Sponsors not only make your big New Year’s Eve event financially possible, but they also help you promote the event. This helps you attract a bigger crowd and throw a better party, expanding your reach and impact. Add in complimentary offers and improved access to locations, media, and partners, and it becomes clear how important sponsorship can be.

However, landing the right New Year’s Eve sponsors for your party can be a challenge. This holiday is an important evening for sponsors to engage consumers, but there are seemingly endless events for them to choose from. You have to prove to sponsors that you’re the event with the biggest ROI.

Here are eight steps to creating a value proposition to attract New Year’s sponsors.

1. Scope out potential sponsors

Being smart about who you approach helps you limit time spent courting sponsorships that never materialize. First, think about what kind of sponsors make sense for your event. Are there local businesses that could benefit from advertising to your community?

Are there companies you’ve previously partnered with and had a good experience with? What about companies that might resonate with a New Year’s theme (timepiece companies or watch repair shops might offer a fun spin on the theme of the passing of time, for example)?

Then, make a list of all the companies that make sense to approach for potential sponsorship. What type of sponsorship package would appeal to each sponsor on your list?

While some sponsors might value hanging branded banners and promotional materials, others may respond to event branding opportunities, special branded VIP areas, or exclusive supplier sponsorships. Finally, make sure that the company’s goals and visions align with your own.

2. Define your audience

Get detailed with demographic data to attract big-spending sponsors. Potential sponsors want proof that your event-goers are part of their target market. So, what’s the profile of your attendees?

Take the time to do a little research and create some defining characteristics such as:

  • Demographic information like age, gender, marital status, and education level
  • Spending information like employment information, average income, and buying habits
  • Product and brand preferences

Ideally, this data is based on real numbers you’ve gathered about previous attendees. If you’re using an online ticketing service like Eventbrite, you can collect demographic data from within the purchase process.

Or, to keep your ticketing process streamlined, use a separate survey tool like Survey Monkey to poll ticket buyers after they buy or after the event. Either way, hold on to your data so you can provide the analysis from past ticket purchasers.

With a survey, you can ask tactical questions specific to your event or your sponsors’ needs, such as:

  • What’s your favorite cocktail? (To approach alcohol company sponsors.)
  • Do you plan to take a cab, walk, or drive? (To approach rideshare sponsors like Uber or Lyft.)
  • What types of festive hors d’oeuvres hit the spot? (To approach food sponsors.)
  • Would you like mocktail (alcohol-free) options available?

The ability to describe partygoers to sponsors gives you the advantage over other New Year’s event organizers who aren’t as data savvy. You might also discover new potential sponsorship partners who match your demographics — add them to your list!

3. Create a sponsorship proposal

A sponsorship proposal sets out the details of who you are, who your audience is, what you propose to provide to the potential sponsor, and what you hope to obtain in return. It should look professional and appealing, and include a clear call to action (i.e., “Contact Acme Events at (555) 555-555 to secure your sponsorship”).

To make your proposal stand above the crowd, be sure to include the following:

Your New Year’s Eve event description

You want to make your event description sound inviting and fun so that your potential sponsors will be enticed. Remember, their goal is to reach as many people as possible, so the more appealing your event sounds, the more sponsors will see opportunity.

Consider including details such as:

  • Event name
  • Date and time
  • Speakers and entertainers
  • Catering and suppliers
  • Venue and location
  • What makes your event special (i.e. unique selling points)
  • History or background of the event (if relevant)
  • Mission statement of the event

Your event description gives your sponsors an image of the evening; so, make them wish they could be there and sponsors will be lining up.

Present your data

Now that you’ve got your sponsors interested, you’ll want to give them the data that shows exactly why their companies and your event are a match.

Data on attendee demographics and other details from your past events provide evidence as to who will likely attend your future events. Sponsors can then more easily assess whether sponsoring your event helps them reach their target audience.

Along with attendee demographics, the types of data sponsors are going to be most interested in include:

  • Ticket and registration sales (using email promotions helps increase sales and improves email data)
  • Social media tracking such as event mentions and #hashtags on blogs and social media sites
  • Email invite open rate (taking advantage of Eventbrite tools makes this data easy to obtain)
  • Details/examples of the after-event attendee data that can be offered to sponsors (complying with relevant privacy laws of course)

Create your sponsorship packages

You can maximize your sponsorship possibilities by offering tiered packages rather than just a single set of benefits. Different pricing levels for distinct promotional benefits can attract more sponsors, both those who seek only major sponsorship opportunities and those whose marketing strategies prioritize smaller packages.

