Event sponsor management: how to centralize and add value

Where time is lost with sponsors

Imagine an organiser with fifteen sponsors. For each one, and above all for the top-tier sponsor, they must:

• send the contract by email and hope the right version gets signed;
• chase payment and check the bank statement by hand;
• ask for the logo and receive three different versions, maybe low resolution;
• ask for the company description, which arrives too long and has to be cut;
• coordinate the stand logistics: size, electricity, staff passes;
• manage the speaking slot: title, speaker bio, slides.

Now multiply it all by fifteen. Much of the day becomes a chase for information, leaving little time for what creates value: the relationship with the sponsor.

On the other side, the sponsor gets constant requests from different people (logistics, marketing, accounts) and often has no clear view of what they are getting in return. It is a tiring way for both sides to work together.

One place for everything: what changes

The answer is to have a single place where all the information lives. Not a shared folder, but a system designed to accompany the sponsor from agreement to the end of the event. The theme is close to Software segreteria: addio Excel, stop al caos (in Italian).

• A single source: contracts, graphic materials, deadlines and communications in one place. No more doubts about which logo version to use.
• Deadlines with reminders: if a platform provides it, delivering the logo by a given date triggers an automatic alert to sponsor and organiser.
• Tracked payments: you see at once who has paid and who has not.
• Transparency: organiser and sponsor look at the same situation: what has been delivered, what is missing, which benefits are included.

If you are also interested in connecting with other company systems, read Integrare la segreteria organizzativa con i sistemi aziendali: come farlo bene (in Italian).

Giving sponsors more value, not just a bigger stand

Today's sponsors want to understand what they get for their investment. Giving more value does not only mean offering a bigger stand, but taking care of these aspects:

• An orderly start: a sponsor who enters a dedicated area, uploads their materials and sees a clear to-do list perceives the event as well organised from day one.
• Correct visibility: the right logo, with the right link, appears wherever planned: website, web app and digital banners.
• Contact with attendees: the chance to get known and, where the event provides it, to receive interested contact requests.
• A useful report: the sponsor does not just want to know how many people were there, but how many of the right ones saw their brand or interacted with it.

These points depend on what a platform actually offers. So before choosing, it is wise to ask the supplier what it covers and what it does not.

What eventMe documents today for sponsors

As for our products, eventMe is an event web app that opens from the browser, with nothing to download from the stores. For sponsors it includes an exhibitor showcase (Exhibitors): each sponsor or exhibitor has a dedicated page with downloadable brochures and a "request contact" button to receive requests from interested attendees (page in Italian).

The web app is linked to the webRay® back end, which brings together the operational stages of the event: records, communications, payments and accreditation. Thanks to its modular architecture, eventMe also allows custom features to be developed on request.

If you have more specific needs, such as several sponsorship tiers with different benefits, a dedicated area for each sponsor or custom reports, talk to our team: we can work out with you what your event needs.

The final report: what it should contain

At the end of the event, saying thank you is not enough. A good sponsor report sets out, with real event data:

• Visibility: where and when the brand appeared (website, web app, screens, materials);
• Interaction: contact requests received and attendance at sponsored sessions or workshops;
• Contacts generated, within what is permitted;
• Comparison with the package: what was promised and what was delivered.

Which data can be collected depends on the platform and on how the event is configured. If you plan to share attendees' contacts with sponsors, people must be informed and you need an adequate basis: have the procedure assessed by a privacy adviser.

A clear report is also the best tool for proposing renewal for the next edition: it moves the conversation from "how much does it cost" to "what did I get".

5 mistakes to avoid in sponsor management

• Scattered data: payments in one file, logistics in another and materials in emails. Keep everything linked to the same sponsor.
• Forgotten benefits: a "Silver" sponsor's logo is missing from the pre-event newsletter. A checklist per package turns promises into concrete actions.
• Materials to chase: days on the phone to get a logo. Clear deadlines and a single delivery point let the sponsor complete tasks on their own.
• A vague report: saying "it went well, there were lots of people" is not enough. You need data and comparisons with what was agreed.
• Always managing in an emergency: a stand without electricity or a speaker without a pass is avoided by collecting technical requests well in advance.

Frequently asked questions