Landing sponsors for an event can be difficult, especially when trying to win over big-name brands. Mike Ponticelli of Bisnow Media will present strategies and tactics on how to deliver more value to your event sponsors and ultimately generate more revenue from your events. Explore all aspects of sponsorships including negotiations, B2B v B2C sponsorships, how event talent affects sponsorships, new sponsorship technologies, category exclusivity, and much more.
Sponsorship Secrets: What Every Event Organizer Needs to Know with Mike Ponticelli
1. Mike Ponticelli
Sponsorship Secrets:
What Every Event Organizer
Needs to Know
This a place holder for
an awesome photo of
you that our Eventbrite
designers will insert. No
need to do anything
here speakers
2. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Agenda
! Pitching the Event
• Collateral
• Approach
• Process
! Generating Excitement Leading up to the Event/
Hold Hands
! Sponsor Experience/Generating Value/Product
Onsite
• Facilitating Introductions with Attendees
! Competitors on the Same Event/Overcoming
Sponsor Ineducation/Troubleshooting
! Sponsor Retention/Post Event Experience
! Dos and Don’ts
! Warning! ACBJ, Accenture, Skyfold, Playlist Gen,
Fun, Vulgarity
3. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Pitching the Event
! Collateral – Keep it Simple Stupid
! Custom Events, Custom Concepts !?!
• Car in Lobby
• The 10 x 10
! Create a product, create a concept, then sell
• Accenture and the Cyber Conference from the Future
! Prospecting 101
• Book of Lists...thank you AC#%!!!
• Never pitch just one, pitch everyone
• “Do you guys know anyone who would sponsor?!?”
• Ask your sponsors for other sponsors
! Attendee Trap – don’t nail yourself to a past year
list
! Don’t have a good answer? Don’t hum, haw, or
duck. Just answer.
! Create urgency
4. bisnow event sponsorship flavors
! one scoop $2,000 -$3,000*
two scoops $3,000 -$5,000* ice cream sundae $5,000 -$8,000*
Promotion Leading Up to the Event
• Logo included in all event promotions emailed to Bisnow subscribers and on Bisnow’s event web site
Promotion at the Event
• Tabletop exhibit space
• Prominent recognition on all events signage and slide presentations
• Distribution of your company’s marketing materials
• 4 complimentary registrations
Promotion Following the Event
• Coverage in post event Bisnow newsletter
• Copy of conference attendee list (name and company)
upgrade the one scoop with these additional elements
• A 1-2 minute interview with
Bisnow’s emcee in front of the
audience describing who you are,
what your firm does, and why the
audience should work with you
• 2 additional registrations (total 6)
• Participation as a moderator or panelist on one panel
• An interview profile on your firm prior to the event published in
Bisnow
• Your speaker’s headshot and bio in Bisnow marketing materials in
addition to logo
• Introduction as a top level sponsor prior to the start of the panel
• 4 additional registrations (total 8)
*Total price. The price range depends on # of event commitments
5. then add mix ins:
one scoop
$2,000 -$3,000*
two scoops
$3,000 -$5,000*
ice cream sundae
$5,000 -$8,000*
choose your flavor …
sponsor editorial piece to be published
leading up to event $1,500
An interview profile on your firm prior to the event published in
Bisnow
advertise in post event
coverage issue $500
Reserve a skyscraper ad in Bisnow’s post
event publication dedicated to covering the
event
additional sponsor editorial piece to be
published any time following event $1,500
Take advantage of having your and Bisnow’s teams on site at
the event to knock out an in-person interview to be published in
Bisnow
*Total price. The price range depends on # of
event commitments
7. National Events
In a Nutshell
What You Can Expect From Your Event Sponsorship:
2014 National Events Calendar
EVENT DATE VENUE
BMAC West May 22nd JW Marriott, Los Angeles, CA
BASH May 6-7 The Rittenhouse Hotel | Philadelphia, PA
BLIS May 13-14 The Marriott Marquis | Washington, DC
DICE July 16-17 McLean, VA
Healthcare RE Summit Sept TBD Philadelphia, PA
BMAC Nov 24-25 JW Marriott | Washington, DC
A captive audience of over 300 investors, developers,
owners, managers, lenders, and professional service
providers from the Commercial Real Estate industry.
An excellent staff committed to helping your company
meet YOUR marketing needs.
An opportunity to leverage Bisnow’s brand.
We utilize a unique business model based on the idea
of infotainment*, and as result of your sponsorship
you will be able to tap into our carefully crafted markets.
*infotainment: fun, personality-oriented, informative, mercifully short.
8.
9. National Event Sponsorship Opportunities
Extend Your Brand’s Reach!
