How to Get Sponsors for Your Event

How to get sponsors for your event

Getting sponsors for an event comes down to three things: knowing what a sponsor wants, asking the right companies, and making the ask easy to say yes to. Here is the process most successful organizers follow, from school fests to conferences and festivals.

1. Know what sponsors are looking for

Sponsors are buying access to an audience. Before you reach out, write down who attends (age, interests, location), how many people attend, and how your event reaches them (on-site, online, email, social). Past photos, attendance numbers and media coverage make your case much stronger.

2. Decide who to approach

Start with companies whose customers look like your attendees: local businesses, brands in your industry or niche, companies that sponsored similar events, and, for college events, brands that want to reach students. Make a short list of 20 to 30 and find a named person at each, usually in marketing or partnerships.

3. Create sponsorship packages

Offer two or three clear levels, for example a title sponsor, a supporting sponsor and an in-kind or product sponsor. For each, spell out the benefits: logo placement, stage or booth presence, social mentions, email features, and any on-site activation. Price each level so a sponsor can see what they get for their money.

4. Write a short, specific ask

Keep the first email to a few lines: who you are, what the event is, who attends, why this company fits, and one clear next step such as a ten-minute call. Attach or link your sponsorship deck instead of pasting it. Our guide to how to ask for sponsorship for your event walks through this in more detail.

5. Follow up and keep sponsors happy

Most replies come after a polite follow-up a week or so later. Once a sponsor says yes, deliver what you promised and send them a short report with photos and results afterwards. That is how one-time sponsors become repeat sponsors.

Find sponsors faster with SponsorMyEvent

Instead of cold-emailing from scratch, list your event for free on SponsorMyEvent and let sponsors who are looking for events like yours find you. Use the form at the top of this page to get started, or read our free guide to finding sponsors.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find sponsors for my event?

Start by defining your audience, then list companies whose customers match it. Contact them with a short, specific proposal, or list your event on a marketplace such as SponsorMyEvent so interested sponsors can come to you.

How do I find sponsors for a college event?

Focus on local businesses near campus and brands that want to reach students, such as food and drink, tech, apparel and education companies. Emphasize student attendance numbers and what visibility the sponsor gets.

What should I offer sponsors in return?

Typical benefits include logo placement on posters, stage and screens, a booth or sampling opportunity, social media and email mentions, and a post-event report. Match the benefits to the amount being contributed.

How much sponsorship should I ask for?

It depends on your audience size, event costs and what the sponsor receives. Build two or three tiers with clear benefits and let the sponsor choose, rather than asking for one fixed number.

Is it free to list my event on SponsorMyEvent?

Yes. Creating your event listing is free, with no cost to post your event.