66 Creative Event Sponsorship Ideas to Help You Secure Your Ideal Sponsors

Ever need help generating event sponsorship ideas? You’re not alone!

The right ideas = the right sponsors. And having strong sponsor support can mean the difference between a good event and a great one. After all, with the right sponsors, you’ll not only receive financial support but also:

• Establish valuable partnerships
• Enhance your brand visibility
• Add credibility to your event

And so much more!

Of course, it can be tricky to get the right sponsors. But if you offer the right incentives, your chances multiply! So let’s explore 66 creative event sponsorship ideas that will help you secure sponsorships for events of all kinds.

How Do You Ask a Company To Sponsor an Event?

But first… how do you find your sponsors? If this is your first time, don’t worry—it’s not so hard once you know how to ask for sponsors for an event. And if you’ve got quite a few sponsorships under your belt, you might find something new to consider! 

Follow these simple steps to increase your organization’s chance of securing sponsorships:

1. Identify your needs

You might start by asking: how do I find sponsors for an event? Instead, try asking yourself: what part of my event requires financial support? 

Maybe it’s venue rental, marketing expenses, speaker fees, technology requirements, accessibility support, or catering costs. Make a list of what you can cover and what you need your sponsors for, and then…

2. Determine what you can offer

Make sure you learn what sponsors hope to achieve through your collaboration and define your offerings.

According to a 2022 survey by The Partnership Professionals Network and Dynamic Benchmarking, one reason sponsors’ objectives aren’t achieved is because associations don’t know sponsors’ goals. In fact, only 21% of sponsors achieve their objectives “most of the time”!

So how do you make sure your sponsors are in that 21%? Generally speaking, by offering to become sponsors, companies seek to:

• Create business development and growth
• Foster brand exposure and differentiation
• Be portrayed as thought leaders

To help your potential sponsors achieve these goals, you could:

• Feature sponsors’ educational content in your event
• Offer lead generation opportunities
• Organize networking lounges

And more.

3. Create sponsorship levels

Got your offerings ready? Great. Start categorizing them into different sponsorship levels. This allows sponsors to choose the option that aligns best with their marketing/business objectives and budget.

For events like conferences, trade shows, or festivals, sponsorship levels can include benefits like:

And tons of others.

4. Build your sponsor package

With your sponsorship levels ready, you can now price and build your sponsor package.

So how should you price your package? You want to look at:

• Your organization’s needs
• What your sponsors can afford to pay
• What competitors are offering
• What the overall cost of your event is 

Every event is different, but make sure you’re meeting industry standards!

To add even more options for sponsors, you could also offer à-la-carte benefits. These allow companies to sponsor a specific element of your event. 

5. Find potential sponsors

If you’ve organized events with sponsors before, make sure you look into your current sponsors first. If not, take a look around your space. What are sponsors for similar events? Which potential sponsors are out there still?

Think specifically about how you can appeal to the sponsors you’re considering! 

Got your list of sponsors? Awesome. Now, you can…

6. Collect contact information

Try to start with the person responsible for handling sponsorships at your company of choice. After all, you don’t want to spend time crafting emails just to have them land in the wrong inbox!

Often, you want to reach out to someone from the marketing department. Some job titles to look out for include:

You could look into the company’s website to see if there’s any contact information there. If not, Google and LinkedIn are your friends! You can also use tools like Hunter.io to find the email of the person you’re trying to reach.

7. Send your first touch

It’s time to make a good first impression. Craft a compelling sponsorship proposal email or letter that communicates:

• What your event is about
• The sponsorship opportunities available

And most importantly: the value and benefits sponsors will get in return for their support.

Ideally, you’ll have all the details of your sponsorship package ready on your website or in a PDF. You can link potential sponsors to that site or attach the file in your email. In either case, your email should clearly communicate the benefits of sponsoring your event.

8. Follow up

Obviously: don’t send and forget! Once that first email’s out of the way, make sure you have a follow-up system to secure sponsor support and keep leads hot.

You should give potential sponsors ample time to review your proposal. This means several days to a week, tops. After that, you can follow up with a phone call or another email to discuss the opportunity further. You could address potential objections in this second email as well!

9. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Maintain open lines of communication with potential sponsors throughout the whole negotiation process. If they come back with a question, try to address it as soon as possible—ideally, within 24 hours.

At the same time, don’t overcommunicate. If you’ve already followed up twice and haven’t received any responses, chances are they’re not interested. That would be the best time to call off the chase! Bombarding potential sponsors with tons of calls and emails will just make you seem desperate and unprofessional. Worse, you’ll burn a bridge with those companies by doing so.

