Skiddle Experts: Securing Brand Sponsors and Partners

Can you explain how brand partnerships and sponsorships can significantly impact the success of an event or festival?

“Brand partnerships and sponsorships can help the financial stability, visibility, and overall quality of an event or festival. By partnering with the right sponsors, events can create a better experience for attendees, which drives better event attendance and consistent growth.”

What benefits do event promoters gain from securing strong brand partnerships?

“There are many benefits to a promoter. In summary, the key benefits are as follows:”

1. Financial Support

“Sponsorships can contribute significant funds, helping cover key costs associated with running a large-scale event. This reduces the need to rely solely on ticket sales or other income sources.”

2. Brand Awareness and Credibility

“A brand brings its own audience when it partners with an event, helping to increase the event’s visibility. High-profile or relevant sponsors add increased credibility to the event, and the brand association can make it more appealing to potential attendees, the press, and other stakeholders.”

3. Marketing and Promotion

“Partnering with a brand that fits the demographic of your attendees can help expand your event’s reach beyond its existing audience. Alongside this, the potential of shared marketing resources can help promoters plan better marketing campaigns.”

4. Increased Media Coverage

“Festivals with well-known sponsors are more likely to attract media attention. This publicity can enhance the festival’s profile. Sponsors will create content around their involvement in an event, giving the promoter even more exposure across social media and other online channels.”

5. Sustainability and Long-Term Growth

“A brand partnership that fits can lead to long-term relationships, which can provide a stable foundation for future events. This type of relationship allows festivals to grow and reinvest in the event.”

What are some common challenges event promoters face when looking for sponsors, and how can they overcome them?

“Finding sponsors isn’t easy. 

There are companies out there that can help connect promoters with brands, but the most important thing is to understand your own event and customers. Once you understand that, you can start thinking about relevant brands that fit.

If you are a small family event, the chances of getting a big national brand as a sponsor are minimal. However, you will have some large local businesses who would relish the opportunity to market their product to your audience.”

How can event promoters use brand partnerships to enhance the attendee experience and help their event gain popularity?

“Sponsors often add value by offering exclusive experiences such as branded areas, VIP access, giveaways, or unique activations. The sponsor will have their own community, so attaching a brand to your event helps bring through these people.

Festivals provide a perfect opportunity for sponsors to engage directly with consumers, offering product samples and demonstrations that can enhance a brand’s reputation and add value to your festival.”

What are the essential elements of a compelling pitch to a brand for a sponsorship or partnership?

“Your story and who you are is so important. Brands will partner with events that align with their own customers, so it is extremely important to know your audience and how the two match. A sponsor will want to know if they are getting value for money and that the audience is right. The more granular information you can provide, the better.”

What strategies do you recommend for nurturing a brand relationship after the initial sponsorship or partnership has been established?

“Like any relationship, personal or professional, the most important thing is communication. 

1. Deliver on Promises and Exceed Expectations.

Do what you say you will do! The old adage goes, ‘Under promise and over deliver’.

2. Showcase Impact and ROI.

Make sure you supply comprehensive post-event reports and share content with the sponsor.

3. Personalised Recognition. 

Make sure you recognise the importance of the sponsor across your channels.

4. Ongoing Engagement and Communication. 

Check in regularly!

5. Offer Opportunities for Continued Involvement.

Brands like long-term partnerships so will tend to stick around if there are constant opportunities.

6. Leverage Data. 

Data is your friend, use it!

7. Work together.

Celebrate achievements and create marketing content together.

8. Be proactive. 

Like anything in life, sometimes things go wrong. Be calm and transparent, and always keep clear lines of communication.”

What types of local sponsors or partners are valuable for family-oriented events, and why?

“We touched on this previously, but working with local brands is an important piece of the puzzle. Events like this are successful when the whole community is engaged. Local sponsors will care more about what happens in the local community. 

While the sponsorship levels are lower than you’d get with a big international brand, you can partner up with multiple sponsors. Think about what businesses are popular and local to your event – car dealerships, gyms, bars, restaurants, clothing stores and beauty salons, for example – as these are all worth approaching.”