I think one of the best ways to continue to get sponsors on board with sponsorship in the virtual environment is to keep the lines of communication open and involved them in the process. We have surveyed our sponsors a few times over the last 8 months to continue to learn from them what they want ... and what they don't want!
While I don't think it is unique to our events, we have offered a 20-second commercial spot with higher sponsorship level. These commercials play prior to the event (while attendees are joining) and/or during virtual breaks. I also include them in them in the session recordings files that are available after the event.
One area that I am interested in learning from others about is relative to increasing engagement with sponsors. Our sponsors have told us that virtual tradeshows or booth are not desirable, but have also seen low traffic numbers to sponsor profiles in the app.
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Heather Darrow
Conference Coordinator
Cornell University - Department Of Animal Science
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-02-2020 11:14
From: Danielle Czark
Subject: Huddle of the Week #7: Sponsorship in a Virtual Environment
Happy Monday, all! We're back with our next Huddle of the Week discussion. Even in these ever-changing times, one aspect of an event that we always expect to see is sponsorship. Now, the shift to virtual has certainly changed how this is approached and presented during the live virtual event. We have seen several questions on this in the past months here in the Open Forum, and now that we are coming up on nearly 8 months of virtual events, we would love to hear more insight from those who have executed. Here are this week's discussion questions:
- What is the best way to get sponsors on board with the virtual or hybrid experience?
- What is the most unique opportunity you have offered your sponsors through a virtual event?
As always, share below with your thoughts, ideas, and experiences. If you are trying something new for your next virtual event, share the areas of improvement, as well! We want to hear from all perspectives, so be sure to provide your insight and learn from your peers. #HuddleoftheWeek #VoiceIt
#ManagingVirtualEvents
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Danni Czark
Senior Associate, Online Community Marketing
Cvent
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