In the years we’ve been building and growing SponsorMotion, we’ve engaged in countless discussions with potential event sponsors and attendees. And amidst the noise and data, a pattern emerged: oversimplifying a bit, most attendees prioritize networking opportunities (who will be there?), while sponsors are hungry for proven results (how many leads?).
As an attendee, the question of who will be present at an event often takes precedence over the matter of who will present. More than the fancy keynote speakers or the trailblazing panels, many attendees care about whom they'll bump into during the coffee break or at the evening mixer: opportunities to form connections and foster relationships in the industry are a significant part of the event experience.
And that is why "planned serendipity" is so important - creating visible opportunities for people to meet and for connections to form spontaneously. If you haven't read it, Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business is a phenomenal book on this topic.
On the other hand, sponsors have a different set of concerns. When a company chooses to sponsor an event, they're investing resources - money, time, and people - and looking for a return on that investment. That question often translates into - "How many leads will we get from this?"
This shouldn't be taken too literally: in the context of events, leads can come in several forms: individuals who've visited a booth, folks who signed up for demos or to receive news, people with whom a booth rep engaged in conversation or exchanged business cards.
That is why it's critical to go beyond participant demographics and agendas. A few ideas to consider:
To attract sponsors, play the long game: