At large events, sponsors often need to fight for attendees’ attention in a crowd of hundreds of competing sponsors in the exhibit hall. In contrast, at a much smaller event, they might be one of just five sponsors. More organizations are realizing the particular value of small events and re-evaluating their event participation strategies.
RainFocus’ benchmark data shows a 27.26% increase in exhibitor participation at events with fewer than 1,000 attendees, while larger events have seen an 11.3% decline in the number of sponsors. If you’re building your sponsorship pitch for a small event, here’s how to make the most of that momentum.
Present Lower Competition As a Strategic Advantage
At a major conference, even a well-resourced sponsor can get lost in the crowds. At a small event, they have more room to show up, stand out, and build genuine relationships with exactly the people they’re trying to reach. When you help sponsors understand that the smaller audience can be an advantage, not a limitation, the conversation changes.
Rework Your Agenda to Encourage Networking
Event sponsors want direct access to the right people in a setting where real conversations can happen. Small events are well-positioned to deliver more opportunities for those conversations. With a tighter attendee list, every networking moment carries more weight. Building your agenda to maximize networking time creates even more value. At dedicated roundtables, structured one-on-one formats, and topic-led group sessions, sponsors can connect with their ideal customers beyond the booth.
Pitch Gamification As Guaranteed Engagement
Gamification is a reliable way to encourage more connections between attendees and sponsors. Challenges and rewards that encourage attendees to speak with sponsors increase the potential value each sponsor can receive at a small event. In our surveys, attendees have reported that gamification motivated them to spend more time with sponsors.
Set Your Sponsors Up to Succeed
Exhibitors need to arrive with a plan to get the most out of any event, and the impact is multiplied at a small event. Encourage your sponsors to review the attendee list, identify their ideal prospects, and build personalized approaches before the event begins. They may even want to stand out with additional outreach, such as through personalized mail or other items sent to attendees. The more you support sponsors in preparing for the event, the stronger their results will be — and the more they’ll be able to make the case to return the following year.
Offer Extra Value
“Think about how you can provide your sponsors value in ways that go beyond the show floor,” said Adam Parry, co-founder of Event Tech Live, during a recent Event Perspectives interview with Rodney Hart, head of events at RainFocus. “Hosting a dinner is a great example.”
Events like a hosted dinner or cocktail party give sponsors more value beyond the standard agenda through time to continue building relationships with attendees in a more casual setting. With these opportunities built into your sponsorship packages, sponsors will be more likely to invest more deeply in your event and your attendee community.
Ready to build a sponsorship strategy around your smaller events? Start with the RainFocus Base Module. Learn more here.
