Planning now to Attract Sponsors and Vendors for 2021 Events.

As everyone accepts that any large-scale music festivals or music events will not take place until at least the middle of 2021 event organisers should be planning now to attract sponsors and vendors. It certainly makes sense to use the current quiet period to start making plans now for events to resume in 2021.        

Just a quick search through the websites of music festivals and other events that have been postponed until 2021 and anyone would think everything has been frozen in time. In many cases the event websites contain simple announcements about cancellations for 2020 and a proposed date for 2021with a bland message suggesting site visitors to come back later for updated information. Certainly, very few have any information for potential sponsors and vendors. This does present opportunities for event organisers who are being proactive in attracting sponsors and vendors for 2021. Perhaps a music festival is just moving sponsor and vendors commitments from 2020 to 2021 but event organisers must keep in regular communication with them to ensure that any that pull out can be replaced with new companies. With so many uncertainties how can event organisers tailor their messaging to attract attention and generate confirmed bookings and commitments?

Don’t Say Nothing. 
Having no information about sponsor deals or vendor application information is a clear indication that the event could be in doubt. Are the event organisers doing anything at all to plan for 2021 or have they just shut up shop and disappeared. Event organisers should be posting regular updates on their event website and in social media channels and as a minimum maintain regular communications with previous sponsors and vendors to appraise them of all developments taking place for that event.

Creative Attractive Deals for Sponsors. 
No doubt money is tight in every sector of the live events industry so event organisers need to differentiate their offering form the competition. Now that the world has changed the key to closing successful deals is flexibility. Dates may move plus new health and safety regulations and restrictions are possible. Create discounted packages for potential sponsors that become more attractive for a commitment now (with a goodwill deposit). Explore new sponsor opportunities by looking at branded facemasks and even COVID-19 testing and temperature checks can be sponsored.

Take Vendor Applications Now. 
In a similar way to creating sponsor packages there is no reason why vendor applications cannot be accepted now. Early bird booking deals on pitch prices and as with sponsors build in a flexibility clause in case dates need to change.

Even for event goers it can be worrying when they check the website and social media channels for a music festival they have already paid for that has been postponed until 2021 and see no updates in the last 6 months. The same is certainly true for sponsors and vendors too.  

Using an events software management platform like FestivalPro event organisers get all the functionality they need to manage their sponsors and vendors. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The FestivalPro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features for managing vendors and sponsors with automated applications, agreements, and mail merge email communications.  

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo from Pexels

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