to add other users and volunteers for different levels of access is helpful as well.

Dawn L.

Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County