I know that when this goes blog goes up Thanksgiving will have passed, and the topic of gratitude is one that you will see over and over this time of year, but in my opinion it’s worth repeating.
I am actually writing this on Thanksgiving morning. My house is quiet while my husband is sleeping, and I am not rushing around trying make a massive meal for my family. We are going to my sister-in-laws for dinner, and the only thing I was asked to bring was wine. I did a silent gratitude shout-out for that when I woke up this morning!
When it comes to the sponsors of your event it is so important that you show them that you appreciate them, and that they are important to you – just as you do for the people in your personal life. Your sponsors are the ones who believe in your event enough to “put their money where their mouth is,” so to speak. They are willing to give you funds because they believe you have a great product. Of course this is a business transaction, but remember that they didn’t have to pick your event, and their support is what helps build your successful event.
Here are my top three ways to show gratitude to your sponsors:
1) Do An Event Recap! It’s always frustrating to a sponsor when they support an event, then after the event they don’t hear anything until it’s time to renew. My suggestion is to always recap your event within a month of it’s end date, if possible. Doing a recap that highlights the event, and your sponsors involvement, is always appreciated. It often times helps them in feeling good about renewing with you again. Make sure to show photos and lots of proof that you executed the things you agreed to doing.
2) Send a Thank You Note or Email. Make sure to tell them “Thank You” for doing business with your event, and for supporting it! This seems simple enough, but showing that you really do appreciate them goes a long way!
3) Sponsor Gifts or Hospitality. I’m a big fan of sponsor gifts and hospitality tents at events (or during the holidays), but I know that this can be an added expense that can add financial stress to an event. If this is the case, then think of ways that you can make your sponsors feel special both at the event and later in the year. Letting them know that you really appreciate their support is important! Maybe hold a “first look” at your event before everyone else is allowed into the event. Or perhaps doing holiday sponsor gifts, or something like a sponsor cocktail party. These are all ways to say “Thank You,” and also help keep your event top-of-mind with your sponsors throughout the year.
Showing authentic gratitude is something that is not only important in your everyday life, but also in your event life. Don’t take for granted the support of your sponsors, and try to always make sure they know that they are an essential part of the success of your event!