Press Kit

It is a good idea to create targeted press kits for different audiences—the value for a newspaper or trade journal to cover an event is different than the value sought by an exhibitor or a conference attendee. A good kit make the benefits of the event clear to the specific person it is given to.Sponsorship Packages.

The cost of holding an event may be offset (or even fully covered) through sponsorship arrangements. A Green Home Show might list a newspaper, a television station, and a manufacturer as sponsors. The media outlets have probably provided “services in kind” by giving free ad space in print and on air. The manufacturer has probably paid the event organizers cash to have their logo in place. Many sports arenas are no longer named after prominent citizens or former athletes, they are named after the corporation that bought their sponsorship rights. When approaching potential sponsors it is invaluable to have a good sponsorship package.

The best sponsorship packages see a convergence of two important elements—value to the customers and a smart financial model. The value for the customer can include a combination or all of the following:

Commercial media exposure through logos and naming in ads for the event—if it is possible lay out the number and size of ads and in what publications or on what radio/TV stations they will appear.

Editorial media exposure (not guaranteed, of course) if the event is pre or post reported in various publications

Exposure at the event through banners, speaking and presentation opportunities, logos on programs, table cards, etc.

Title sponsorship can provide seed money for an event while giving the sponsor real bang for their buck. An Australian wine company on the West Coast provides a cash sponsorship and a prize package for a charitable “Dine Out” night that usually sees over 15,000 diners out for the evening. The event is named after the sponsor, so any commercial or noncommercial media coverage starts off with the company’s name and associates it with a well-loved charity. In addition, the wine company’s name is one of the largest pieces of text on every piece of promotional material for the event, including all the newspaper ads

Sponsors usually receive a certain number of passes to attend the event (the numbers are usually linked to the dollar value of the sponsorship), along with the participation opportunities where it is appropriate

Sponsors can have an award named after them, or have their name attached to a hospitality suite, etc.

Sponsors can be offered the opportunity to raise their profile by contributing to the swag—items such as branded pens, bags, mugs, mouse pads, and product

Sponsors can be offered the choice of an ad or a separate insert in the event program

The financial model assigns value to each promotional and branding opportunity that the event host can offer. Some sponsors may be asked to make a direct cash contribution while others provide goods and services in kind (e.g. a newspaper might provide $10,000 worth of advertising in their Business section for a software event).
Most events offer different levels of sponsorship, depending on the needs of the event.

Some of the issues to consider when creating the financial model for a sponsorship package include:

Identifying potential sponsors who can provide goods or services that would otherwise need to be purchased and that add value to the event
Deciding on the value attached to each level of sponsorship. A title sponsorship, for example, might cost anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000 depending on the nature of the event and the awareness it generates. Additionally, a certain number of passes (VIP or otherwise) for the event are usually included
An alternate method is to break down the margin and promotional levels:
Gold Sponsorship at an event where the cost per guest is $100 might cost $5,000 and include 10 passes, along with company logo on banners and ad materials and on program covers. The cost of adding the logo to PR materials is minimal; the 10 guests will cost the event $1000, so $4,000 in net revenue is generated.
Silver Sponsorship at $3,000 is attached to 5 passes, along with half page ads in the program and logo recognition and linkage on the event website. The 5 guests will cost the event $500 and the sponsorship generates a revenue of $2,500.
Bronze Sponsorship at $1,500 and 2 passes includes a name listing in the program and on the event website. The 2 guests cost $200 and provide a net revenue of $1,300

When approaching possible sponsors, try to demonstrate the prestige and promotional value of the higher levels of sponsorship but never be dismissive of the lower levels and sell down a level if the sponsor is hesitant. The even actually makes more profit percentage from the lower sponsorships. The mid-level sponsorships are often the optimal value. It is a good strategy to create lots of non-cash value at the higher levels of sponsorship (generally the PR opportunities), while remembering to ensure that the more affordable and hence more popular levels have a higher profit margin for the event’s host agency. Depending on the nature of the event, sponsors for meals, coffee, alcoholic beverages, transportation, etc. can be an effective way to keep event costs down while adding value for the attendees

Press Kit addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = 'ottawaconventions';