To help us take a closer look at how companies who are hosting meetings with trade shows are tackling these challenges, we’ve asked Tracy Oosterman, founder of One More Sponsor, to join us for a Q&A and here is what we learned.

Kenneth: Just to give us a little background information, what is your role in the trade show world?

Tracy: Our team at One More Sponsor acts as a consultant for the company hosting the trade show as part of their event. Together with the client, we create the full exhibitor and sponsor experience that starts with the prospectus, continues through the sales process for the booth packages and sponsorships, and ends with, well, it doesn’t really end.  I was going to say that it ended with the exhibitor survey, but it really doesn’t.  It’s important to start the next year’s exhibitor management while the fire’s hot, so it’s really an on-going project.  Our goal is to increase ROI for not only the hosting company but for the exhibitors and sponsors while always focusing on the conference attendees and the value they receive in the trade show aisles.

Kenneth: It’s definitely a balancing act.  What is the biggest challenge a trade show host company faces and how do you recommend tackling that challenge?

Tracy: Most Show Organizers struggle with proving an exhibitor or sponsor’s ROI, which will ultimately be the deciding factor in their participation. The key here is to align the interest of attendees with the products or services offered by the exhibitor or sponsor. Attendee profiles, pre-show surveys, industry trends, new product releases and feedback from the previous year are all great resources to align exhibitors with conference attendees.

Kenneth: All great points, and with the right information management, the ROI is much easier to prove.  What methods do you use to increase the value of a show for an exhibitor or sponsor while minimizing their time, efforts, and costs?

Tracy: One of the ways we do this with exhibitors is by providing the right technology tool to allow them to schedule 1:1 meetings with conference attendees.  It isn’t enough to just stand in the booth during the set show hours and hope a hot lead meanders into your space.  You have to find that lead and nurture it even before the trade show floor opens.  When the show organizer provides a technology like Eventmobi or a geo-locating app, it helps facilitate the right environment for the exhibitors to connect more easily with the attendees.  When you are thinking about minimizing their time, effort and costs, digital is the way to go.  I see less and less printed materials stacked at the booth and more unique promotional items these days.  Exhibitors are getting smart (and their budgets are being scrutinized) by using digital signage to open the conversation.  When it’s displayed digitally, the exhibitor can customize for each show vs. having a generic one size fits all brochure. It’s then sent electronically, and the sales cycle continues.

Kenneth: I agree completely.  Who wants to carry home a stack of brochures?  And these days if you don’t have a conference app you are far behind the trend. Many times, the app actually saves money in addition to the valuable information it supports.  Speaking of money, do you have a formula you use to determine what to charge for booth space and sponsorship packages?

Tracy: No two shows are alike, but it’s important to look at the history of the event.  If you’ve never had a trade show as part of the conference, the ROI is much more difficult to prove, and therefore it limits the price of the packages.  We also consider the costs required to produce the trade show, how many exhibitors there will be, and how exclusive the industries represented will be among other factors.

Kenneth: Carpeting, internet, electricity, security… it all plays a role.  Once you have secured an exhibitor, how do you convert them to a sponsor? 

Tracy: It’s important to note that depending on the show, being a sponsor can be an additional element of being an exhibitor or it can be a stand-alone package.  There are times when a company’s branding and marketing presence is needed but not necessarily their physical presence in a booth.  More commonly, though, the sponsorship package is an upgrade to the booth package.   As long as I’ve been doing trade shows, the first sponsorship item to sell is the lanyard.  All attendees will be wearing your logo around their neck for the duration of the conference.  One of the ways we move exhibitors into sponsorships is by only offering the attendee contact list to sponsors. It’s a great incentive that adds value before and after the event.  We usually recommend Show Organizers offer attendees the option to opt-out of having their information shared.  There are many more ways to increase the conversion rate, but I can’t give away all of my secrets!

Kenneth: Understood!  I’ve also seen promotions for the sponsors in the post-show surveys to allow one last touch for the sponsor.  What data do you track for Post-Show Evaluations and how do you go about collecting it?

Tracy: We use Survey Monkey to collect feedback from the exhibitors and sponsors following every show. It’s imperative to poll not only the exhibitors and sponsors about the trade show but also the conference attendees.  Ask both groups about the hours, the offerings, the variety of exhibitors, layout, etc. It needs to be a positive experience for both groups.  I think the most important thing to remember about post-show surveys is that the information collected is direct from the source.  You need to use it to shape future events.  It’s not useful if you don’t incorporate the feedback to make other events even better than the last.

ABOUT TRACY: Boston native, Tracy Oosterman founded One More Sponsor in 2008 to help nonprofits connect with the right corporate sponsors needed to make their events profitable. Previously in her career, she sold sponsorships for American City Business Journals and Time Warner/Southern Living. Tracy has built an extensive network of relationships over the past 20 years beginning in Atlanta and the Southeast and expanding nationwide.

Related Post: 
Trade Show Traffic Boosters That Work
8 Tips for Attracting Corporate Sponsors

Thank you, Tracy, for taking the time to share your expertise with us.

Until next time!

The post The Balancing Act of Hosting a Trade Show appeared first on dynami.

Competition for sponsorship dollars is on the rise. Depending on your industry and the size of your event, you could be approaching sponsors who receive multiple proposals a day. Your ability to customize, connect, integrate, and offer ROI have never been more important.

Here are eight tips for attracting sponsors:

1. Research and Connect – Find out what events their organization has sponsored in the past. Look for common core values and ways to demonstrate how sponsoring your event would provide them with direct access to their target market.
2. Tell a Story – Make an emotional connection by appealing to the potential sponsor on a personal level. Share how your company got started, your mission, similar core values, etc. Whatever it is that makes your business unique and connects you to their organization, share it, and do it in the form of a story.
3. Create a Value Proposition – Formulate one to two concise paragraphs explaining the purpose and value of your event. Here are examples of questions sponsors will be looking for you to answer:
   1. What is the purpose of your event and why do you need sponsors?
   2. Who is your demographic and what is the estimated size of your audience?
   3. What are the incentives for sponsoring and how will this help their company?
   4. Who are the other sponsors?
4. Be Transparent – Provide a breakdown showing the estimated funding needed and how each portion is broken out. For example, food and beverage, guest speakers, wifi, etc.
5. Offer Tiered Packages – Be specific about what each package includes, the value associated with those offerings, and the overall cost. Packages should vary by the value provided such as the amount and location of branding, size and location of a booth, speaking slots, rich data about their target audience, and so on.
6. Get Creative – Differentiate yourself by coming up with unique ways attendees can interact with a sponsor’s brand. Here are a few examples to help you get the creative juices flowing:
   1. Game Lounge. Set up an area with table tennis, life-size jenga, and air hockey. The entire area could be branded by a sponsor, or multiple sponsors could host tournaments and hand out branded prizes.
   2. Coffee Sponsor. Offer sponsors the opportunity to brand the coffee cups. Their logos are sure to get quality time with attendees throughout the event.
   3. Relaxation Station. This area could be anything from lounge seating to massage chairs to meditation and yoga classes.
7. Be Flexible – Listen to your sponsors and be willing to collaborate with them. Odds are they already have a good idea of how they want attendees to interact with their brand.
8. Post-Event Evaluation – Having a post-event evaluation with your sponsors is vital to maintaining your relationship for future events. During this phase, you will want to have pictures, facts, and figures from your event to go over with them. The better your data is, the more value you can provide your sponsors.

Remember when approaching your potential sponsor to focus on building the relationship. Be genuine, use your data, and concentrate on a win-win-win.

Until next time!

The post 8 Tips for Attracting Corporate Sponsors appeared first on dynami.