Despite not being able to shake hands, virtual conferences do have some real perks! As the process for designing and executing virtual events was established, we began appreciating the implications this had on the possibilities for meaningful sponsorship integration. It’s relevant to share that we subscribe to the philosophy that sponsors are effectively partners, and the best relationships will be ones of meaningful co-creation that is bringing value to the community.
Additionally, let’s not forget that virtual conferences have different formats, and that every profession and industry has its own set of rules and standards. We can only speak for the approach that we take for the work that we do and the clients we serve!
We’ve had success with our approach so far, so let’s take a closer look at some of the ways we’ve seen meaningful sponsorship integration.
Full session development: This is when the sponsor works with you to create a session. It’s a valuable opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with them about the needs of your community, which ideally is data-driven. For example, we’ve seen great results with asking the question, “what organizational challenge keeps you up at night?” to attendees, then pulling out the biggest trends so that the sponsors can meaningfully address those needs through their thought leadership.
Co-presenting a session: Rather than creating a full session, you can invite sponsors to come in and join a speaker panel. This is equally an opportunity for the sponsor to join the discussion about community needs and demonstrate thought leadership. One advantage to pre-recording the speakers’ discussions is that they can be closely moderated and edited, so you can coach them through delivering a genuine message.
Data from the event: From one industry to the next, the type and value of desirable data will vary, but virtual conferences are well positioned to gather it in different ways. For example, if you have the ability to poll your attendees, could your sponsor benefit from answers to meaningful questions? Regardless of how the data is used, remember to be transparent with your attendees by specifying which event elements are sponsored and offer them options to opt in or out.
Video advertisements: Can you work with your sponsors to produce short video ads in between sessions? In our experience, the ads that perform the best are the ones that do not feel like “commercials”. We’ve seen the best results when sponsors are real and genuine human beings talking about a problem that they can address with their solution. Since sponsors are going to be actively seeking lead generation opportunities, can you provide a pop-up CTA on screen? The pop-up allows attendees to opt-in for a next step, such as signing up for a demo, or opting in for a piece of content. The engagement with this pop-up also allows for a measurable metric.
Video interviews: We know it can be challenging for some to speak directly to a camera for several minutes straight, so how about offering the option of short video interviews? An interviewer can record webcam style alongside your sponsor, and ask questions that are going to engage them on their passion and the core value they bring to your members. Showing these video interview snippets before sessions also switches up the medium in a way that can even be beneficial for attendee retention.
One-on-one meetings: Ultimately, many of your supporting organizations are seeking those direct one-on-one connections with prospective clients. Just as many associations are starting to facilitate “smart meetings”, where they are intelligently linking up exhibitors and attendees, the virtual space allows for the same opportunity.
Sponsoring tickets: Unsurprisingly, we have also seen some really good results when giving the ability to “sponsor” certain segment to attend the virtual conference. For example, one of our clients created a “Student Benefactor” package. For a certain dollar value, the sponsor was making the event free for all the students who attended, allowing for an isolated “thank you” message from the sponsor to the students. This was a particular win-win, as it allowed for a group to participate who would not have been able to otherwise.
As a final but important thought, sponsors are often passionate about the community they serve, and have thought leadership to contribute. Outside of pop-ups, video advertisements, and sponsored ticket receipts, sponsors can attend the event by engaging with the audience in the live attendee chat.