Posts Tagged ‘Sponsorship’

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Major Recovery Here For 2010

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Another area of rapid recovery this year:  sponsorships in general.  Industry giant EIG reports that Corporate America continues to be on the prowl for new deals this year.  Other interesting stats:

  • 66% report looking for new deals — slightly more than 2009’s uptick of 60%
  • Budget cuts are still around, but not as much:  31% say they will cut sponsorship spending this year; yes, this is good news as 51% decreased spending last year.  About half report the same budget for 2010.
  • 41% spend NOTHING to evaluate prospective partnerships.  Translation:  decisions are very subjective and “fit” is open to interpretation.
  • Speaking of fit, co-branding new products shot up in popularity this year.  For us content producing machines, this means joining forces with associations and other industry groups is a no-brainer.

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Hidden Opportunities on Healthcare Reform

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

At the risk of skating on thin ice, I just have to report in on some major whispering among insiders about the new healthcare reform.  Conventional wisdom has it that insurance companies will got into retail marketing mode to get customers who operate outside the employer plans.  This means more outreach and more targeted approaches aimed at diverse market segments.

And they aren’t the only players.  Watch for hospitals, physician groups and even pharma manufacturers to get into the act to a lesser extent.

Why do we care?  Two big categories of opportunities for experts:  1) more initiatives for marketing experts to help out on, more social media efforts for the geeks among us; and, 2) sponsorships will rise both in sports / events segments as well as associations.  And even better:  we have time to plant seeds in this fertile ground.  Marketing activity will go into full swing in 2013 and 2014.

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Big Change in Association Sponsorship Deals

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Associations are retooling their sponsorship effort in light of the recovery.  Instead of a la carte deals for coffee breaks and speaker fees, many groups are pushing for multi-year relationships that go beyond their conferences and conventions.

Exhibit A:  Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO Int’l) tripled their sponsorship revenue from ‘06 to seven figures in ‘10 when they dumped 35 low-level deals for three packages:  strategic partner for ongoing success; event partners for meeting expenses; and affinity partners for those who provide discounts on products/services to members.

This trend will throw a monkey wrench into the speaker bringing in their own sponsors.  Your next best step:  Ask before you offer.  If the group has a system already in place, join the team by helping to promote the packages the associations have developed.

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How Experts Help Associations in 2010

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Fabulous study just came out last month about the association market.  It compares the views of almost 1,000 associations from Spring 2009 to now.  The good news:  the expected mass exodus from face-to-face meetings to virtual events didn’t happen as expected.  Almost 61% predicted last year that revenue here would increase.  The reality:  only 33% reported this outcome.  And the economic climate didn’t impact sponsorship or fundraising as much as feared.

The best (and hidden) opportunity for experts showed up in this stat:  62% think overall revenue will stay the same or increase within 12 months.  Only 48% think membership will meet the same fate.  Translation:  associations plan to shift more revenue generation into upselling the industry and their members instead of ramping up growth from new members.  And that’s where our products, research, etc. can help.  This is one of the best ways to interact with communities that need your expertise.  Theme for 2010:  partnership.

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Reach Your Buyers Through Trade Shows

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

I often wondered if the hosted buyer format (where exhibitors pay the buyer’s expenses to attend a conference in exchange for pre-set one-on-one appointments) would replace education sessions at trade shows, thus diminishing the need for speakers there.  Silly me.  Turns out that without stellar education, buyers won’t go even if all expenses are paid.

Exhibit A:  The Motivation Show, held annually at McCormick Place in Chicago responds to declining attendees and exhibitors by ramping up education programs.  Not only did they create an advisory board to guide content selections but also conducting a pre-show survey for top topics.  This focus on education is good news for experts, who want their ideas to reach top buyers.

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How to get paid for association speaking

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

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.

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A Unique Take on Tradeshows

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Many 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.

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2009 sponsorship spending stats

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Well, 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.

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When bigger isn’t better

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Why 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.

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Are health insurance meetings next?

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

First, 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…

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