Moderating/
Panel Sponsor
$6,500
Breakfast/Lunch/
Break Sponsor
$7,000
Title Sponsorship
$15,000
• One moderating or panel
opportunity for your
• Your executive will
play a leading role in
the panel you choose,
including introducing
topics, infusing thought
leadership, engaging the
other panelist through pre-
event conference calls and
meetings
• Sponsorship of a
breakfast or networking
break
• Special thank you from
the microphone before
the break
• Your logo projected and
lit up all over the space
during the break
• in all
event spaces
• Sponsorship of cocktail
reception
• Your logo projected
throughout the duration of
the event
• “Presented By” billing on
the top of event invitation
and event overheads
• Brand placement on event
lanyards and any other
mutually aggreable creative
mediums
• A 6’ table in the exposition
hall for event duration with
your signage & the ability to
distribute your literature and
promo materials
• 4 tickets for your team to
attend the event
• Your company logo on the
event website and email
blasts
•
such as: company logo
on overheads, company
branding on mobile event
app
• Mention as a sponsor
from the emcee on the
microphone
Expo Sponsor Expo Sponsor Expo Sponsor
Breakfast/Lunch/
Break Sponsor
Moderating/
Panel Sponsor
Expo Sponsor
$4,000
10. How to Sponsor call us:
202.293.0370
email us:
advertising@bisnow.com
learn more about the event:
www.bisnow.com/events
11. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Pre-Event Promotion
! Generating excitement leading up to the event –
we use publication, you use what you what
! Hold hands – ANSWER THE PHONE
! Say No, and Answer Quickly
• Can I get a list? Can I get emails? Can I bring my dog?
! Sweat the Small Shit – PPT connector, electrical
outlet, fliers on seats, how big is my booth?
• Sales rep + Coordinator + Producer = Compartmentalization of roles and
redundancy
! Sponsor signup links and discount codes/
outsource the work
! “Social media? Sure, why not, but I’m busy
checking insta so let’s set a call for next year?”
• #1 = Dedicated Email
• #2 = Advertising
• #3 = Phone Calls
• #287 = Link on your website, Facebook page, Social Media, etc.
12. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Sponsor Experience/
Product
! Productize, productize, productize
• The 10 x 10, $5k, The car in the lobby?? In the
roundabout? Pictures?
! Pay extreme attention to details
• Where is the coffee? Is the coffee full? WTF IS
GOING ON WITH THE COFFEE?
• Choke points and collision frequency
• Meals and everything – Use your staff and be
extremely, extremely pushy
! Onsite staff – ecigarettes?
! Introductions onsite/strength of
reps/SPEED NETWORKING
! Can I get a copy of the RSVP list?
Does it have emails?
13. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Sponsor Experience/
Product (cont.)
! CONTENT PARTICIPATION – Moderator,
Panelist, Equal Positioning
• Keynote Interview with Richard Branson/Peter Thiel
• You? You don’t do anything. Emcee. Everything else is paid.
• Timing – Key. Feature Length Film = length of panel | 1:15
magic
! Pre-event invite only dinner or
reception, use RSVP list, make it easy/
Skyfold
! Raw Space
! Good Stuff – Coffee Sleeves, Above
Toilet, Elevator Wraps, The Greatest
Piece of Swag Ever = Mophie/Bad Stuff?
! Sign up for next year...NOW!
14. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Troubleshooting
! Ask me!
! Competitors on the same event –
manage expectations
! Overcoming sponsor ineducation
– ask many questions
! Invoice before the event every
single time – never, ever don’t
! Can I get a copy of the RSVP
list? – Yes! Emails? No!
! Number of attendees – manage
expectations
! Sponsor was late – good staff
15. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Post-Event Experience
! Sponsor retention
• Sign them up for next year onsite
immediately
! Post-Event Experience –
tons of contact afterward
• Facebook + Insta from your last birthday
party
! Publishing – Post Event
Coverage/The Media Angle
! Thank You’s
16. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Dos and Don’ts
! Dos
• Put signage above toilets
• Invoice before the event
• Prodcutive everything
• Spend way more time thinking about name tags than you did last time
• Obsesses over line of sight
• Play really loud music
• Pay for the GDMF breakfast sandwiches
• Have your most truculent child pick the music/We Are You=No You’re Not/The
Playlist Generation/W Hotel
• Golf and Toys
• The Best Piece of Swag Ever Invented = The Mophie
• Say No to Sponsors
• Speed Networking
• Share attendee lists freely, and emails never
• People > Excellent Directional Signage > Crappy Directional Signage > Hotel
• Create intimate gatherings
• Sign up everyone for next year, this year
17. #ElevateDCMike Ponticelli
Dos and Don’ts (cont.)
! Don’ts
• Sell Gobos...spend $3 on a sharpie and
hit the bathroom stalls
• Trust the hotel staff (unless it’s a cruise
ship)
• Use those USB linking things