Friday, August 22, 2008
Corporate Sponsors for Conference Attendees? It Can Happen!
Every day business people receive opportunities to attend conferences all over North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and every other continent. I am expecting a conference booked in Antarctica any day now. Attending these worthwhile events is not possible financially for everyone, however.
Blogging and social media conferences offer thought leaders as speakers and panelists, providing bleeding edge ideas that can transform a business financially. The many conferences, large and small, provide unique networking opportunities for attendees. Connections formed or enhanced at the events can evolve into business partnerships and companies that benefit the economy as a whole. Without being in attendance, these very tangible benefits may never be realized.
For independent business people, and small business owners in particular, the travel and registration costs place the conference outside their limited budgets. Faced with the choice of either attending the event, or making a pressing purchase or paying employees, the conference becomes the budget casualty. While not every independent business person, or non-employer business owner wants to attend every industry conference, many people are unable to attend any at all.
The solution to this financial dilemma could be the corporate sponsorship. A large company, with a budget for public relations or marketing, could sponsor one or more attendees at a conference. It's also not outside of the realm of possibility for airlines, rail, or bus companies to provide transportation for independent business people. Hotels and motels could provide complimentary rooms, for the stay in the conference host city, as well. The public relations value of sponsorships is also larger than it appears at first glance.
Along with the potential for good press as a sponsor, the corporation also enjoys the potential of an ambassador at the conference itself. One thing that is certain that the sponsored attendee will become a brand evangelist for the corporation. Along with blogging, and sharing the good news about the sponsorship on social media sites from Twitter to Facebook, the attendee will provide powerful word of mouth advertising and goodwill for the sponsor. In a down economy, the sponsorship could be much more cost effective than traditional marketing expenditures.
Once the conference is over, the corporation can even invite their sponsored attendee to share what was learned with company employees. Corporations usually have budgets for consulting services. What better use of some of those resources than having their sponsored business person present the latest concepts in blogging, social media, and conversational marketing to the rest of the company. The result could be a multiplication of revenue many times the initial sponsorship amount. A window into the future, and a leading edge marketing concept can turn the sponsoring corporation into an industry thought leader. The competitive advantage gained is powerful for all stakeholders.
To get companies willing to sponsor attendees of conferences together, what is needed is a central website to get everyone together. Think of the possibility of a conference sponsor match making site where potential attendees apply for sponsorships, where conferences list their highlights and dates, and where the applicant will receive approval from the corporations involved. Companies offering sponsorships could be from every industry, as knowledge is universal, and valuable to all concerned. The public relations benefits and media exposure, that result from a sponsorship, far exceed the cash or service expenditure.
It's time for a corporate sponsorship program for independent business people.
It's a win win for everyone.
Labels: conferences, corporate sponsors, public relations
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I like this idea Wayne. You are a fount of them. I like the concept and the idea of a site that is a clearinghouse for all participants to interact.
Let's give this more thought and perhaps see if a plan of action might emerge.
Let's give this more thought and perhaps see if a plan of action might emerge.
Thanks Paul. Now that we have the basic concept in place, we can add to it. We can also examine possible ways that the process can be brought to fruition.
There is a possible online business model here too. We just need to add ideas and build from here to there.
There is a possible online business model here too. We just need to add ideas and build from here to there.
LOL...these are one of those ideas that you say to yourself, "Why has it not occurred in the past?!" Congratulations, it is a tremendous idea, and, most importantly, the budget is available within companies that are looking to maintain the pulse of B2B or consumer markets from their peers....
Wayne, while I don't own my own company (I work for a small start-up) this is a fabulous idea and something I wish I had access too. There are so many great conferences and I truly believe in on-going education...but I can't afford them all (and I pay my own way). The only thing I wonder is if corporations will make it too impossible to get a seat...i.e. paperwork, justification, reference checks, personal brand, etc. Almost akin to getting a scholarship. I hope not.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks Harold for your comments. As with many ideas, they seem so obvious, that they are overlooked. I like to find and explore concepts that can help everyone involved, and this should be one of them.
Thsnks Beth for your comments on this idea for corporate sponsorships. I was hoping to simplify the process, rather than make it more complicated, through the central clearinghouse concept. All of the screening would be done via the application form, the conference information and itinerary, and by the corporate offer. Each criteria would be cross referenced, and it's hoped that interested attendees would emerge for the corporation to sponsor at the events.
Your thoughts and ideas are most welcome to take this idea to the next level.
Thanks again.
Your thoughts and ideas are most welcome to take this idea to the next level.
Thanks again.
Interesting concept. Although now that I'm inside of a large corporation, I can say that Harold's concept of limitless budgets is a little off. Things are being run more tightly around large companies than you might think, so they're not giant slush funds that can dole out sponsorships so quickly.
