Sponsorship Blog - ARCHIVE

Insights, News, Sales

Our sponsorship blog focuses on three primary topics: sponsorship insights and the tips of the trade; sponsorship news and comments on innovation and deals that deserve discussion; and sponsorship sales because selling is a skill. We discuss best practices in sponsorship.

An Expert’s Guide to Event Sponsorship

An Expert’s Guide to Event Sponsorship

Originally published by: Hopin Event sponsorship is, for all intents and purposes, the exchange of funds for access to an event audience. For example, let’s say your company wants to announce a new and exciting product during the keynote at an industry conference. To do this, you’d pay its organizers for the chance to score some…
Q&A with Private FB Sponsorship Group

Q&A with Private FB Sponsorship Group

Gain the latest insights on virtual event sponsorship growth during this recording of Amanda Engler's Private Facebook Group. This content was only available to her "Event Professionals - Explode Your Profits" community on Facebook January 2021.
The View from Up North

The View from Up North

In this video Larry joins a group of Canadian experts at the Western Sponsorship Conference to discuss the State of the Events Industry. Participants include Brent Barootes of the Partnership Group, Francis Dumais of Elevent, Auburn Sigurdson of Torque Strategies, and Mark Harrison of The T1 Agency.
A2Z Virtual 2021 Event Profs Virtual Event

Feed Your Event Brain!

In this 30-minute video from the A2Z Virtual 2021 Event Profs Virtual Event, Larry and Karen Kelly CMO of Tapple.io review the solutions and new ideas to growing sponsorship revenue for virtual events.
How to Pivot Your Sponsors to Virtual Events

Sponsorship in the Era of Virtual Engagement: A Primer for NonProfits and SMBs

During this Facebook Live interview hosted by Alicia Baraga of Ripple Event Marketing Larry takes on the challenges of generating sponsorship in the virtual world. With a focus on nonprofits, the topics are of value to anyone grappling with understanding how to attract sponsors for virtual events. Topics covered include:  Activation, Assets & Inventory, The Pitch Deck,…
Pivot Sponsors from In-Person Events to Virtual Events

How to Pivot Sponsors from In-Person to Virtual Events

Originally published by: Corporate Meetings Network In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many event brands are taking steps to move online. But how do you keep sponsors satisfied during the virtual transition? 1 | Establish an E-Mail Marketing Campaign E-mail is one of the most powerful ways to communicate with attendees, regardless the circumstances. Offer…
Full Stop

Full Stop! Now What?

You did what you had to do; you canceled the event. All that work down the drain. It isn’t clear when things will return to normal. Should we reschedule for fall or wait until summer of 2021? The shift is already happening. Conferences will go on, but not in person. They will be online. The…
Corona Pepper

Publishers put Virtual Events to the Test as In-Person Gatherings Disappear

This post was originally published on the DigiDay and was written by Kayleigh Barber. Read the original post here.  As coronavirus continues to threaten publishers’ events business, many publishers are turning to virtual events as an alternative. The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s 2020 NewFronts moved to streaming-only presentations, several media companies have canceled their upfronts and industry conferences, such…
5 Stages of Sponsorship Sales

Guest Blog: The Five Stages of Sponsorship Sales

This is the first time I have ever posted a colleague’s content on TSG. Chris Baylis of sponsorshipcollective.com has created a remarkable post. It gets right to the core building blocks. This is a must watch.
SB Nation Radio Interview

Talking Super Bowl Advertising with SB Nation’s The Big E

A couple of days before the big game we got together to talk about insights and the history of Super Bowl advertising. Check out my interview with Elissa Walker Campbell on The Big E Sports Show.
The Top Tip for Sponsor Seekers

2-Min Video: The Top Tip for Sponsor Seekers

In this excerpt from Larry’s interview at Eventbrite headquarters in San Francisco, he shares what he believes is the most important tactic of all. 
Dealing with Dissatisfied Sponsors