What To Offer Sponsors for an Event: 12 Benefit Ideas

So how do sponsors benefit from events? Well, sponsors see many benefits when sponsoring events. 

Consider incorporating the following sponsorship benefits ideas to make your packages compelling:

Opening/closing ceremonies

Feature sponsor logos during the event’s opening and closing ceremonies. For a step up the sponsorship levels, you could also invite a sponsor’s representative to speak during these sessions.

Signage

Display sponsor logos on banners, posters, and directional signage throughout the event venue. Going virtual? Feature your sponsor logos on banner ads!

Event badges

Include sponsor logos on event badges or lanyards provided to attendees.

PR/media coverage

Include sponsors in press releases, media interviews, and event-related articles.

Reception

Provide sponsors with an exclusive opportunity to address attendees or host a branded reception.

Marketing collateral

Display sponsor logos on both online and offline marketing collaterals. These could be event brochures, flyers, the event’s landing page, and so on.

Session introductions

Boost their brand exposure by allowing sponsors to introduce speakers or sessions.

Social media

Feature sponsors in pre-event, during-event, and post-event social media posts and campaigns.

Certificates

Recognize sponsors with certificates of appreciation or achievement.

VIP events or benefits

Provide exclusive access to special events or benefits for sponsors and their guests.

Gift bags

Include sponsor-branded items or promotional materials in event gift bags. That way, your attendees will have a physical reminder of your sponsors even after the event is over!

Website

Showcase sponsors on your event website! You could feature their logos, company profiles, and links to their websites.

26 Event Sponsorship Ideas for Events of All Kinds

Hosting an in-person, hybrid, or virtual event? This is a great opportunity to get creative! But if you’re having trouble getting started, these 26 out of the box sponsorship ideas will help attract your ideal sponsors:

Workshop sponsorship

If you’re organizing a workshop or if it’s part of your event, you could partner with companies that offer products or services relevant to the workshop’s theme. Sponsors could show their expertise by:

• Introducing and explaining the workshop
• Providing educational resources
• Having a representative run the whole workshop
• Sponsoring payment for a workshop speaker in their network

Awards sponsorship

Are you hosting an award show? Having sponsors can help underwrite the cost of the awards. In return, your sponsors can present the awards to gain visibility during the ceremony.

Event technology sponsorship

You could partner with tech companies to boost engagement for your event. In return, offer them branding or feature their logos in:

• Social media wall
• Cell phone charging lockers
• Interactive theme gaming (like Jeopardy!)
• Your mobile event apps

Psst—EventMobi sponsors some associations every year. Get in touch if you think you’d be a great fit. We usually work with associations that support event and meeting planners and organizers!

Media sponsorship

For media coverage, reach out to media outlets or publications targeting your event’s audience! In exchange for their promotion, provide sponsors with advertising space or exclusive interviews.

Expert speaker sponsorship

For companies interested in establishing their thought leadership, you could offer:

• Speaking opportunities
• Prominent branding during sessions featuring sponsored speakers

Stage sponsorship

Provide sponsors with brand exposure throughout your event by featuring their logos on your event stage or naming the whole stage after them. As a highly visible sponsorship opportunity, a stage sponsorship can be how to get corporate sponsors for an event!

Research sponsorship

Does your event feature groundbreaking research? You can partner with organizations interested in making a difference! Provide them with opportunities to take part in, facilitate, or present research findings.

Booth sponsorship

Your sponsors could exhibit their products or services in a designated booth area! Go above and beyond and provide them with branded signage, promotional materials, and lead retrieval systems.

Registration area sponsorship

The registration area is a great way to introduce your sponsors. Display your sponsors’ logos and branding while attendees check in and get event materials. 

Lounge sponsorship

Offering comfortable lounges for attendees? You could provide sponsors with the opportunity to brand and decorate these spaces. Bonus points if they provide food and beverage options.

Wifi sponsorship

Ever logged in to a branded Wifi network at an event? Your attendees will thank you for the connection, and your sponsors get event-wide visibility! 

Merch sponsorship

You don’t have to shoulder the cost of merchandise production yourself. Collaborate with sponsors to create branded merchandise, such as T-shirts, tote bags, or water bottles.

VIP sponsorship

Offer exclusive benefits and experiences to sponsors, such as access to VIP lounges, reserved seating, or private networking events.

Happy hour sponsorship

Happy hour and cocktail receptions are great for networking and sponsor branding. Allow sponsors to host a session so they can network with attendees and gain exposure.

