A Short Guide to Sponsoring an Event for Brand Awareness

There are many different approaches you can take if you want to promote your brand. Out of all of your options, sponsoring an event might be one of the best. You can get your name out there, connect with a community, and show that you’re a brand with strong values. Of course, sponsoring an event will cost you money, just like other forms of promotion. So you want to make sure that you get a return on your investment. As much as you might want to do something out of the goodness of your heart, it’s even better if your business gets something in return. Read this guide to making the most out of being an event sponsor to make sure it’s a good use of your time and money.

Start with Clear Goals
If you go into an event as a sponsor not knowing what you want out if it, you could easily walking away unsure of what you have to show for it. Before you commit yourself to being a sponsor for an event, you need to know how it will benefit you. Do you want to raise your profile, increase your sales or improve your image among existing customers? If you have goals in mind, you can implement your sponsorship strategy better and measure your success in the end.

Choose the Right Event
It can be tempting to jump into sponsoring any event that presents itself as an opportunity. But it’s much better to consider the type of event that will tie into or relate to your brand in some way. It could be something that very closely relates to your brand. For example, if you sell cycling gear you might sponsor a bicycle event. However, it could also be something that captures an atmosphere and values that are close to those you want people to associate with your brand. If you’re a fun-loving business selling products to a young audience, perhaps you would sponsor a music festival, for example.

Promoting Your Brand
Sponsoring an event gives you an excellent opportunity to get your name out there. But how will you show yourself while the event is taking place? First, make sure you know what the sponsorship gets you. Will you have your logo on event banners or flyers, or perhaps on t-shirts? Will you have the chance to sell or give away promotional items? You need to decide which are the best ways to display your brand and make sure that attendees leave associating you with the spirit of the event. You should try to engage with the community and have an active presence that goes beyond simply having your logo on display.

When the event is over, you need to be able to measure your success so that you know if it’s worth doing again in the future. You should have set some goals in the beginning, so you can determine whether you have met them. There are several methods you could use, from surveying people at the event to asking future customers how they discovered your product.