Conference Branding, Networking and Thought Leadership Packages
We offer a number of conference exhibition packages, ranging from deals giving you exclusive thought leadership, branding and speaking opportunities, through to cost effective exhibition stand and literature distribution options for smaller suppliers.
Suppliers are also welcome to come simply as a delegate, although you should be aware that special rates apply to suppliers – for more information see here.
The best option is to enjoy the benefits of a full exhibtion package. Elements within our conference sponsorship packages typically include:
- Thought-leadership speaking platforms and the opportunity to chair or lead workshop sessions
- Exhibition stands: ideal networking focal points.
- Insertion in high-quality conference documentation – a lasting reminder for delegates of who you are and what you do.
- Brochure branding – your logo on conference brochures.
- Web presence – you logo and a link on the conference homepage plus a profile on the website.
- Email branding – your logo and link on marketing emails – typically sent regularly throughout the marketing period to 70,000+ contacts.
- Free passes for your team and special guests.
- Reduced rate booking prices and special offers for your customers.
If you supply services related to the event topic, you won’t have to fight to distinguish yourself from the mass at a large exhibition (we typically have between five and ten exhibitors).
Nor you won’t have to talk to thousands of casual passers by before finding someone with a real interest in your products (our delegates pay to attend each event and therefore have a serious committment to resolving the issues around which the event is built).
In addition, Symposium can help suppliers and vendors reach a wide range of HR and related audiences – see our Services section for more information.
To find our more about any of our sponsorship packes or to book your place, please call William Porter on 020 7231 5100.
Benefits of Conference Sponsorship
Sponsorship packages work hard to support your marketing programme. Typically, sponsors receive the following benefits:
- Exhibiting helps you meet new potential customers and provides your organisation with a unique opportunity to enter into dialogue with decision makers. Each event is planned to give you lots of ‘quality time’ exposure to delegates – for example, typically your exhibition stand is located where delegates meet for tea, coffee and lunch.
- Build your brand – your logo will feature on printed mailings and regular marketing emails. In addition, logos and other information can be included in delegate packs and on the conference website.
- Demonstrate your expertise – we offer a strictly limited number of ‘Platform’ packages which include speaking and chairing opportunities.
- Events are an excellent opportunity for training your own staff.
- Media exposure generated by the event provides excellent public relations opportunities.
- By providing clients and potential clients with a valuable benefit – such as a guest place at an event you are sponsoring – you can enrich and deepen your existing customer relationships.
- Full contact details for delegates are provided after the event, enabling further follow up and sales activity.
For pricing information please email or call William Porter at wporter@symposium-events.co.uk or 020 7231 5100
Past Sponsors have included
To find our more about any of our sponsorship packes or to book your place, please call William Porter on 020 7231 5100.
Advertising Opportunities
A range of advertising and branding opportunities exist which can supplement and enhance sponsorship packages or be utilised as stand alone marketing vehicles.
Advertise in Conference Promotional Emails
Advertisments carried in conference emails can reach thousands of potential customers within a few hours.
Advertise in the Delegate Documentation
All delegates at our events receive copies of slides presentations and other information. Insertions in this documentation, or the distribution of material at the event, are a means of targeting our delegates via a medium that they value, retain and refer to after the event.
CD Documentation
CDs contain voice recordings of presentations, synchronised with Powerpoint slides. The CD can include your marketing materials, website etc. and is branded on the CD itself and packaging with your logo.
Bags & Folders etc.
Ideal for delegates to carry their documentation, lap tops etc. A range of bags and folders / note pads can be ordered with your logo and web details. Distribute a branded bag to each delegate, and insert your promotional literature.
To find our more about any of our sponsorship packes or to book your place, please call William Porter on 020 7231 5100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are our FAQ’s regarding Sponsoring an Event.
Why exhibit can’t I just attend as a delegate?
You are welcome to attend as a delegate but please be aware that you will be charged the premium Supplier Rate for more information on this see our Supplier Rate FAQ. The additional investment to upgrade from a Supplier Rate delegate price to an exhibition stand is not great and delivers much greater sales promotional and branding opportunities to suppliers.
To discuss your options further please call William Porter on 020 7231 5100.
How many customer leads can we expect to get from sponsoring a Symposium conference?
