What hybrid event sponsors need from you

When a business or individual signs up for a hybrid event sponsorship package, they form a partnership with your organization. You both have goals for the big day, and together you can achieve them. Your sponsors deserve special attention, and you should answer their questions and make them aware of their commitments to the event. Here’s what you can give them to make the hybrid event a success.

Provide a way to measure return on investment (ROI)

Sponsors want to know that their support had an impact. If you want them to sponsor future events, you need to assure them their efforts worked and they reached the audience they wanted to connect with. Choose certain metrics you can share with sponsors after the event to prove they spent their money efficiently. The virtual aspect of hybrid events has made it easier than ever to provide hard numbers and relevant information. Ideas might include:

• Attendance figures.
• Clicks on sponsored content.
• Follow-up questions you received from attendees about sponsors.
• Engagement information, such as how long attendees stayed at the event.
• Social media engagement with their brand.
• New leads from virtual and in-person connections.

Consider what your sponsor might be looking to get out of the partnership. Are they prioritizing brand awareness, lead generation, or something else? Show them how your event has helped them meet their goals. The sponsor looking for more brand awareness might appreciate hearing about clicks and attendance, while the sponsor looking to improve audience engagement might love to see social media posts generated from the event.

These after-event resources are especially important if you hope to work with a sponsor again. They’ll appreciate the data as they go to prepare for the next event.

Give clear instructions on how to participate in the event

Most sponsors play an active role in a hybrid event. Offer clear instructions ahead of time to your sponsors, so they understand what they must do for both the online and in-person portions of the event. Many people are unfamiliar with the technology used for virtual events, and you should help your sponsors feel comfortable. You want to set them up for success, and understanding the event can go a long way.

Make your instructions as straightforward as possible. Even if you think something is obvious, keep in mind that you’ve done it before. Another person may not have the same background, so list even the most obvious instructions for logging on, speaking during the event, whether in person or virtual, and anything else your sponsor may need to do.

Help your sponsors by giving them all the tools they need to offer an exceptional experience to attendees. Knowing what platforms are available to them — such as online chat rooms, in-person Q&As, or email follow-ups — can allow sponsors to appropriately prepare and curate the right materials.

For in-person segments, make sure sponsors understand their responsibilities and know where to go. Teach them how to work with both a live audience and a virtual one. For example, a presenter might want to avoid standing in a specific spot that blocks part of their presentation for online viewers.

Agree on realistic expectations

Don’t promise something you can’t give. For the virtual parts of the event, your sponsors won’t see a run-through beforehand and may not know what to expect. Keep their expectations in line by going over your plans beforehand. Give them a play-by-play of how the live activities overlap with the virtual ones and what opportunities they’ll have to interact with attendees. Communication is key in creating a smooth sponsor experience.

Answer all their questions and invite them to make suggestions if they are sponsoring a specific portion of the program. However, make it clear what your staff can and can’t do. Sponsors with realistic expectations often get what they anticipated, keeping them happy.

Provide a single contact during the event

During event day, you will be busy troubleshooting and ensuring everything runs smoothly. If your sponsor has a question, do they have a contact they can ask? Delegate someone from your organization to answer sponsor questions during the event.

Train that person before the big day so they understand all the event’s ins and outs and can help your hybrid event sponsors look as good as possible. Providing a single point of contact is also useful for building a relationship with a sponsor since they have a specific person they can turn to.

This point of contact should have all the support they need to meet the sponsor’s needs. If, for example, they need to walk a sponsor through a technical issue, they need to understand the platform or be able to contact someone who does. The point of contact should have a full understanding of the in-person plan so they can quickly and easily provide information and make changes if needed.

Try GiveSmart’s software for virtual event sponsorship

Before your next virtual event, put these strategies in place to ensure you and your sponsors share the same expectations and get what you want out of the big day. Set both parties up for success with the right platform for hybrid events. GiveSmart is a powerful fundraising platform with a range of campaign and event management tools to help you make the most of your sponsorship opportunities. Raise more money with less stress using our solutions.

Request your demo today to see GiveSmart in action and start building the perfect sponsorship experience for your partners.