Maybe an alcohol company wants exclusive pouring rights for your event. This leaves open other avenues of sponsorship you can offer to other companies, such as food, music, and décor, expanding your sponsorship revenues.

For high-powered affairs, a media company may seek exclusive access to local stars and celebrities attending your New Year’s Eve event. (And you may be surprised by the number of celebrities who can be enticed by the knowledge that the media will be covering an event.)

Experiential marketing enables guests to “experience” the sponsor’s product. For example, a florist might offer demonstrations of the art of floral arrangements or a winery might include tastings paired with cheeses or artisan bread.

For a New Year’s Eve event, consider targeting public transport companies to offer free or discounted transportation to event attendees to eliminate drunk driving. Additionally, if you’re hosting a raffle or auction, you’ll likely need donated goods — another chance for sponsorship.

If you’re throwing a virtual NYE event, consider sponsors who have an interest in getting in front of people in different locations or who are, themselves, location independent.

4. Connect with potential sponsors

Now that you’ve done the research and prepared your pitch, the next step is to go out and meet with potential sponsors. While your initial icebreaker might be sent by email or through social media, meeting in person to make your pitch is most effective. A face-to-face connection is invaluable in establishing trust and confidence.

Here are our recommended steps for connecting with potential sponsors:

  • Contact the relevant department or person by email, social media, or LinkedIn about setting a meeting to discuss potential sponsorships.
  • Send a polite follow-up if no response is initially forthcoming.
  • Rehearse your elevator pitch, including who you are, what you do, and what benefits a sponsorship offers in just a few sentences.
  • Meet with and listen to the company’s needs.
  • Share your sponsorship proposal!

You may wish to make your pitch in your initial meeting, or, after having listened to what the sponsor needs, you may wish to revise and tweak your pitch to better meet the company’s needs.

5. Make your New Year’s Eve sponsors part of your marketing plan

Once you have a sponsor signed up, take advantage of their brand by embedding it into as much promotional material as possible. Consider sending an email to registered attendees with news of the sponsorship to help build anticipation and interest.

Collaborate with your sponsor so your event can be included on their social media platforms and highlighted by their influencers. This can exponentially expand your promotional reach and be a key benefit of sponsorship, perhaps more than any funding your sponsor might offer.

6. Build a long-term connection

New Year’s Eve offers a chance to establish an annual event that people look forward to, giving you the opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with your sponsors. Keep them feeling included by sending periodic updates about upcoming events, highlighting growth in attendance and interest.

It can also be a smart idea to send complimentary tickets to your sponsors now and again. This helps them feel appreciated and lets them experience first-hand the passion of your event-goers.

Share after-event data

Of course, what really inspires future business partnerships is results, and your event data provides just that. Sponsors want to know how many people they’re reaching, so proving to them that their sponsorship is effective helps build confidence. After your event has concluded, consider sharing data such as email click-through rates and social media interactions to show them exactly how effective their sponsorships were.

Sharing event data with your sponsors can be beneficial to both parties. You might even offer it as an inducement when pitching sponsorships. Eventbrite lets you access this data quickly and easily with intuitive layouts that are easy to understand.

7. Evaluate your sponsors

Once the streamers have come down and the cocktail glasses are all washed and put away, it’s time to start the new year off by taking stock. It’s a good idea to evaluate your different sponsors once the event has concluded. How were they received at your event? Did they match the event’s persona and voice, or did they seem out of place? Sponsorships work best when they feel coherent with your event, with both you and your sponsors reinforcing each other’s message.

Consider getting feedback from registrants by sending a poll after the event. Ask for impressions of the event in general, as well as of specific elements such as sponsorships, food, and music. Then take your impressions and the feedback you’ve received, assess it all, and keep it in store for when it’s time to discuss your next event’s sponsorships.

8. Celebrate

Organizing and pulling off an event, complete with sponsorships, is a real accomplishment. Take some time to celebrate your success when it’s done — rewarding yourself helps keep your motivation strong and re-energizes you for what’s next.

For now, it’s time to sign on to Eventbrite and get access to all of our tools at your fingertips to make your data work for you.