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Sponsorship Gold Rush: Unlock the Game-Changing Strategies That Turn Prospects into Profit

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What if mastering the fundamentals of relationship-driven selling, strategic technology integration and purpose-aligned partnerships could transform struggling programs into thriving revenue generators? The Spotlight on Success learning track at Expo! Expo! 2024 delivered exactly that – practical strategies for building meaningful partnerships, leveraging technology for relationship management and aligning with evolving market demands to unlock unprecedented growth potential.

As marketing budgets tighten while sponsor expectations rise, exhibition and event professionals must master sophisticated sales strategies and develop innovative approaches to drive revenue growth. The Spotlight on Success learning track at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2024 delivered practical insights and actionable strategies for transforming underperforming sales and sponsorships programs into revenue-generating powerhouses.

This comprehensive track covered the full spectrum of sponsorship and sales excellence, from foundational selling skills and relationship building to cutting-edge activation strategies and technology integration. Attendees gained proven methodologies for sales prospecting, team management and performance measurement, while addressing the evolving demands of modern sponsors who seek purpose-driven partnerships and immersive brand experiences.

The following insights from three standout sessions demonstrate how industry professionals can elevate their approach to sponsorship sales, leverage technology for better relationship management, and align with current market trends to unlock new revenue potential and meet the ongoing needs of today’s sophisticated customers.

Advanced Selling Skills for B2B Success

Author, Speaker, Trainer and Performance Coach David Suson focused on improving business-to-business (B2B) sales strategies, specifically for exhibition organizers selling sponsorship and exhibition space. He addressed a critical challenge organizers consistently face: 70% of exhibitors don’t renew booth space because they feel they didn’t receive adequate value – not due to budget constraints.

Understanding Customer Motivations. It is important to exercise empathy in sales, and David encouraged sellers to understand why companies sponsor or exhibit at their event. Key motivations include lead generation, branding, networking, market research, recruiting, competition analysis, thought leadership and accessing decision makers.

Common ROI Challenges. David also identified eight primary reasons why companies fail to achieve return on investment (ROI) from exhibitions and events:

  • Poor pre-show planning
  • Weak booth design and engagement
  • Inadequate follow-up
  • Misaligned target audiences
  • Unrealistic expectations
  • Ineffective sponsorship execution
  • Lack of post-event analytics
  • Poor event management

Strategic Solutions. David offered strategies that help exhibitors and sponsors achieve better ROI such as providing booth sales training, creating bespoke sponsorship packages, offering lead qualification training, facilitating exclusive networking opportunities and providing post-event ROI analysis tools.

Sales Techniques. David also explored key selling approaches, such as the “drafting” strategy (securing major sponsors first to attract others), selling ROI rather than just space, developing internal champions, and focusing on immediate post-event follow-up when emotions and experiences are fresh.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Sell Value, Not Space: Instead of simply selling booth space or sponsorship packages, focus on demonstrating ROI through metrics, historical data, demographics, case studies and tailored solutions that address specific business objectives.
  2. Develop Internal Champions: Success requires identifying and nurturing advocates within client organizations who can champion your event internally. This involves educating them, testing their commitment, role-playing scenarios and building their confidence to sell.
  3. Follow-Up is Critical: The best time to sell is immediately after an event when emotions are high and experiences are fresh. Schedule review meetings at the time of signing and rather than avoiding difficult conversations, use them as opportunities to understand pain points and improve future offerings.

Lights, Camera, Revenue! Pulling Back the Curtain on a Successful Sponsorship Program

This case study presentation revealed the transformation of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology’s (USITT) sponsorship program from underperforming to highly successful. Founded in 1960, USITT supports the live entertainment design and technology industry through its Annual Conference & Stage Expo.

USITT Director of Sales and Events Jody Harris and Sales and Events Manager Lea Ann Quimby were joined by eShow Exhibit Product Specialist Lead Pam Lesner, CMP in highlighting how they achieved significant improvements in participation growth, new sponsor acquisition, sponsor retention, and overall revenue growth from 2022 to 2024. The panel shared their “Top 10 Tips for Sponsorship Success,” emphasizing personalization, strategic partnerships, data-driven adjustments and building long-term relationships.

The Challenge

USITT’s sponsorship program was significantly underperforming, with only 42% of sponsorship opportunities being sold and 58% remaining unsold. This low participation rate was limiting revenue potential and sponsor engagement.

The Strategic Approach

The team implemented a comprehensive overhaul focusing on three main areas: creating unique sponsorship opportunities, leveraging technology for efficiency and developing repeatable success strategies:

Creating Unique Opportunities. The team identified potential sponsors, developed specialized sponsorships for niche markets within their industry, searched out new connections, increased minimum sponsorship levels, revamped their prospectus and introduced flexibility by removing ‘SOLD’ labels to allow for package customization.