Even at large corporations, employees are expected to choose wisely between conferences they'd like to attend - they can't choose all of them, both for time and budget purposes. Why should they be excepted from this process?
I recommend a modification to your idea, Wayne: bring the sponsors into the process, making a sponsorship more like a scholarship. Each attendee that benefits from the sponsorhip should write up a conference report, so the sponsors understand (a) the value of their contribution; and (b) the nature of what was discussed at the conference.
And as I'm mentioned on Twitter, I'm all about making sponsorships relevant to the experience or event. If you need airfare covered, bring in an airline; similarly for other conference amenities. Maybe play things a little edgier and bring in someone like ooVoo so that next time, people think about using video chat instead of opting for a big conference (ooVoo is a former client); or Zappos, because people should be wearing comfortable footwear at the show. You get the idea.
In the end, if you've done it right, everyone wins.
Even at large corporations, employees are expected to choose wisely between conferences they'd like to attend - they can't choose all of them, both for time and budget purposes. Why should they be excepted from this process?
I recommend a modification to your idea, Wayne: bring the sponsors into the process, making a sponsorship more like a scholarship. Each attendee that benefits from the sponsorhip should write up a conference report, so the sponsors understand (a) the value of their contribution; and (b) the nature of what was discussed at the conference.
And as I'm mentioned on Twitter, I'm all about making sponsorships relevant to the experience or event. If you need airfare covered, bring in an airline; similarly for other conference amenities. Maybe play things a little edgier and bring in someone like ooVoo so that next time, people think about using video chat instead of opting for a big conference (ooVoo is a former client); or Zappos, because people should be wearing comfortable footwear at the show. You get the idea.
In the end, if you've done it right, everyone wins.
Thanks Scott for joining the conversation about corporate sponsorships for conference attendees. Your thoughts and suggestions on the idea are very good and extremely helpful for taking the concept farther.
Your reminder that corporate budgets are more tightly controlled than people think is definitely something to keep in mind going forward. As a result, any system for matching attendees with corporations has to present good solid PR and ROI for the corporation. I agree with that fiscally responsible stance as the concept was never to be one of free handouts. Everyone has to benefit, including the sponsoring company, for it to work properly.
I like bringing the sponsors into the process, and the scholarship idea. With the company or companies involved from the beginning of the application, Beth Harte's concern that too many hoops to jump through, could be prevented while making sure that everyone understood their obligations.
Scott, your recommendation of a written report is similar to my idea of having the attendee return with information that can benefit the sponsor. In fact, a written report could be paired with an attendee personal presentation to the sponsor. The attendee could present the ideas learned in a seminar with the written report as a manual that the company employees could use themselves to build the company.
I agree totally that the sponsorship should be relevant to the company. Your company would be more suited to transportation, marketing and finance conference than one on fashion. On the other hand, opportunities could exist for seemingly unrelated companies at first glance to widen their informational feedback. At first, however, industry and experience relevance should be almost deciding factors for everyone.
I am a proponent as well of your suggestion of virtual conferences, and of expanding traditional style conferences to add video and audio components. Costs could be lowered and participation expanded through technology. There are multiple solutions to every problem, and some might be right under our noses.
I can't agree more with your wonderful conclusion of everyone wins if it's done right. I am always a supporter of the win win result that makes everyone a winner.
Thanks for taking the time to add your ideas to the discussion.
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Your reminder that corporate budgets are more tightly controlled than people think is definitely something to keep in mind going forward. As a result, any system for matching attendees with corporations has to present good solid PR and ROI for the corporation. I agree with that fiscally responsible stance as the concept was never to be one of free handouts. Everyone has to benefit, including the sponsoring company, for it to work properly.
I like bringing the sponsors into the process, and the scholarship idea. With the company or companies involved from the beginning of the application, Beth Harte's concern that too many hoops to jump through, could be prevented while making sure that everyone understood their obligations.
Scott, your recommendation of a written report is similar to my idea of having the attendee return with information that can benefit the sponsor. In fact, a written report could be paired with an attendee personal presentation to the sponsor. The attendee could present the ideas learned in a seminar with the written report as a manual that the company employees could use themselves to build the company.
I agree totally that the sponsorship should be relevant to the company. Your company would be more suited to transportation, marketing and finance conference than one on fashion. On the other hand, opportunities could exist for seemingly unrelated companies at first glance to widen their informational feedback. At first, however, industry and experience relevance should be almost deciding factors for everyone.
I am a proponent as well of your suggestion of virtual conferences, and of expanding traditional style conferences to add video and audio components. Costs could be lowered and participation expanded through technology. There are multiple solutions to every problem, and some might be right under our noses.
I can't agree more with your wonderful conclusion of everyone wins if it's done right. I am always a supporter of the win win result that makes everyone a winner.
Thanks for taking the time to add your ideas to the discussion.
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