Keynote sponsorship

Work with your sponsors to support keynote speakers! In return, offer them branding opportunities during these presentations.

Contest/giveaway sponsorship

Partner with sponsors to create engaging contests or giveaways. You can even use their products or services as prizes.

Charging station sponsorship

Events can be a battery drain! Set up charging stations throughout the event venue, branded with your sponsor’s name or logo.

Accessibility sponsorship

Collaborate with sponsors to provide meaningful accommodations! They could cover the cost of sign language interpreters, closed captioning services, or assistive devices. This is a great opportunity for potential sponsors to show their commitment to accessibility. 

Q&A sponsorship

Here’s a chance for companies to directly interact with attendees: sponsoring Q&A sessions or panel discussions. Offer a moderation role to your sponsor for some valuable face-to-face time! 

Lanyard or badge sponsorship

Display sponsor logos on event lanyards or badges worn by attendees.

T-shirt sponsorship

Offering T-shirts to staff or attendees? Collaborate with sponsors to produce event T-shirts featuring their logos!

Venue sponsorship

Need a venue for your event? Partner with companies interested in hosting your event and offer them branding opportunities throughout the venue. 

Brand activation sponsorship

Boost your sponsors’ brand exposure with booths, exhibitions and interactive experiences.

Social media sponsorship

Even if you’re in person, don’t forget about social media! Connect with influencers so they can feature your event in stories, posts, and activate their audience in support, pre-, during-, and post-event. 

Volunteer sponsorship

Allow sponsors to support and engage with event volunteers to show their commitment to community involvement. They could sponsor a branded pizza party, volunteer gifts, or a green room snack station.

Program sponsorship

Offer sponsors the opportunity to advertise in the event program! They could also have a dedicated section to show their products or services.

5 Association Event Sponsorship Ideas

Associations have specific needs and benefits to offer sponsors! When you’re planning your next association event, consider these 5  unique sponsorship ideas for association events:

Mentorship program sponsorship

Partner with companies that prioritize professional development, or are leaders in your space. They could offer mentorship opportunities to association members.

Certification program sponsorship

For sponsors interested in supporting certification programs, you could offer them branding opportunities during certification ceremonies or training sessions.

Member perks sponsorship

Engage sponsors to provide exclusive discounts, perks, or benefits to association members. This is an easy way to highlight their commitment to the industry!

Annual conference sponsorship

Hosting an annual conference? You could offer sponsors branding opportunities, speaking slots, and networking events. For the right sponsor, you could even let them sponsor the whole event.

Special events sponsorships

Develop sponsorship opportunities for your association’s special events, such as networking mixers, gala dinners, or educational workshops.

10 Virtual Event Sponsorship Ideas

Looking for sponsorship ideas for your virtual events? Look no further. And psst: these work for your hybrid events, too.

Webinar sponsorship

Your sponsors could present webinars on relevant topics. If you’re using an event management platform like EventMobi, you could also:

• Highlight your sponsors with banner ads and sponsored messages during these sessions
• Create sponsored live polls

Online certification sponsorship

Partner with sponsors to support online certification programs! You could offer them branding opportunities during certification courses or exams. Alternatively, you could look for a learning management system sponsor to host your certifications and courses.

Virtual booth sponsorship

Wondering how to display sponsors for an event when it’s virtual? Provide them with virtual exhibition booths! Here, they can showcase their products or services, interact with attendees, and collect leads. You could offer 1:1 video meetings for their booths as well!

Gamification sponsorship

Gamification is great to engage your attendees while offering sponsors brand exposure at the same time! With an event management platform like EventMobi, you could promote your sponsors through gamification by:

• Offering branded challenges
• Staggering gamification points to match sponsor investments
• Using scavenger hunts to deliver leads to exhibitor and sponsor pages

Sponsored refreshment gift cards

Offer sponsors the opportunity to provide attendees with virtual refreshment gift cards! It’ll let your virtual attendees feel like they’re getting hor d’oeuvres delivered directly to their home or office. Besides visibility, this helps create a positive association for brands as well.

Sponsored contests

Engage sponsors by creating sponsored contests or competitions during the virtual event. You can use their products or services as prizes.