2-Min Video: Dealing with the Increasing Dissatisfaction of Sponsors

In this clip from the Eventbrite interview Larry discusses why 58% of sponsors want to get out or not renew their deals. 
VR and Virtual Events

2-Min Video: Predicting the Near Term Future in Events

Why is VR so popular, and is it right for your event or brand? Larry’s thoughts on why VR and AR are so hot right now.
Sponsorship in the Digital Age

Sponsorship in the Digital Age (Full Presentation)

I have been evangelizing about the importance of expanding your event’s digital assets. It is without a doubt, among the most cost effective and strategic steps you can take to provide value to your sponsors. Just this week, I finalized an entirely new presentation for the ICCA World event. These slides were presented as part…
Using Email when Seeking Sponsors

2-Min Video: Is Email Still Relevant?

Does email still work? Larry says yes, but only if you use very specific tactics. Hear his tips in this clip from his interview at Eventbrite.
Waffle House

Julio Jones’ Waffle House Cleats Worth $1M+ for Restaurant

Julio Jones may have football on his mind but his feet have him heading to Waffle House. The Alabama native and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver was spotted Thursday after practice wearing detailed cleats with the name of one of the South’s favorite food joints on the side. “The value of this kind of media could…
Long Term Relationships with Sponsors

2-Min Video: Building Long Term Relationships with Sponsors

In this 2 minute video clip Larry discusses the right to build long term relationships with clients and how to avoid the behaviors that drive them away.
Sponsorship Ideas

17 Creative Event Sponsorship Ideas

This post was originally published on the Eventbrite blog. Read the original post here. Event sponsors are critical to helping you fund and improve the attendee experience. But to stand out in a sea of sponsorship ideas, you need to think beyond brand awareness and create worthwhile opportunities that help sponsors achieve their goals. Before…
Activation Trends in Sponsorship

Activation Trends in Sponsorship

In part 4 of Larry’s interview at Eventbrite he discusses how integrating digital content can add sponsor value for your event.
Man looking at his phone

6 Apps to Increase Productivity

6 Apps & Extensions You Have Probably Never Heard Of, But Will Be Glad You Did. There are many challenges to running a successful agency. The biggest for most of us is finding ways to save time and improve performance. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorites. I’m sure these would work…
Innovative New Technology for Events

Innovative New Technology for Events

What are some of the best ways to use Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for events?  In this clip from my interview with Dan Kimball the Senior Vice President of Marketing at eventbrite.com headquarters in San Francisco we discuss some specific examples of successful integration of VR and AR.
How Technology is Changing Sponsorship

How Technology is Changing Sponsorship

Technology is changing how events are produced and how sponsors activate. In this clip from my interview with Dan Kimball the Senior Vice President of Marketing at eventbrite.com headquarters in San Francisco we discuss the impact of this technology on events and sponsorship.
US Women's World Cup

How the US Women’s National Team could Approach Sponsorships after World Cup Win

Larry Weil, a branding and sponsorship expert who goes by the title “The Sponsorship Guy,” said that “part of the challenge here is frequency.” “There’s going to be a crest in sponsorship…. Read Full Article Here
Attract Wealthy Sponsors

3 Principles Elite Events Use to Attract and Reward Wealthy Clients

From the Cannes Film Festival to Wimbledon, all elite events share a wealthy target audience. One of my favorite culinary events Once Upon A Kitchen is a great example. It features multiple award winning celebrity chefs in an experience that will attract wealthy diners from all over the world to Miami Beach this coming December.…
Partner with Food Driven Communities

3 Benefits of Partnering With Food Driven Communities

There are many advantages to sponsoring a food centered or food driven event because food has a way of connecting people in ways that even music and sports cannot. These partnerships present unique opportunities that lead to major results. Benefit #1 | Food event attendees actually want to be educated. Sponsors often spend a lot…
18-Month Event Sponsorship Timeline

Your 18-Month Event Sponsorship Timeline

This post was originally published on the Eventbrite blog. Read the original post here.  Are you connecting with sponsors at the right time of year? Because when it comes to creating sustainable relationships, timing is key. With over two decades of experience and over 4,000 brand and industry contacts, President of The Sponsorship Guy™ Larry…

Why Is It So Hard to Sell Sponsorship?

