Find sponsors for your event

Sponsorship for events works best when a brand can see exactly who will be in the room, what they will notice and how the partnership will run from the first announcement to the final thank you. Spontzer lets organisers of conferences, community days, charity events, sports events and exhibitions list their opportunities and get them in front of brands looking for exactly that kind of commercial sponsorship. This page explains how to prepare, package and price your event so the right sponsor says yes.

How sponsorship for events works

Event sponsorship is a commercial arrangement in which a business pays money, or provides goods and services, in return for exposure and association with your event. The brand is buying access to your audience and a share of the goodwill people feel towards what you have organised. That means the strongest proposals talk less about what the event needs and more about what the sponsor will receive, such as visibility, hospitality, data, content or the chance to speak directly to a particular group of people.

Most sponsors also want to know that the event will be run well. A confident plan, a realistic attendance estimate and a clear record of past editions, if you have them, all reduce the perceived risk of saying yes. If your event is new, a detailed run sheet, a named organising team and a sensible promotion plan go a long way towards reassuring a first sponsor.

Events that attract sponsors

Almost any well organised event can find a sponsor if the audience is a good match for the brand. The key is to describe your attendees honestly and specifically, because a small, clearly defined crowd is often more valuable to a local business than a large, vague one. These are the event types we see organisers bring most often.

Conferences and business events, where sponsors want speaking slots, branded sessions, delegate lists that respect data protection rules and a presence in the networking areas.
Community events such as fairs, fun days and markets, which suit local businesses that want to be seen supporting the area their customers live in.
Charity events, from fun runs to gala dinners, where sponsors value the association with a good cause and often cover costs so more money reaches the charity.
Sports events and tournaments, which offer pitch side boards, kit and bib branding, prize sponsorship and plenty of photographs for social media.
Exhibitions and trade shows, where stands, branded lanyards, seminar areas and visitor guides give sponsors direct contact with buyers.

If you run a charity event, our guide to sponsorship for charity events covers the extra points around gift aid, trustees and keeping the cause front and centre.

What to include in an event sponsorship listing

A brand reading your listing should understand the opportunity within a minute and have everything it needs to make a decision within ten. Start with the basics of date, location, format and expected attendance, then describe who those attendees are in terms of age, interests, spending habits and where they come from.

Next, set out exactly what each sponsor receives, including logo placement, mentions from the stage, social media posts, email inclusion, sampling space, tickets and hospitality. Photographs and video from previous editions are particularly persuasive, since they show the atmosphere far better than words. Every Spontzer listing includes a detailed digital prospectus with room for multiple photos and video, so you can show the event rather than simply describe it.

Building event sponsorship packages

Tiered packages make it easy for businesses of different sizes to take part. A common approach is to offer a headline or title partner, a small number of supporting partners and a set of smaller options such as a stand, a programme advert or a single sponsored element like the water station or the awards. Each tier should feel clearly different in value, so a brand can see why paying more makes sense.

Exclusivity by category is one of the most valuable things you can offer, because a sponsor will pay more knowing its direct competitor is not also on the banner. Leave some room for a tailored package too, since the best partnerships often come from a brand suggesting an idea of its own. For worked examples of structures that hold together, read our guide to event sponsorship packages.

How to price sponsorship for an event

Pricing should start with what it costs you to deliver each benefit, from printing banners to giving away tickets, and then add the value of reaching your audience. Think about what a brand would otherwise spend to reach the same people through advertising or its own activity, and set your price with that comparison in mind.

Be prepared to accept part of a deal in kind, such as a caterer providing food or a printer covering your signage, as long as the value is agreed in writing. Avoid pricing so low that the partnership feels like a favour, because sponsors tend to value and promote what they have paid properly for. If you are unsure, Spontzer can offer guidance on structuring packages and help you think through what each tier is worth.

Timing and common mistakes

Many businesses set their marketing budgets months in advance, so the earlier you start the conversation the better your chances. For a large annual event, approaching sponsors well before the previous year has ended is sensible, while a smaller community event still benefits from several months of lead time. Leaving it until a few weeks before the date usually means you are asking for money that has already been allocated elsewhere.

The most common mistakes are sending the same generic pitch to every business, promising benefits you cannot deliver and forgetting to report back after the event. A short report with photographs, attendance figures and any social media results makes renewal far more likely. Our guide on how to get sponsors for your event walks through the full process from first contact to follow up.

How Spontzer helps event organisers

Spontzer is a sponsorship marketplace where rights holders list opportunities and brands browse those listings and contact organisers directly. We focus on grassroots, local and regional events that larger agencies tend to overlook, while still connecting organisers with brands locally, nationally and internationally. Every listing is reviewed before it goes live and is actively promoted to the Spontzer brand network.

Membership for rights holders costs £99 a month or £599 a year, and both include unlimited listings, so you can list every event in your calendar. The subscription is your only cost, because Spontzer takes no success fee or commission from organisers, and you receive the full agreed value of every deal. When a deal is agreed, the brand pays a 10% success fee on top, so a £5,000 sponsorship costs the brand £5,500 and your event still receives the full £5,000. You can see the full details on our pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get sponsorship for an event if it has never run before?

Focus on the audience you expect, the people behind the event and a clear plan for promoting it. Offer a first sponsor good value and some flexibility, and be honest that this is the first edition. A detailed listing with photos of the venue and a realistic attendance estimate helps a brand take the chance.

What do brands look for in event sponsorship?

Brands want an audience that matches their customers, clear benefits they can measure and confidence that the event will be well run. They also value exclusivity in their category and good content they can use afterwards. A post event report showing what was delivered is often the deciding factor in renewal.

Is this about commercial sponsorship or something else?

Spontzer deals only with commercial sponsorship, meaning brand partnerships where a business supports an event in return for exposure and association. It has nothing to do with employment or immigration sponsorship.

Can I list more than one event?

Yes. Both the monthly and annual rights holder memberships include unlimited listings, so you can list a conference, a charity dinner and a summer fun day under the same account. Each listing gets its own digital prospectus.

Do I pay a success fee when a deal is agreed?

No. Spontzer charges rights holders no success fee or commission, so your membership is your only cost and you receive the full agreed value of every deal. The brand pays a 10% success fee on top of the agreed price, and only when a deal is agreed through Spontzer.

List your event and reach brands

Create a listing with a full digital prospectus and have it promoted to brands looking for events to sponsor.

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