USING SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
As a broad rule the larger the show the harder it becomes to find what you particularly with shell scheme stands when on a budget. Many organisers do a great job in colour-coding zones or areas, which helps but you as the exhibitor are not entirely helpless. When is the last time you thought about how else you could brand yourselves at the event to reinforce your presence? Did you just restrict yourself to a banner or sponsoring the carrier-bags or the ‘You-are-here’ boards?
As organisers compete to add value there are a whole range of possibilities that are available for branding and sponsorship – not all may be suitable but no doubt some will suit you perfectly. Consider the following:
Accommodation Plans Aisle Ways Awards
Badges Balloons Banners
Barriers Car Parking Carrier Bags
Catalogues Catering Catwalks
Cloakrooms Coaches / Buses Coffee Areas
Conference Sessions Crèche Cups
Data Capture Delegate Folders Demo Areas
Entertainment Event Parties Exhibitor Lounges
Exhibitor Manual Fashion Shows Floor Plans
Floor Tiles Freebies Guides (what’s on etc)
Light Pens Lists Lounges (VIP/ Press)
Menus/ Meals PR Opportunities Press Office
Preview Days Seating Areas Services (Phones etc)
Signage Toilets Venue Posters
VIP Tickets/ Passes www/ wifi You are Here boards
The list is not exhaustive but the possibilities are endless – limited only by your imagination and the health and safety police!
A good tip is to visualise the target visitor on his or her travels through the event. Are they arriving by car and will parking be an issue for them? They may need to deposit their coat or bags and then get a coffee before looking for a seating area to plan their route. They may need to use the toilets and at some point probably will stop for a snack. If they have other interests you can predict those too and identify their possible stopping routes where they can see your name, logo and even a reminder of your stand number. The calculation on spend should be easy to do. Calculate the value of a new client and your conversion rate – if the organiser hasn’t offered a branding opportunity it may be they haven’t thought of it so make them an offer. Most of the opportunities mentioned above are not set in stone so be prepared to negotiate – it may be you have something like a membership list or client data that they would also consider as a viable trade. Remember that research shows that repeated exposure (6-7 times) is often necessary to drive home your message and build your client base.