Technology Integration. They built a tech-enabled sponsorship model that mapped out offerings, captured revenue goals, and provided real-time metrics and tracking capabilities for better management and decision-making.

Repeatable Success Framework. This solution included systematic contact with potential sponsors, negotiation processes, promise delivery and strategic year-end budget appeals to capture last-minute sponsorship opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Customization and Flexibility Drive Success: The most critical factor in improving sponsorship sales was removing rigid package structures and ‘SOLD’ labels, allowing for personalized sponsorships that match specific sponsor goals and budgets. This flexibility increased participation by making opportunities accessible to a broader range of potential sponsors.
  2. Technology Enables Better Relationship Management: Implementing tech-enabled systems for mapping offerings, tracking real-time metrics, and capturing revenue goals significantly improved efficiency and allowed the team to focus more on building stronger sponsor relationships rather than administrative tasks.
  3. Strategic Timing and Data-Driven Decisions: Targeting year-end budgets for last-minute deals and continuously collecting sponsor feedback to make data-driven adjustments to packages proved essential for sustained growth. Sharing ROI metrics with sponsors also secured repeated support and demonstrated value.

Elevating Sponsorship Success: Innovative Strategies for Growth

Paula Beadle, Founder and CEO of the Sponsorship Marketing Association, shared with attendees why now is the optimal time for sponsorship growth. Her insights are driven by changing consumer behaviors, increased interest in experiences and companies’ growing investment in sponsorship marketing. She outlined the following key reasons that sponsorship marketing works:

  • Demonstrates what companies stand for
  • Develops trust relationships
  • Creates brand affinity and authenticity
  • Drives content development across social and digital platforms
  • Integrates multiple marketing strategies
  • Helps build brands faster while engaging audiences

Paula outlined shifts in consumer behavior by highlighting significant changes in purchasing decisions from 2019 to 2024 such as increased consumer preference for products that create memories (+4%), support for local communities (+8%) and sponsoring events they follow (+12%). Additionally, 86% of Americans believe corporations should take stances on social issues, with conscious consumers being four times more likely to purchase from purpose-driven brands.

What makes now such a good time for sponsorships?

Paula demonstrated strong market performance through examples like Live Nation’s record-breaking 118 million tickets sold with sponsorship revenue on track to exceed $1 billion, the State Fair of Texas hitting 2.4 million attendance and a 25% increase in brands investing in U.S. women’s professional sports.

In addition, she identified the following nine major trends shaping the sponsorship landscape:

  • Rising sponsorship spending amid tightening marketing budgets
  • Increasing sponsor expectations
  • Properties favoring fewer but bigger partnerships
  • Sponsorships expanding beyond events
  • Greater emphasis on audience-brand-values alignment
  • Interactive and immersive activations
  • Partnerships with purpose
  • Increasing B2B sponsors
  • Professionalization of the sponsorship space

To navigate these evolving market conditions, Paula presented a comprehensive approach that combines strategic preparation with actionable execution. This integrated approach recognizes that future sponsorship success requires a higher level of expertise, tenacity, and thoughtful planning to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of both sponsors and audiences.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Purpose-Driven Partnerships are Essential: Modern consumers increasingly make purchasing decisions based on brands’ values and community support. Companies that demonstrate clear purpose and social responsibility are four to six times more likely to gain consumer trust, loyalty and advocacy, making values alignment a critical factor in sponsorship success.
  2. Quality Over Quantity in Partnerships: The industry is shifting toward fewer, more substantial partnerships rather than numerous smaller sponsorships. This trend requires sponsors and properties to focus on deeper, more meaningful collaborations that provide greater value and more comprehensive activation opportunities.
  3. Integration and Experience Enhancement are Key: Successful sponsorships must extend beyond traditional event boundaries to include social/digital media integration and focus on enhancing the guest experience. The best sponsorship ideas solve problems, create emotional connections and provide immersive, interactive experiences that engage audiences across multiple touchpoints.

Join the Conversation at Expo! Expo! 2025

As we look ahead to Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2025 taking place 8-10 December in Houston, imagine the possibilities that come from combining proven strategies with fresh insights from leading experts. Picture yourself mastering the art of turning hesitant prospects into enthusiastic champions, learning to leverage cutting-edge technology that transforms your sponsor relationships from transactional to transformational, and discovering how to tap into the growing demand for purpose-driven partnerships that create authentic connections with today’s conscious consumers. Expo! Expo! 2025 promises to deliver game-changing learning experiences that equip you with the expertise, tools and confidence to navigate an increasingly sophisticated marketplace.

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