Vendors and Sponsors: How to find the right events to participate in

Event sponsorships are one of the best ways to get a return on investment. And when done right, you can get a lot of brand recognition from it. It’s just a matter of finding the right events to participate in.

There are a number of factors you want to consider when choosing an event. You want to invest all your hard-earned money into an event your going to gain market value from. Here are some things to consider when choosing an event:

1.      Is my target audience present?

You want to vendor or sponsor an event where the audience is relevant to your brand. You will need to heavily consider who is attending the event. Ask yourself: Do they fit in your company’s targeted demographic? Would they be willing to buy your products and services if you sponsor? When buying exposure for your brand, you want to make sure it’s front of the right people.

Tip: If you are seeing competitors as previous vendors or sponsors for the event, this should give you some sort of affirmation that your similar target audience will also be attending this event.

2.      What kind of event is it? Is it virtual or in-person?

Especially with the pandemic, most events are attended virtually. However, each platform has their benefits! With a virtual event, the attendees will only be a click away from a potential google search of your brand. Maybe during the webinar, the event planners will drop a direct link to your site. For an in-person event, the attendees may receive marketing collateral for a greater brand experience, which leads us to our last consideration…

3.      How am I, as the sponsor or vendor, getting exposed to the attendees?

You will also need to heavily consider how you are getting exposed in your sponsorship. Will there be a big banner with your logo above the guest speakers? Will they drop brand mentions throughout the event? You want to make sure that the event you are vendoring or sponsoring, properly markets your brand to their attendees. Do some research on their past events, this can be very beneficial!

-          How were there previous sponsors and vendors treated?

-          Did they fully execute on all their promises?

Also, you can simply ask! You should ask the event planners to see what kind of sponsorship package they offer. This can help you gain some insight, and help you choose the event you want to follow through with.

What are some things you consider when choosing an event to vendor or sponsor? Let us know in the comments!