Naturally, we cannot guarantee delegate interest in your products or services. However, we generally get good feedback on the number and quality of the leads that our conferences generate. In part this is because the event provides day long access to people, ensuring plenty of time to create meaningful relationships. Exhibitor stands are normally in the refreshment area, providing a branded meeting point during breaks and most exhibitors sit in on the conference, sharing the delegate experience and participating in the discussions – a great way to meet people and promote your cause!
A typical response from a sponsor, Colin Whitehead, Sales Director at ICAS, is this: ‘We received a higher number of good quality sales leads at this one day symposium than at a recent three day staff benefits exhibition’.
How many people attend your events?
Delegate numbers vary widely over different conferences and it is impossible, in advance, to predict exactly how many people an event will draw. To give you an idea of what to expect, our average event books between 70 and 120 paying delegates.
What is special about your conferences?
Our events provide companies excellent targeting opportunities, as delegates are typically facing immediate challenges relating to the specific topic of the event. As we have over 40 events per year, you can select programmes that closely relate to the concerns and needs of your customers.
Which sectors are delegates drawn from?
This very much depends on the topic of the conferences. Overall our conferences attract an even split from the private and public sectors with a few delegates from charities and not-for-profit organisations. A rough guide would be 45% private sector, 45% public sector and 10% charity.
Can sponsors speak at the events?
This depends on the sponsorship package that has been agreed on. A ‘Speaker’ or ‘Platform’ Package includes a speaking slot for a representative of your organisation to talk on the issues involved with the conference. This can raise awareness of your brand among delegates and recipients of marketing material and position your organisation as a thought-leader. Our delegates are always interested to hear first hand experiences from people facing the same challenges and in the same roles as they are – so case studies where your clients are the speakers can be particularly effective.
What marketing exposure do you provide for sponsors?
Again, this depends on the sponsor package you opt for. We can provide, on top of the speaking platform and/or exhibition stand on the day, prominent branding opportunities as a part of the direct marketing campaign. Your logo can be placed on the conference brochures that are mailed, typically, to between 20,000 and 40,000 people twice. Branding opportunities are also available as a part of our marketing emails. All sponsor information is also publicised on the, much read, conference pages of our website and contact details and a profile are usually included in the delegate documentation, which is kept and referred to by delegates following the event.
Can we choose the location and the size of our exhibition stand?
We always try to maximise the time the delegates spend in the exhibition area. Stands are, therefore, usually placed where the delegates break for coffee, lunch and networking opportunities. Occasionally this does mean we have limitation on space and flexibility, but we always try to accommodate exhibitor preferences. We generally limit the number of exhibitors in order to try to give each company plenty of time with the delegates.
Do you provide a full list of delegate contact details after your events?
If agreed in your contract, sponsors may be provided with the contact details of delegates. This means if you miss talking to anyone, or your conversations are cut short, you can get in touch later. We state clearly in our Terms and Conditions for delegates that their information may be passed to sponsors and other organisations directly involved in the event, so there are no data protection issues preventing us from passing on contact details to paying sponsors.
Do sponsors receive reduced client places at events?
Sponsorship packages generally include a number of free places for members of your team or for customers. Some sponsors like to use events as opportunities to entertain and network with clients and we are happy to discuss discounts for block bookings and mutual marketing activities to enhance events.
Can we have exclusivity for an event? We don’t want our competitors there!
We are happy to discuss event exclusivity with sponsors. This gives you a head start on your competitors and we have had feedback that this makes a refreshing change from larger exhibitions, where there can be many stands clamouring for the attention of the few decision makers.
Is there a discount if multiple events are sponsored?
We do provide discounts to companies who sponsor more than one event.
What are the objectives of sponsors at your events?
Our sponsors have a variety of objectives when they choose to sponsor an event:
- To raise brand awareness
- To position themselves as thought-leaders
- To increase sales or find new prospects
- To improve business relations (networking)
- To test market a product
- To focus the agenda of their industry in a particular direction
- As a part of their client entertainment
- To generate publicity
To find our more about any of our sponsorship packes or to book your place, please call William Porter on 020 7231 5100.
Contact
Contact: William Porter
Phone: 020 7231 5100
Fax: 020 7231 5227
Post:
Symposium Events Ltd
Suite 5
No. 1 Mill Street
London
SE1 2DF
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