Event organizers can get enterprise brands to sponsor virtual events should they successfully showcase the value of it. However, many event profs who are not yet aware of the potential, often find it difficult to present the case of sponsoring a virtual event. But here is how enterprises can evaluate them and organizers can learn about its potential.
- Virtual Events are not Webinars – Personalized Interaction
Webinars are not virtual events, they are just a video communication medium mostly with one to many or many to many modes of communication. While, virtual events are more about interaction, experience, and networking.
There is no comparison between a simple “Get registered” and “Attend now”. The online events have capabilities to host multiple parallel webinars, live video streaming, one to one meetings, let people grab a virtual seat and network, host discussion sessions, live polling, live Q & A, host virtual exhibition booths, and many more USPs compared to a webinar. - Branding Opportunities are the same – Ride on their Reach
Having a nice company description and Brand logo travelling across the large mesh of the internet is more or less the same as it was in physical events. However, the digital reach of any event organizer can get you a great deal of brand visibility should they have a strong social media presence. Forget social media alone but many event organizers have the best and the most accurate contact database that can be leveraged through systematic email blasts.
Finally, if your event organizer is a digital marketing pro, his event website should attract the maximum possible relevant traffic, and having your logo placed appropriately can get your brand the best of digital visibility. - Physical Space Vs Digital Space – Better engagement, warmer leads
Digital spaces are whereas an exhibitor or a sponsor you can host all your product collaterals like a product video, downloadable brochures, an employee as a logged-in user to answer client queries, company details, and virtual business cards dropbox.
As these spaces are digital they incur less production cost and cause less lead leakage. Additionally, these offer event professionals the ability to measure every dimension to calculate RoI. - Speaking Opportunities – Less intimidating, more personalized
Digital speaking opportunities are much up-close and personalized, unlike physical events and much like your Instagram lives. Your audience can share their reactions, ask questions, and vote. This solves dual purposes, first it lets the audience feel that the speaker is approachable and hence the audience has a larger attention span. Secondly, speakers can leverage the comfort of remote sessions and live interaction to make their session more personalized.
For, brands opting for sponsored speaking opportunities can get a lot of demographic insights and leads depending upon the ability of the virtual event platform the organizers use.
Shh!! Some of our clients charge around $15,000 for speaking opportunities as a part of the sponsorship package. - Networking Facilities – The real deal
Real-time face to face is priceless, they offer much warmer business opportunities and are difficult to get your hands on when compared to any digital channel, especially for B2B brands. Virtual events, unlike webinar that allows event organizers to facilitate networking discussions based around a session, a theme/topic, or a brand itself. This is real gold! - Matchmaking – The power of event technology
Virtual events that use technology with matchmaking features can be a premium offering. It sends suggestions based on a person’s industry, profile tags, and interest to sponsors, who can then approach them with a suitable proposal.
The matchmaking feature is like a lead sensing machine that is much under-utilized and undervalued. Both event organizers and sponsoring brands must consider this beforehand. - Sponsored Sessions – Invest in value
Sponsoring sessions is another way to get your brand and voice out there. There is this amazing speaker who is going to talk about a very critical topic, naturally, that session will have most of the audience’s attention and sponsoring such an event is letting the expert speak while you leverage their ability to attract the audience to get your brand visibility. - Virtual Exhibitor Setup – Direct business opportunities
Virtual booths are another unique proposition that virtual events provide sponsors and exhibitors with an online space to market their product or service by hosting videos, product collateral, and other details. Premium sponsors can also avail associate login for a marketing executive that allows him to network with attendees virtually.