Instead of using a sponsor's complex website copy on event materials, the team writes a simple, one-line benefit statement on items like cocktail napkins. This ensures the audience quickly understands and remembers what the sponsor actually does, making the partnership more effective than just displaying a logo.
Related Insights
To determine if an event sponsorship is worthwhile, analyze its past sponsor lists. If the same companies consistently sponsor for three or more years, it's a strong signal that they are achieving a positive return on their investment, making it a safer bet for your own budget.
The highest ROI for marketing development funds (MDF) comes from helping partners get closer to buyers. Instead of lavish vendor events attended by the same partners, suppliers should fund activities that directly support an advisor's customer acquisition efforts.
The ROI of attending an event extends beyond lead generation. A key, often overlooked, metric is client retention. Simply showing up at an industry event can prevent existing customers from churning to a competitor who is present, making defensive retention a primary pillar of event strategy.
Most sponsors waste their investment by not engaging attendees before the event. A targeted pre-show email campaign is highly effective because attendees are actively planning their schedules and are more receptive to relevant outreach, making them more likely to visit your booth.
The design of your business case sends a powerful signal. A document covered in your company's branding screams "sales material" and is perceived as biased. Instead, use a plain white page with the customer's logo and list the internal buying team as the author to make it feel like an internal, co-created document.
Your promotional content must be immediately understandable to a distracted audience. If a 'drunk grandma' couldn't grasp your offer, it's too complex. Simplicity sells better than a superior product with confusing marketing because 'when you confuse, you lose.'
Customer.io created a memorable experience by giving away desirable items like AirPods and a Nintendo Switch instead of branded swag. This approach generates genuine goodwill and organic social media buzz, leading to better brand recall than traditional lead-generation tactics like badge scanning.
Attendees have an "experiencing self" and a "remembering self." The latter only retains a few key moments. Effective event design focuses on creating 3-5 powerful, memorable touchpoints that will stick with attendees and drive business outcomes long after the event ends.
Simply adding a celebrity to an ad provides no average lift in effectiveness. Instead, marketers should treat the brand’s own distinctive assets—like logos, sounds, or product truths—as the true 'celebrities' of the campaign. This builds stronger, more memorable brand linkage and long-term equity.
While difficult to attribute directly, strong brand recognition provides critical "air cover" for sales teams. When prospects already know who the company is, sales reps can skip the introductory explanation and focus immediately on selling the solution. This shortens the sales cycle and increases the effectiveness of outreach, justifying brand investment.