Recipe for Successful Sponsorship Acquisition Insights from Nonprofit Industry Survey Understand what Sponsorship is and isn’t How to Work with Busy Prospects Sponsors are Flooded with Proposals, yours must be on Target Skilled Selling makes a Huge Difference A Campaign is the Best way to Sell Sponsorship North American Sponsorship Continues to Grow Why is…
eBook-How to Win Sponsors for Your Event (and Bring Them Back Every Year)

How to Win Sponsors for Your Event (and Bring Them Back Every Year)

This post was originally published on the Eventbrite blog. Read the original post here. Sponsorship can mean the difference between turning a profit — or a financial disaster. Imagine you didn’t win over the sponsors you needed for your festival or event, so you’re left footing the bill for items your sponsors would have covered.…
Eventbrite Interview

The Sponsorship Guy’s Secrets to Success – Eventbrite Interview

This post was originally published on the Eventbrite blog. Read the original post here. Sponsorship is a multi-billion dollar industry, with an annual growth rate that has surpassed advertising and other forms of marketing. Yet this steady growth rate doesn’t mean it’s easy to find sponsors for your event. If anything, it’s harder than ever…
Larry Weil, The Sponsorship Guy - African Woman, African Muzik Magazine

I told them no 5x. Then I did my homework…

With 20 years in the sponsorship business I like to think I can separate the winners and losers quickly. Efficiency has become a necessity because I get approached by hundreds of properties each month. So when I was contacted by The Second Annual African Muzik Magazine awards my first reaction was: I don’t know anything…
Larry Weil, The Sponsorship Guy - Crowd of Business People at Trade Show Booth

4 Event Technologies Transforming Sponsorship

This post was originally published on the Eventbrite blog. Read the original post here. Event sponsorship used to be simple. Event creators identified generic forms of exposure — like ticket giveaways, trade show booths, and logo placements — and sold them to brands. But if you still rely on this technique, you won’t win brands…
Larry Weil, The Sponsorship Guy - Business Team with hands in the middle like a sports team

Set Client Expectations or Pay the Price

We are a couple of months into the project and I am running into an unforeseen roadblock - client expectations.
A Template for Groundbreaking Deals

A Template for Groundbreaking Deals

When a sponsorship deal is big enough to make the mainstream news it is truly groundbreaking. We haven’t seen this much buzz in quite a while, but while the news media, sports talk radio, and the advertising world are focused on the impact of beer on campus the sponsorship world sees a new gold rush. First,…
Larry Weil, The Sponsorship Guy - Man tearing paper in half

Preparing to Get a Sponsor: Rule #1 Sponsors are Not Investors

Sponsors are risk averse. That’s right. They must know that a property or partnership can deliver what they say. I get inquiries every week from well-meaning individuals with underdeveloped concepts. It could be a concert series, a festival, a race team. They all have one thing in common: as soon as they get sponsorship money…
The Sponsorship Guy Blog Who Killed Authenticity?

Who Killed Authenticity?

Creative types spend large amounts of time trying to dig into brands searching for the “authentic” essence and finding the exact image, quote, music, color palette or story that evokes a feeling that something is real. We see and hear the word authentic attached to “experience”, “taste” and even “replica”. Our perception that something is…
The Sponsorship Guy Blog Submitting Sponsorship Proposals is Just Like Tinder (but without the good parts)

7 Ways Submitting Sponsorship Proposals is Just Like Tinder (But Without the Good Parts)

You busted your hump to put together a great proposal. You checked out your prospect on their website, set up a Google alert, researched key people on LinkedIn. You sent it. Nothing, Nada, Crickets… For those of you who don’t know how Tinder works or even what it is, here is the short version. For…