The Benefits of Event Sponsorship at Future Branches Austin
At first glance, event sponsorship might not seem like a logical investment, especially with so much attention being paid to digital marketing. But marketing experts recommend event sponsorship as a key part of a comprehensive marketing strategy for a few key reasons.
Event sponsorship is an affordable way to get your business in front of the right people at the right time. It’s also an ideal solution to enhance brand recognition, not to mention the overall prestige and presence of your products and services.
Here’s why sponsoring the Future Branches Austin event by Worldwide Business Research (WBR) might be a good move for your marketing strategy.
Why Future Branches Austin Sponsorship is a Good Idea
Event sponsorship amounts to much more than simply having your logo in the event space. Event sponsorship is a proactive form of marketing that can help you start meaningful conversations with potential customers.
Here are the main reasons why companies sponsor Future Branches events.
High Quality Leads
It’s every company’s dream to land big clients.
One of the main reasons why companies sponsor Future Branches events is that they can get in front of senior level decision makers of their target companies. These are individuals who otherwise would be difficult to get in touch with through other means of contact, such as through email and social media outreach. These leaders are almost always busy or guarded by gatekeepers.
But when it comes to events, you can connect with them directly. It’s a far more effective means of networking than cold outreach.
"Future Branches was the best banking conference I’ve attended in the past 10 years. We created three times more leads than at any other conference we’ve exhibited at."
—Jim Schneider, President, Schneider Sales Management
A Built-In Audience
It can be hard to stand out, even if you have an excellent marketing department. Sponsoring an event solves that problem. Taking advantage of other event sponsorship options, such as hosting functions and producing high-quality content, can give you an even greater edge at the event.
One of the reasons why people attend events is to find solution providers they can partner with. Companies that stand out through sponsorship are more likely to be top of mind since they have a stronger presence.
Even the most basic sponsorship options, such as posting your logo at the event, can lead to significant brand recognition among attendees. WBR’s internal analyses have found that many companies believe simply having their logo present at the event provides significant, and tangible, business benefits.
Positive Association
They say marketing is a game of perception, and to a certain extent, it’s true. Building trust takes time, and it requires your organizations to take specific actions that show you’re a member of the business community in good standing.
If you sponsor a well-known, reputable event, people will be more likely to view your company trustworthy. After all, you’ll be in good company. Future Branches Austin has speakers and other sponsors from many of the most respected banking brands in the world.
Engage with Target Customers
During events, networking is bound to happen, and many great things can come out of one simple interaction. With the additional recognition that comes from being a sponsor, attendees are more likely to start a conversation with you, especially if you’re exhibiting.
These conversations are not only an opportunity to form potential partnerships, but also an opportunity to pick their brains and gain insights on your market. You might learn about innovative solutions to common industry challenges, new trends, or other information that’ll lead to either a shift in a current business strategy or a new product idea.
Event Sponsorship Options
No matter which event you choose to sponsor, your options are typically broken down into several main categories. Here are the event sponsorship options you should consider.
Speaking Engagements
In a speaking engagement, you or someone representing your organization either gives a presentation or leads a discussion on an important industry topic. Usually, speaking opportunities range from keynotes to track presentations, case studies, panel discussions, and roundtables.
These opportunities are one the best ways to position yourself as an expert and a thought leader. They also give you even more opportunities to network and get your brand in front of potential clients and customers.
"Future Branches put us at the center of conversations, and allowed us to continue to be thought leaders, ultimately adding to our credibility."
—Linda Bennett, Marketing Director, Adrenaline
Hosting Functions
Hosting functions is arguably one of the most effective ways to generate leads and build your network. It also happens to be one of the most enjoyable sponsorship options.
Depending on how the conference’s agenda is set up, you may have the option to host the main conference receptions, such as wine tastings, cocktail hours, or even block parties. These functions are great opportunities to impress potential leads, and they are often the best way to meet new people and expand your network.
Depending on the agenda, you may also be able to host private receptions. These include events like private breakfasts, luncheons, and more. You can choose to invite your ideal customers and connect with them with minimal distractions.
Branding
Depending on the event and how creative the sponsorship team is, there are many branding options to take advantage of to make your company stand out from the crowd.
Typically, there are physical branding options in which you can place your company’s logos around high traffic areas. These may include registration areas, lanyard stations, phone charging areas, or the front desk of the hotel.
There are also digital branding options in which you can display your company’s logo on the event website, mobile app, and even the venue’s Wi-Fi network.
Thought Leadership Content
Many of the companies that invest in event sponsorships with WBR also produce reports and whitepapers to use for lead-gen and thought leadership. Worldwide Business Research provides this service in conjunction with producing live events.
With these reports, companies gain a permanent asset that will elevate their thought leadership status, enhance their existing lead generation strategy, and improve reputation by being associated with an established brand.
Exhibition
Usually, exhibition is a category separate from sponsorship, but it’s similar in the sense that companies gain high visibility at a conference by having a booth at an expo hall to showcase their products and services. Oftentimes, companies exhibit and sponsor at the same time. Then, they’d use the brand awareness gained from sponsorship to help drive traffic to their booths.
While companies gain some of the same benefits from exhibiting as sponsoring, there are some unique benefits that your company can gain from exhibiting.
For example, while sponsorship is more about brand visibility and image placement, exhibiting allows for more face-to-face interactions with your target customers throughout the entirety of the event. This will save you time from otherwise trying to reach them through email or through phone calls that’ll most likely be picked up by a gatekeeper.
Exhibiting also allows you to physically showcase your company’s products and services, which isn’t possible to do through sponsorship. This is especially great if you’re launching a new product or service.
You can give demos and capture information of the people who shows interest. The best part is the people who’ll be visiting your booth will most likely be relevant to you since you’re at an event within your industry.
Future Branches Austin
If you’re looking for an opportunity to get your products or services on the radar of the largest banks and credit unions, then consider exploring sponsorship and exhibition options at Future Branches Austin. It’s one of the leading events in retail banking and financial services.
You can meet over 500 VPs and Directors who are actively looking to partner with new solution providers. In fact, 68% of attendees surveyed were looking to invest in new products and services over the next 12 months during the last event.
Companies like Wells Fargo, Capital One, JP Morgan Chase attended with renowned speakers sharing their expertise like:
- Peter Bergman, Head of College & Starter Segment, Consumer Bank, JP Morgan Chase
- Art Stevens, President, Retail Bank, Trustmark Bank
- Karlene Gordon, SVP, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Ameris Bank
- Michelle Drager, Senior Vice President and Director of Talent Development, Columbia Bank
If you’re interested in getting your company in front of this audience, check out Future Branches Austin’s event sponsorship opportunities.