Conference Sponsorships: What Bloggers Can Offer Brands
After reading my post about How to Make a Lasting First Impression at Conferences, Jules left the following comment:
“Since I have never been to a conference, I was not aware that it is considered taboo to hand out swag from a company that is not an official sponsor. This is confusing for me as it leaves open the question as to how I get a company to sponsor me that is not an official sponsor. What benefit is it for them if I cannot promote them?”
Good question. Official conference sponsors are companies that help defray conference costs. As official sponsors, their presence is felt through the products you get in the conference swag bag, signage during the event, booths in the expo hall, sponsored meals, logos that appear on the conference website, and branded suites located in the same hotel as the conference. Such exposure can be expensive and some companies prefer to select bloggers to represent them at conferences as a more personal attempt at brand awareness.
While an unofficial conference sponsorship limits the types of promotion you can do within the event space, there are many ways you can share the company’s message before and after the conference. Here are some ideas:
- Dedicated posts: Determine the number of blog posts you will write on behalf of your sponsor before and after the conference. Review their products, share their mission, host giveaways, etc. Just be sure you are transparent and ensure that your readers know that the company is helping you cover conference costs.
- Media buys: Consider running an ad on your site before and after the conference.
- Host a Twitter party for your sponsor to raise awareness about the brand prior to the conference.
During the conference it is important to find ways to share your personal sponsor without it conflicting with the conference policy or infringing on the conference experience of other attendees. Shannan Powell from Cribs to Car Keys says, “Don’t spam the event hashtag with requests for a sponsor OR your sponsor’s messages. It’s rude to the other attendees and official sponsors.”
There are many ways to authentically represent your brand and yourself at events without engaging in behaviors that fellow bloggers will find offensive. These methods are generally viewed as acceptable:
- Create an elevator pitch about yourself and interject your sponsor as part of your introduction
- Hand out double-sided business cards that contain your name, email, blog name, URL, and Twitter handle on one side and information about your sponsor on the other
- Include your sponsor’s Twitter handle in your conference tweets. Be sure to include #sp (sponsor) for transparency purposes.
- Shoot some video to include as part of a conference recap on your own blog. Include your sponsor’s logo at the beginning and thank them at the end.
- Wear a shirt bearing your sponsor’s logo or have them send you a sticker or bumper sticker to affix to your laptop.
These are just some of the many possibilities that can appeal to companies and PR firms but are not the only ways to raise brand awareness. Figure out how best to capitalize on your knowledge about your audience and using your social media reach, offer creative strategies that will aid a brand in getting the word out for a fraction of the cost of being an official conference sponsor.
Regardless of which strategies you choose, be sure to demonstrate your value and reach in order to make your pitch stand out to the company with whom you’d like to work. Also, be transparent as you represent yourself to other bloggers at the event.
If you’ve been sponsored by brands in the past, what tips do you have to share with those seeking sponsorships for upcoming conferences?
Great information! From a small business sponsor on the other side it’s interesting to hear how this actually works in practice and how it can benefit us from a sponsorship point of view.
I love this post. I’ve considered sponsorship at several conferences but have always bowed out or shyed away from it because it doesn’t feel authentic to myself and my brand. I agree with Christy and Niri on this and the information is great! Thanks Leticia!
Awesome article! I’d love to be able to get sponsored to a conference. My only question is… are there certain brands and companies that sponsor? Do you know of any in particular? Thanks!
My challenge is finding sponsors who would be willing to take the chance on a blogger with a “checkered past”. I am not the typical mommy blogger and my “edge” is what draws readers, but companies might not be willing to associate themselves with someone who isn’t perfect.
Leticia, thank you so much for your response (I am the Jules who asked the original question.) These are great tips for a newbie like me in establishing a relationship with a sponsor, without disrupting conference activities!
Hi Jules! You are most welcome! It was such a great question and one that is certainly on many people’s minds as conference season gets going for 2011! If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask! I’m happy to lend my expertise through my posts on Mom Blog Magazine!
Leticia! You put such incredibly important information together so perfectly. I love it. Thanks so much for these fab ideas!
I so love the creative ways in which bloggers are partnering with companies now–sponsored webinars, podcasts, web chats where all participants learn new information and where the company is introduced in the beginning and thanked at the end is just one really cool concept in my opinion, where everyone wins. I also think something as subtle as a sticker on a laptop or cute bling on a smartphone is also fun way of spreading the word about a brand you respect.
I’m so conflicted with the Sponsorship idea. I would love to go to a blogging conference. There’s no two ways about it. Unfortunately, as a single mom of 4 kids there’s just no way possible I can afford it on my own. If I could, I’d pay my own way, but it’s so out of the realm of possibility it’s not even funny.
It hadn’t even occurred to me that there’d be a contract involved. Now I’m shaking my head wondering what to do. How do I know what’s fair to both me AND the company. If I go to a one day conference the company totally pays for, what do I owe them in return? I can do a T-shirt and logo on my computer. I could easily do a Twitter party and do a post before and after the event. But what else should I be expected to do?
Bloggers are at different levels and I’ve been struggling the last couple months trying to find out my blogging worth. I’ve been debating on whether or not to charge for posting for a company and if so, what would I charge. I have nothing to base it on. Do I grab a random number out of the air and see if they bite? We have no standard of:
If blogger A has this many subscribers, GFC followers, Twitter followers, Facebook likes, Alexa ranking, etc and blogger B has this many, and blogger C has this many, and so on and so forth, this is what each should be paid. You know what I mean? We are all at different points on the scale and there is no standard.