Virtual community space sponsorship

Establish a virtual community space where attendees can network, connect, and share ideas. With EventMobi, this space could offer sponsors:

• Branded live stream sessions, webinars, and live product demos
• Dedicated sponsor Video Libraries
• Virtual Exhibitor Booths complete with 1:1 Video Meetings
• Sponsored event game challenges
• Banner ads and sponsored messages

Virtual event app sponsorship

A mobile app makes virtual events easy to navigate and keeps attendees connected. With EventMobi, you could help boost sponsors’ visibility through your event apps by:

• Using banner ads to highlight your top-tier sponsors
• Promoting networking with virtual exhibitor booths
• Leveraging live polls and surveys to gather feedback
• Introducing sponsors through Sponsor Profiles
• Connecting sponsors with attendees through 1:1 Appointment Booking

Social media filter sponsorship

Social media filters are an easy way to promote your event while featuring your sponsors! Collaborate with sponsors to create branded social media filters or frames to use during the virtual event so your attendees can rep your event in style.

Virtual happy hour sponsorship

Just like with an in-person event, sponsors could host happy hours or networking sessions for virtual events from the comfort of their own spaces. 

Trade Show Sponsorship Ideas

Trade shows provide valuable opportunities for businesses to showcase their products and services. Take a look at these two event sponsorship ideas for trade shows:

Trade show session sponsorship

Allow sponsors to present educational sessions or workshops. Provide branding opportunities during these sessions to help your sponsors demonstrate their relevance to the industry.

Trade show technology sponsorship

Collaborate with sponsors specializing in event technology solutions. They’ll have a chance to present their products and services to exhibitors and attendees.

6 Sponsorship Ideas for Fundraising Events

Fundraising events rely heavily on sponsor support. To best secure sponsorships for your fundraising events, consider these sponsorship ideas:

Auction item sponsorship

Invite sponsors to donate high-value items or experiences for fundraising auctions. Then you can provide branding opportunities for these sponsors during the auction.

Silent auction sponsorship

Get sponsors to cover the costs associated with organizing a silent auction. Offer branding opportunities during the auction and recognition for their support.

Gift matching sponsorship

A matching gift program is an effortless way for nonprofit donors to maximize donations! You could partner with companies that offer gift matching programs to multiply the impact of donations received. Best of all, this will also encourage your audience to donate to your cause.

Volunteer recognition event sponsorship

So many fundraising events wouldn’t be possible without volunteers. Why not collaborate with sponsors to host a special event or ceremony to recognize and appreciate event volunteers?

Donation station sponsorship

Your attendees need a place to actually donate to your cause. Give sponsors the chance to brand and support donation stations at your fundraising event!

Cause marketing sponsorships

Your cause is worthwhile, and you can find sponsors who know that too! Cause marketing allows your organization to connect with a corporate partner who wants to demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility. 

How to Thank Sponsors for An Event: 5 Ideas

Expressing gratitude to sponsors is crucial for building long-lasting relationships! Here are a variety of ways to show your appreciation:

Personalized thank-you letters

Send personalized letters to sponsors to thank them for their support. Take the time to highlight the impact their sponsorship had on the event’s success in these letters! If you want to go the extra mile, handwrite them and get them signed by your organization’s leaders.

Fulfill on sponsor benefits

Your sponsors have held up their end of the bargain, so make sure you put together a sponsorship fulfillment checklist and start checking off those boxes! Keeping sponsors in the loop at every step is another great way to build trust, and you can sweeten the pot with analytics (E.G. how many people liked a sponsored post, viewed a banner ad)

Reception thank you

Host a special reception or dinner to thank sponsors. This is an opportunity for them to network with other key stakeholders as well!

Post-event report

Track and report on the ROI of your event and sponsorship efforts. This helps sponsors know how their support has paid off and can encourage them to collaborate with you again. 

Some event management platforms allow you to track and report on your analytics. EventMobi, for example, offers different ways to measure your event analytics like:

Whether your event is virtual, hybrid, or in person, your sponsors will have a clear idea of the benefits of your partnership.

Extra benefits for repeat sponsors

Offer additional perks or benefits to sponsors who consistently support your events, such as discounted sponsorship rates or priority access to future opportunities.

Get Your Dream Sponsors With These Creative Event Sponsorship Ideas

By now, you should have all the tools you need to:

• Effectively approach potential sponsors
• Create attractive sponsorship packages
• And offer compelling benefits that align with sponsors’ marketing objectives

If all goes well, you’ll form strong relationships with sponsors who can provide ongoing support for your organization’s events!

To best offer sponsors what they deserve, you need a versatile event management platform like EventMobi. Every year, EventMobi helps thousands of attendees meet & engage with awesome sponsors, in-app and on the event floor. We offer…

…and everything else you need to create sponsor value that will help your events flourish.