Good news for experts who want more speaking invites: associations are looking to sponsors to pay your fees. That’s a change from previous arrangements, where industry groups courted more comprehensive relationships. Now that Corporate America is tightening the purse strings, associations are willing to take anything. Why speaking fees are a good target: vendors can get in front of audiences with a five-minute mini-speech before the main act. And better ROI (return on investment) than those dang tote bags that get left behind in the hotel rooms.
Posts Tagged ‘Sponsorship’
How to get paid for association speaking
Thursday, February 25th, 2010A Unique Take on Tradeshows
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010Many associations are concerned about their tradeshows: keeping the vendors and attendees coming back. A business model called hosted buyer might be the solution by combining tradeshows, technology, and sponsorships. Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA) created PRIMEtime, an event where vendors get precious one-on-one time with buyers at a fraction of the cost of a tradeshow booth. Everybody is happy: vendors get access to buyers and can point to new sales and bigger orders for their participation. Buyers only see the folks they want to see. And the association gets a profitable meeting that everyone wants to attend. Great example of innovative ways to use meetings. Click here for the case study.
2009 sponsorship spending stats
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010Well, you’d think the world has come to an end. Sponsorship spending didn’t hit the slight increase IEG projected. Bottom line: spending was down less than one percent, shaving $100M from the marketplace. I am not crying in my beer about this.
Here’s why: big-ticket categories such as those sports packages got hit hard. Our neck of the woods (associations) increased almost three percent. Even with that increase though, results were mixed. Associations with year-round relationships did just fine with increased sponsorships. Those who sold events and piecemeal items didn’t get the deals.
IEG predicts a 3.4 percent increase in sponsorship spending for 2010. But that’s only for those who play by a new set of rules.
When bigger isn’t better
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009Why the number of association meetings won’t rebound with the economy: consolidation. These execs know strength is in numbers, so they bet on expanding their reach by combining relative groups’ meetings to cut travel costs. Exhibit A: The Institute of Food Technologists and the Food Processing Suppliers Association will co-locate their annual expositions next year in Chicago. Other associations share programming, too.
This looks good to many speakers who like bigger audiences. This supersize does come at a price: experts who speak to promote their business could see fewer spin-off sales. Why? The audience is more diverse and not necessarily packed with decision makers.
You antidote: take control by inviting industry folks who need to see you. Best bets: clients who need to see you in a different light; those prospects who are sitting on the fence; folks you were looking for a reason to contact. For now, focus on quality of audience, not quantity.
Are health insurance meetings next?
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009First, it was the banks that got TARP funds. Now Congress is setting their sights on health insurance companies. Democrats Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak sent a letter to 50 companies asking about all conferences, retreats, and events not only held, but also sponsored by the companies. They want location, number of participants, and all expenses incurred. By every unit, affiliate and subsidiary. Wow. Can you spell witch hunt?
Responses are due later this week. If this info goes public, watch for media reports of lavish spending. Healthcare is one of the few bright spots in the meetings industry. My prediction: hospitals are next. Get ready for the cancellations…
Strategic philanthropy
Thursday, August 27th, 2009Interesting report out on strategic giving by sponsorship experts at IEG. The upshot: philanthropy folks are asking for marketing benefits and have no clue about the value of what they are asking. The “properties” (nonprofits who want to be sponsored) don’t know how to ask for and negotiate additional fees for these benefits. This is a great (and hidden) opportunity for cause marketing, negotiation, and even sales experts who already have relationships in the nonprofit sector.
What the corporate giving folks want most: title rights, more exposure in written material than other folks, and, of course, to conduct their own campaign of bragging rights. The help nonprofits need: negotiating those deals.
Smaller sponsorships on the rise
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009Another trend in Associations: going after smaller sponsorship deals. The “less is more” approach of reaching out to fewer but bigger sponsors has hit a snag due to smaller budgets. So now the mantra according to IEG is “no stone unturned.” The gist: look at all reasonable offers. The problem: exclusivity is a big issue with sponsors and smaller budgets don’t negate that need. Associations will have to tread lightly on that one.
Why do you care? It opens the door for you to bring in your own sponsor. Sponsored speaking tours are easier now that you don’t have that big sponsor brick wall anymore. Go forth and conquer…
Incentive meetings back in 2010
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009Yet another sign that the recession is bouncing back: industry giant Nationwide Insurance has reinstated their incentive meetings for 2010. Both trips were canceled this year due to the AIG effect. These are not junkets though — the agenda includes two half-days of education and business meetings. This rebound is great news for experts — educational content will be around for a while. Still won’t help expensive entertainment and celebrity speakers — they remain on the list of “too spendy” bells and whistles. Prediction: the idea of using top execs as motivational speakers will not last long.
Also look for closer to home locales (read: not extravagant) and efforts to give back to the communities they visit (read: great opportunity for cause marketing and sponsorship folks).
And Nationwide is not alone. Industry insiders report that the incentive cancelations have stopped. For now, 2010 is looking good for these lucrative meetings. Bottom line: recognition is back, but is retooled for a new financial reality.
The dark side to hide and seek
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009Just read something that wins the award for the cleverest idea with the worst unintended consequences. An article to bolster conference buzz with “surprise” suggested not unveiling the concurrent speakers’ name until they walk up to the podium. That’s right: no names on the website or on the program; only the topic description. Why? To create suspense — according to the author — less-than-famous speakers that no one cares about anyway.
I get it — many concurrent speakers are not celebrities. But the author forgets the dirty little secret of the convention biz: so many of these speakers either paid for the privilege (via “sponsorships”) or appear gratis for exposure. And the last thing these folks need in exchange is to be invisible prior to the event. This is what happens when outsiders write about something they don’t know anything about. Sheesh…
Small biz sponsors are alive and well
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Heads up for small business experts: Microsoft’s small business unit believes in the power of sponsorships. They are doing some out-of-the-box thinking over there, such as sponsorship of a virtual race car. If they are doing crazy stuff like that, chances are they will listen to your proposal. The folks with a significant following in small business will have the inside track. Remember, the key is activation…
My question: how are you reaching those “out-of-the-box” buyers with ideas of your own?
