If you've ever run a conference, you know how expensive they can be. The best way to offset the expense of running a conference for your industry is to solicit sponsorships from companies who do business with people in your field. Promotional items can be a key part in designing a sponsorship plan that attracts the funding and sponsorship that your event needs to be successful. Here are six steps to building a successful sponsorship plan for your event.



1.Start early.

Successful planning for a major event starts as much as a year in advance. You'll need lead time for planning, booking the event venue, hiring staff for the event and ordering promotional items, flyers and all the other little products that will make your event a success.

2.Create your budget.

Before you can start soliciting sponsors and raising money, you have to know how much you need to raise for a successful event. Gather prices for event venue, catering, promotional items, publicity, event staff and security, then add it all up to come up with a grand total.

3.Break your budget down to levels.

Most conferences and events offer a range of sponsorship levels for varying contributions. Most commonly, the levels are tagged Platinum Sponsor, Gold Sponsor, Silver Sponsor? and running down into Sponsor, Contributor and Friend. Break down your budget by percentages ? you might set the cost of the Platinum Sponsor contribution at 25% of the total budget, two Gold sponsors at 15% each of the total budget, five silver sponsors at 5% each of the total budget, Sponsors at 2% and Friends at any level of sponsorship.

4.Decide what you can offer to sponsors in return for their contribution.

Companies give sponsorships in return for publicity and promotion. The more publicity they get, the higher the amount they're willing to contribute. In most cases, the event's overall sponsor will expect that their name will be featured prominently on every bit of literature and publicity that goes out about the event. In addition, you'll feature their name prominently on all promotional items associated with the conference, from the conference bag and folders to the banner above the speakers? podium.

For other levels, you might offer them a spot for their logo on the conference bag, inclusion of their promotional materials or items in the conference goodie bag, their logos on the disposable cups used for coffee and drinks between sessions, placards at dinner tables ? anything you can think of that can carry a logo can be an incentive to sponsor your event at some level. Even those who contribute as little as ?1 should be recognized in the program brochure at the very least.

5.Solicit everyone.

Once you have your levels set, it's time to start soliciting. Never make assumptions about what a potential sponsor might be willing to contribute. You'll probably find your highest level sponsors through person to person contact, but others can be reached by direct and personal mails and emails. Invite everyone, solicit everyone, exclude only those that would be a detriment to your message.

6.Communicate!

Make sure that you keep the lines of communication open with all of your sponsors. While some sponsors will be preparing their own promotional items and materials, there are some that will fall on your shoulders. You'll be responsible for making sure that you have camera ready logos for promotional items like posters, banners, napkins, promotional bags, conference giveaways and more.

You'll find that the entire process goes much more smoothly when you work with a company that has experience in creating promotional items for a major conference. Most will assign a personal representative who will offer advice, help with plans and even send reminders to help keep you on track toward a successful conference or event.

For more information on promotional products, business gifts, advertising gifts and promotional items check out the leading online promotional gift suppliers today!