To me they all tie in together. I wish there were a chart somewhere that I could find myself within a range and scroll along to find what I should be asking for at different points of sponsorships, Ads, etc.
Anyone have any advice? I’ve been struggling with this for the last couple months and feel as if I’m spinning my wheels. I understand no one wants to giveaway what they’re asking and companies aren’t going to tell us what they’re paying A, B, and C, especially if they can pay smaller bloggers such as myself a lesser amount.
I know I’m rambling, but I had no idea where else to try to get help and advice. Thanks!!
I also think that bloggers need to stop focusing on being sponsored for conferences, as this is not always in the best interest of the company. Instead, offer a paid service to the company and use that to pay your own way to conferences. Pitching a company with a service sounds more appealing to them and less self-serving. Plus, as Niri suggested, it frees you to enjoy the conference without having to worry about anyone else’s brand.
I think that being able to get sponsored is a really great thing. A lot of bloggers would not be able to afford to attend a conference at all if they were not able to obtain sponsorship. This the case with me. I have gotten lucky and have not had to go out and actively seek sponsorship because they were offered to me as part of a broader picture. However, I did start to think about the process once and even started writing up a page on what I would be willing to offer.
Of course it is up to the blogger and the company to come to an agreement on what will be done before, during, and after the conference that would be in the best interest of the company. The blogger should not agree to do something that they are uncomfortable doing or that will take up too much of their time so that they cannot enjoy the conference. Sometimes they are perfectly happy if you just wear a T-shirt and mention them from time to time during the event.
Either way, I think that bloggers should go for it. And companies are starting to see the benefit of being represented by a blogger not only at conferences, but overall. So, If you want to attend an expensive conference, do try and get a sponsorship. From what I have heard, more often than not it does work out well for both. And if you get it, good for you!
Such great information in the post itself and the following comments as well. Thanks for shedding light on this as “conference season” seems to be underway!
Excellent ideas, Leticia, and also great comments from reader.
I’ll be attending by first cluster of women’s blogging conferences BlogHer and SheBlogs She Con ’11 this year and have found the topic of blog conference sponsorship to still be in the middle of a revolution. I think this is largely because both brands and bloggers are becoming much more sophisticated than they were a year ago. I think as we all get more professional in the way we go about it, the quality and strategy of social media programs can only continue to improve, especially among conference sponsorship arrangements. Ultimately, this has the potential to be a win-win situation for us both.
Janis- I’m heading to SheCon and look forward to meeting you there! I agree this ultimately can be a win-win for both sides!
I am going to She Con as well I can not wait to meet you :)
What a great post, I have been asking around the web as far as what others are doing- I love the laptop idea, and had not thought about a twitter party! Great Idea.
Great post! There’s a lot to consider when it comes to being sponsored. Among the key issues: your purpose for being sponsored and the relevance of the company sponsoring you (in terms of how relevant they are to you and your blog–which is extremely important and goes along with Kelly’s comment that you should look for sponsorships from companies you already have a relationship with).
When it comes to how to “wear” your sponsorship, what’s most important is that there’s a big difference in types of sponsorships. There’s sponsoring to have someone pay for you while you blast them, and there’s sponsoring to do something beneficial all around.
Consider all of this before agreeing on a sponsorship. First impressions are huge. And while we all understand that being sponsored helps you get to a conference, the things you agree upon with a sponsor say a lot about you, your blog and your associations.
All great tips and certainly very true! Thanks Julie!
It’s very important to have a clear understanding of what is expected from the sponsorship. There can be miscommunication about expectations from both sides so consider a contract where you outline the exact services you will be providing in exchange for the sponsorship.
Oh! The contract! So important when negotiating things. Get everything in writing. And if you don’t agree with something, say it before its signed.
Great point, Julie! In writing is always best!
Thanks for reminding me to get a signed contract :)
Great tips, as always!
I would also recommend that you don’t seek sponsors via tweets, and Facebook updates, but rather reach out to companies you regularly use, or brands you have worked with in the past.
Thanks for this great information, Leticia! I’d been wondering the very same!
You are most welcome! Glad I could help shed some light on the subject! Let me know if you have further questions! I’d be happy to share my wisdom in future posts or find other experienced bloggers who can share their knowledge with you!
I like that conferences have stopped allowing personal swag handing out. I would hate to be pitching a company totally at a conference. The influence, that they are actually sponsoring, should start before and after. There are several creative ways to promote a company. Having said that – I do think it sounds too rosy to always be sponsored -sometimes “sponsoring” yourself (your own brand) really works out!
I agree, Niri!
While it can be enticing to get a company to sponsor you to an event or conference, unless you already have a relationship with a company it can be challenging.
I personally think if you are looking at your blog as a business, it can be a very smart move to sponsor yourself.
Kelly and Niri- I have to agree that your conference goals should dictate how you go about sponsorship. Personal sponsorship of yourself as a business is definitely a wise investment but if someone just wants to attend for the experience and can use their connections to secure a sponsorship, then more power to them!
I’ve attended conferences as my own brand, representing a conference sponsor when working for BitDefender, represented individual sponsors, and also won sponsorship. When working with brands, various companies have different expectations before, during, and after the conference so be sure to know what is expected of you at all times.
This was such a great read! Thank you for sharing this information.
You are very welcome!