This past year and a half have shown that virtual events are here to stay. As economies reactivate, we might see a renewed interest in in-person and hybrid events, but virtuality has proven a capacity to adapt and an ability to reach a public scattered all over the globe that is extremely hard to beat. Hence, as the world of virtual events will continue developing, it is on us to keep looking for exciting and creative ways to attract sponsors and attendees. Here are five ideas you might want to try.

Before the event

1.     Include branding on the registration pages

In the same way you see the sponsors’ logos on the players’ t-shirts when you buy tickets for a NBA game, you can include your sponsors’ branding in the landing or registration page for your virtual event. 

Make sure you keep a smart balance between displaying the sponsors’ logos and still making it clear that you are organizing the event. 

Back to our NBA example, when you are about to buy a ticket for a game, Nike’s logo is clearly visible, but there is no doubt it is a NBA game, not a Nike’s event.

2.     Develop an expectation campaign about your sponsor during the pre-event communications

This option is a perfect idea if your sponsor is about to launch a new product or is looking to build brand awareness in a new market. 

Due to the synergy between your sponsor and your brand, there is a good chance that your audience is going to be interested in your sponsor’s products or services. So, why not include some mystery and anticipation in your communications strategy to build more interest in who is going to sponsor the event? 

3.     Send branded swag to the attendees

If you collected the attendees’ addresses during the registration, you can send them branded goodies and even use elements such as QR codes that lead to augmented reality experiences or encourage the sponsors to include items they will use during the event. 

For example, let’s imagine you are organizing a cuisine virtual event, and one of your sponsors is a winemaker. In that case, the QR could lead to the augmented reality experience of one of their vineyards, and the box of goodies could include a bottle of wine that is going to be part of a wine-tasting experience during the event. 

During the event

4.     Make a virtual scavenger hunt

Since you are using a virtual event platform that includes a complete virtual trade show, you could hide around the platform elements related to one of your sponsors. This way, you would encourage attendees to go through the whole trade show looking for clues until they find the treasure. 

The clues could guide them to the sponsor’s sessions and resources, and the treasure could be a big discount coupon or a free product. 

Of course, this is an idea you might want to use with higher-tier sponsors.

After the event 

5.     Send a digital event giftbox

This is not the digital version of the third point as it has an entirely different structure and effect. While the physical swag builds expectancy for the event, the digital event giftbox helps you stay longer in the attendees’ minds or even remind them of the sessions they missed, and now they can watch as on-demand. 

The digital event giftbox can include coupons, free demos, downloadable pieces, videos, podcasts, you name it. 

Additionally, because of its digital nature, it provides data you will report back to the sponsors, and it can be one extra opportunity for them to generate leads.

The world of virtual events still has a long way to go, and we have a lot to learn. Having a virtual event doesn’t mean the audience will be less excited or build a weaker emotional bond with the event and the brands. All it takes is a pinch of creativity and attention to the small details that make us smile.