Securing funding for an event can be difficult, but it’s made easier by obtaining sponsors. With a sponsor on board, you’ll have access to funds to support your event’s needs. In exchange, the sponsor will promote and advertise their business to your event attendees.
Sponsorships are secured through successful pitching with an engaging deck. Event sponsorship decks, when done correctly, can seal the deal and help you get more sponsors. The key to a compelling sponsorship deck is to capture the attention of the potential sponsor. A specific, well-organized deck can entice them to want to work with you.
Below, we’ll cover what a sponsorship deck is and how to create one, plus tips for creating a compelling sponsorship deck to easily win over sponsors for your next event. Let’s get started!
What is an event sponsorship deck?
An event sponsorship deck is a short presentation that you’ll use to entice potential event sponsors. Usually, a deck is a PDF put together using software like PowerPoint or Google Slides. An event sponsorship deck is a necessary part of event planning and securing event sponsors.
Here’s what your deck should include:
- An introduction: Introduce your organization and event and cover specific event details.
- Audience: Present data about who’s expected to attend your event so sponsors can decide if the audience aligns.
- Sponsorship packages: Present your sponsorship options, including the perks that come with each level.
- Benefits: Detail what the impact of this event could mean for both you and your sponsor.
- Contact information and next steps: Make it easy for interested sponsors to reach out. Include clear contact details and a compelling call to action.
How to create an event sponsorship deck
To build a compelling sponsorship deck, you’ll need to take all the above information and encase it in a compelling, attractive package. As you get started, remember that there’s no one perfect way to create a sponsorship deck. The idea is to create something flexible depending on the type of event and sponsors you’re attracting.
Though each deck should be custom, there are some common steps you can take to get started. You can begin building your event sponsorship deck by doing the following:
Pick a tool
What presentation software are you comfortable using? Use a tool you know well so the slides look polished and professional. Tools like Canva and Beautiful.ai provide easy and intuitive templates to inspire you and get you started. Google Slides and PowerPoint are also beginner-friendly, simple to navigate, and easy to convert to PDF.
Start designing
Find the template that aligns with your event and organization. Once you’ve built a few decks, your organization might develop a branded deck template that you can use. However, if this is your first deck, find a template where the imagery and visuals convey the mood, tone, and theme of both your organization and the event itself. Use your brand colors and fonts and draw interest with a strong visual on the cover.
Provide background information
Be clear when, where, and how your event will be held. Include the logistics such as dates, location, speakers, and broadcast information, such as Zoom links. Articulate the goal of the event, who the event is for, and why you think folks should come to your event. Provide information about your organization and don’t forget to include a logo and a link to your website.
Describe the audience
Next, explain how many people are expected to attend the event and give as detailed demographics as you can. Can you break down attendees by age, location, gender, and industry? Can you show how this aligns with the target audience of your potential sponsor? They’ll want to clearly see that you’re targeting similar folks.
Present your sponsorship packages
Here’s where you’ll show sponsors what you can offer them. A common way this is presented is through a matrix table, with package tiers in columns in ascending order, and the benefits in the rows below.
Make sure the pricing is clear at each tier. Explain the benefits in a clear and concise way. Review your pricing structure versus the market to ensure your pricing is competitive. If you’re offering an a la carte option, detail what benefits a sponsor could choose from and the price per benefit.
Feature testimonials
If you’ve worked with sponsors before, include a slide here that highlights your past success.
Feature quotes and blurbs from sponsors that both highlight the return on investment and how enjoyable it was to work with your organization. If you have the data, show case studies or the impact of sponsorships. These examples will significantly bolster your package in the eyes of your sponsor.
Wrap up with contact information
Give sponsors a way to contact you and thank them on your final slide. Be specific and direct, clearly stating what you want the sponsor to do next, whether it’s scheduling a meeting or signing up for a package. Make responding easy with contact information. The easier it is for sponsors to take the next step, the more likely they will do so.
Tips for effective sponsorship decks
You can follow all of the steps above to get started but to ensure your deck is truly compelling, you’ll want to build your deck with these tips in mind:
- Use a PDF: This allows all sponsors to access and read the presentation/deck. You can send a link to where the deck is hosted, such as a Google Drive or Dropbox, to make it easy for the recipients.
- Less is more: Your deck should be aesthetically pleasing, not crowded. Don’t use distracting or overwhelming design, and don’t include unnecessary information. Aim to keep your deck around 10 pages or slides. Make sure a skilled copy editor on your team gives the deck a review before it’s finalized.
- Be specific: Use clear data and statistics when talking about the benefits of working with your organization. Be as clear as possible on who you expect will attend your event. Analyze your RSVP list, or events of the past, to cull good data points that you can use.
- Make a deck for each tier: This is a more targeted approach that could help you win sponsors. If you’re offering different levels of sponsorship, consider a different deck for each level, such as a bronze, silver, or gold deck. You can ask for the level of interest before you reach out to determine which deck would be best to send.
- Allow for flexibility: Make it clear that you are open to customizing sponsorship packages to better fit the sponsor’s needs. Flexibility can be a significant selling point. Some ways you could offer flexibility include adjusting levels of sponsorship or letting the sponsor tweak certain benefits.
Get more sponsors with sponsorship decks
A winning sponsorship deck can be the just tool you need to secure funding and resources for a truly spectacular event. With a clear, compelling, and concise deck, future sponsors should be able to see what’s in it for them and should be more willing to work with you on your event.
Managing sponsors doesn’t have to be complicated using Event Schedule Manager from The Events Calendar. This tool lets you manage event sessions, guest speakers, and all your sponsors. Learn more about how to manage sponsors with Event Schedule Manager, or try it yourself in our demo. See how a tool like Event Schedule Manager can help keep your events organized and engaging!
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