Successful Meetings - June 2008 - (Page 32)

Sponsorship > Dialing for Dollars Guide overall sponsorship program. “We do not recommend that you simply sell all of these bits and pieces a la carte,” Kowitz says. “Generally, when we work with a group that has a AN EXPERIENCE TO meeting or meetings, we take a more REMEMBER holistic approach. For example, if you have an annual meeting, we don’t see But, by far, Kowitz says, the most you selling these experiential effective sponsorship opportumeetings or sessions individualnities are those that provide ly.” Instead, IEG recommends memorable experiences. These that planners create sponsorcan run the gamut from enjoyship programs that offer a range able, quick experiences like a of types of sponsorship opportusponsored shoe-shine to relaxnities for each price. “This can ation areas or free massages. happen for meetings of all “The idea is to create some sort sizes, from very small to very of concierge space that wouldlarge. The idea is that you want n’t normally be there,” Kowitz to have the company commit to says. the whole meeting, buying the At the 2007 PCMA annual whole thing, and then getting meeting, the CVB of the host access to creating an expericity, Tourism Toronto, sponence or buying sole sponsorsored an “Imaginarium,” in The most effective sponsorship ship of opening [or other] seswhich attendees were welopportunities are those that prosions. Our position is that comed to relax and “free their vide memorable experiences. selling little things a la carte minds.” Guests of the ImagiThese can run the gamut from creates clutter and insures that narium sampled teas and spirenjoyable, quick experiences like you’re always leaving money its, received massages, and a sponsored shoe-shine to relaxon the table.” were invited to use canvases ation areas or free massages. In the end, sponsorship in and paints if they wanted to. meetings is about leaving an The following year, in Seattle, —Dan Kowitz, IEG Sponsorship Services impression in the minds of the PCMA featured a recreated attendees; the most successful Pike’s Place Market of sponare, the better. We always say that you sponsorship programs offer corporasors. “The sponsors were out in pubknow you’ve come up with something tions and organizations the opportunity lic, interacting with the attendees in a good if it would be missed [were it to interact with their audience in memrow that looked like [Seattle’s famous absent] the following year.” orable ways. “Everyone can do sigmarket],” Kowitz recalls. “The sponnage and sponsor receptions and sors were also handing out useful A NOTE ON STRATEGY those sorts of things, but if you want to information about the city, to make it take it to the next level, those fun and worthwhile for the attendees.” Experiential sponsorships for attendees cool experiences really reach people,” The possibilities for creative, expebenefit both the sponsors, by making a Kowitz says. “It doesn’t even have to riential sponsorship opportunities are lasting impression on their preferred have anything to do with the company’s shaped only by the interests of the audience, and the meeting planners, by specific product or service; if they enjoy attendees themselves. Along these providing memorable and fun experiit, they’ll remember it, and will actually lines, meetings can feature anything ences. And these sponsorships can be pay more attention to the sponsors who from sponsored book readings, coneven more effective for both parties if are giving them a good time.” certs, or performers to sponsored they are offered as part of a larger, Kowitz says, “we steer clear of allowing that when any continuing education or certification is being involved in the session.” espresso bars and the more common cyber cafes. “It really varies across the board,” Kowitz says. “You have to know your audience and your meeting, but for meetings and attendees that have the sort of nature for these types of experiences, the more fun they are and the more specific to the group they 32 mimegasite.com JUNE 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS http://mimegasite.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - June 2008

Successful Meetings - June 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Events Suppliers Associations Planner Spotlight: Kelly Broz Technology Talk Food & Beverage Websites of the Month Pre-Event: Tech Pre-Event: Bartering Tools of the Trade Dialing for Dollars The All-in-One Resort Bottom-Line Speakers Places & Spaces Florida’s West Coast Mississippi Atlanta Wisconsin Chicago Gurus Enjoy California Hawaii Handbook Las Vegas Night & Day

Successful Meetings - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.