Talking sponsorship and events with Lauren Hope

Putting together events is my speciality, my craft and my passion. I love them because they’re a fantastic opportunity to bring a concept to life, showcase our region and to partner with brands through strategic sponsorships.

The value to our community is enormous. Local events provide a much-needed boost to our economy plus they encourage business and community involvement, togetherness and participation. Really, what’s not to love?

However, how many events is too many? Is it based on a town’s population? By hosting too many events are we diluting our numbers and creating too much competition? I don’t know what the answer is (and that’s a whole other article), however my view would be to see a focus on quality events for our region rather than just trying to fill the yearly calendar.

Let’s look at sponsorship as an example. Firstly, I must say that we live in a very generous community when it comes to sponsorship, I am often astounded at just how encouraging our local community is in relation to events. I’m not just referring to our well-known ‘big’ businesses, but also printers, photographers, caterers, security — the list goes on.

Sponsorship often plays a determining factor if an event will proceed or not. For example, to host a music festival is extremely costly, especially with the growing legislative requirements, and there are only so many sponsors to approach.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all doom and gloom. Sponsorship can be one of the most overlooked components to a business marketing strategy. Attaching your business name to an event can buy back unmeasurable exposure while building credibility and generating leads.

Let me leave you with this red-hot tip! If you are considering a sponsorship don’t just leave the marketing to the event organiser. Maximise your return by promoting your sponsorship to your networks, leverage your database by inviting them to attend, update your digital channels — get yourself seen!