A large part of a conference budget is the motivational keynote speaker. Finding sponsorship for this can be a big stress relief.
Over the years I have seen conferences offer benefits to entice sponsors. Remember sponsoring funny motivational speakers is an investment and sponsors need to see it that way. They want to get their name in front of your people and this is a memorable way to do that.
Here are some ideas:
- Sell the sponsor on the funny motivational speaker and their program; explain why this speaker’s message is going to help convention delegates and how their sponsorship dollars will make this possible.
- Mention the sponsorship in the motivational keynote speaker’s introduction, on the speaker’s handout, and on your website.
- Have the keynote speaker do a unique thank you for the sponsors in their speech, tie in humorous personalized tidbits about them.
- Add some levity to sponsorship signs to make them memorable.
- After the keynote speech hand out promotional items from the sponsor with their logo on it as delegates leave the room.
- Do something unique like have the sponsor create a signature cocktail and hand it out after the motivational speech.
- Have the sponsor mention sponsoring the keynote speaker on Facebook, twitter and their blog and promote this blog to delegates.
- Have the motivational keynote speaker blog about the conference and the sponsor.
- Have the keynote speaker write an article about their topic that can be used by the sponsor.
- Offer to have the sponsor introduce the keynote speaker.
- Announce who the event is sponsored by beside the speaker's picture in promotional brochures and signs, emails, on Twitter, etc.
- Have the motivational keynote speaker comment on the sponsors’ blog or thank them on Twitter.
- Set up a booth next to the sponsor’s booth at the trade show for the speaker to sell books and draw traffic.
- Add the sponsor’s promotional collateral to conference bags.
- Have the motivational keynote speaker sit with the sponsor at lunch or dinner events.
- Mention sponsored by on the keynote speaker handouts.
- Display company logo on table tents during the plenary motivational speaker.
- Take photos of the sponsor with the keynote speaker and send it in a thank you card, blog about it and post it on the website.
With some creativity and humor, getting sponsorship for a motivational keynote speaker is an opportunity that many organizations will want.
Work with your motivational speaker to maximize the sponsors return on investment. Have the keynote speaker call the sponsor in advance of their talk to discuss the organization, what makes them unique and how they want the audience to perceive them.
A good motivational keynote speaker will be able to incorporate this into a motivational talk to leverage the conference sponsorship investment.
What are other unique ways to entice conference sponsors that you've used?
