! di Y E ti!unding Your Executive or C-Level Events

C ti S hiCreating SponsorshipPackages for High-Level Attendees

Karen DanieleVice President and General Manager

Nth Degree Events

J h T t kJohn TatuskoAccount Executive, Space & Sponsorship Strategist

Nth Degree Events

E ti l L i C tEssential Learning Components

1. Why are executive events important?2. Setting goals3. What are the real costs of having sponsorships at your g p p y

event?4. =sing executive personas to design sponsorship and event

formats5. Identifying opportunities6. Creating sponsorships7. Pricing8. Educating sponsors on working with your audience9. Measurement

Importance to

> T h ti t

Importance toF

> S ll t ffEvent 6ro7u8ers 6otential 9:onsors> To have an executive event

> Evolution of your event> Access to people you may

not normally have access to

> Sell more stuff> Develop relationships at the

executive level> Look smarty

> Focus Group level feedback> Sell more stuff

> Look smartAdd RC l F S

> Lower cost of entry

> Adds RCool FactorS> Make people feel special> Vanity

> To have sponsorships> To have sponsorships> Increase sponsor revenue> Offset cost> Add credibility> Coat tail effect

Wh t d l k f HWhat do sponsors look forH

>Audience – are the attendees your buyers or from organizations that buy from you?

>A ill b bl i i h>Access – will you be able to interact with them? Is there value?

>Agenda – does it make sense? Is there time forAgenda does it make sense? Is there time for interaction?

S t l d bJ tiSet goals and obJectives

>Why do you have an executive event?>What are you trying to accomplish with the

?event?>Whose problem are you solving?

S t l d bJ tiSet goals and obJectives

>What are you trying to accomplish by selling sponsorships?> F ll lf f d d> Fully self funded> Cover hard costs> Make up some of the costs> Satisfy a squeaky wheel – internal constituent

What is the real cost of sellingWhat is the real cost of selling sponsorshipsH

>What do you have to lose? > Exclusivity> C fli t> Conflict> Control

K iKsing personas

>Create your executive attendee persona

>Create your sponsor persona

>Match their needs

Identify appropriateIdentify appropriate opportunities

>What are you willing to give up?>What is your organization comfortable with?>Where is the real value to your sponsors? >Where are the conflicts?

Identify appropriateIdentify appropriate opportunities

>What works> Speaking> P L l I t ti> Peer Level Interaction

>Theoretically, theyZre the experts, they want to learn from someone whoZs been there, done that, has the same perspective, someone they can relate to

> Forums Debates Discussion Groups Charlie Rose> Forums, Debates, Discussion Groups, Charlie Rose Style Interviews

Identify appropriateIdentify appropriate opportunities

>What works> Engagement

>G h i i i l h k h>Get their opinions, let them speak where they can definitely add value, but donZt let them dominate

> Networking

>This is what itZs all about> C t t> Content

>Online, Onsite & After> Elite swagg

Identify appropriateIdentify appropriate opportunities

>Common Mistake>Giving them enough rope to hang

h lthemselves>Keep it simple – if itZs too much

work theyZre going to blow itwork they re going to blow it

Identify appropriateIdentify appropriate opportunities

>What are/arenZt your competitors doing?> Providing sponsorships

Ri l>Rituals> Special outings>VIP treatmentVIP treatment>Dinners> Parties>After hours>Keynotes>Clubs/organizations/memberships>Clubs/organizations/memberships

Create sponsorshipCreate sponsorship opportunities

>Standardized> Highly evolved partner management organizations

may require more strict guidelines in order tomay require more strict guidelines in order to maintain objectivity, fairness

Create sponsorshipCreate sponsorship opportunities

>Standardized> Highly evolved partner management organizations

may require more strict guidelines in order tomay require more strict guidelines in order to maintain objectivity, fairness

>Customized> Be Opportunistic> In this economy, the more

flexible, the better

Determine best possibleDetermine best possible sponsors

>Stake Holders> Internal Groups

>Sales>Sales>Partner/Alliance Management

Organization>Targets

> Lowest Hanging Fruit> C t t B d b i l ti id th t> Content Based – obvious solutions providers that map

to the content> Strategy Based – key partners, strategic alliances

P i iPricing

>Competitive>Comparison>Be Realistic

> Keep objectives in mind> Keep current selling environment in mindKeep current selling environment in mind

>Discounting without actually RdiscountingS

Educate sponsors on how to k t t di b tmarket to audience best

>Risk = annoying high value audience

Educate sponsors on how to k t t di b tmarket to audience best

>Risk = annoying high value audience>Benefit = they do well, you do well; they look

l ksmart, you look smart

Educate sponsors on how to k t t di b tmarket to audience best

>Risk = annoying high value audience>Benefit = they do well, you do well; they look

l ksmart, you look smart>Mutually Beneficial

> They can actually add valueThey can actually add value> Adds credibility to your own content

Educate sponsors on how to k t t di b tmarket to audience best

C h h>Coach them> eou can frame a lot of your own internal

rules enforcement/preferences under the guise of coaching your sponsors for success.

> Blame the Audience

Educate sponsors on how to k t t di b tmarket to audience best

C h h>Coach them> eou can frame a lot of your own internal

rules enforcement/preferences under the guise of coaching your sponsors for success.

> Blame the Audience

RWe do a lot of work with this group, they really seem to appreciate the soft sellSy pp

ReouZll do really well with them if youf.SRRWeZve seen people have a lot of success

withfSwithf

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell> N l l ti i t h th> Non peer level participants cheapen the

experience, even if theyZre internal

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell> N l l ti i t h th> Non peer level participants cheapen the

experience, even if theyZre internal> Booths

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell> N l l ti i t h th> Non peer level participants cheapen the

experience, even if theyZre internal> Booths

I f i l> Infomercials

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell> N l l ti i t h th> Non peer level participants cheapen the

experience, even if theyZre internal> Booths

I f i l> Infomercials> Banners, billboards and logo placements

that arenZt tied to anything

Educate sponsors on how toEducate sponsors on how to market to audience best

>What doesnZt work> Hard sell> N l l ti i t h th> Non peer level participants cheapen the

experience, even if theyZre internal> Booths

I f i l> Infomercials> Banners, billboards and logo placements

that arenZt tied to anything> Cheap swag

MMeasure

>Share it with your sponsors, if you want them to come back> H l th ll th l ROI> Help them sell themselves, prove ROI> Show them how smart they are for participating in

your event

MMeasure

>Measurement is key

RCompanies that measure event ROI (overall) are 1 i times more likely to expect an increase in their event marketing budget thanincrease in their event marketing budget than those who do not measure.S- Event Marketing Institute – EventView 2008 N h A i2008, North America