Ensure that the entire sponsor application process is as efficient and smooth as possible by following our best practices. This article details our suggestions regarding setup of application and registration forms, as well as structuring of pricing groups and passes for sponsor representatives.
This article outlines how to use the Sponsor Workflows, Sponsor Levels and Profiles, Passes/Price Groups/Registration Codes, and Registration for managing a complete Sponsor lifecycle.
1. Define your event’s available sponsor levels
Typically, sponsorship deals are sold through packages. These packages are set at different price points, with the price of the sponsorship package proportional to what is included. In the Attendease platform, these are described as sponsor levels. Enter the sponsorship levels that will be available for your event on the Sponsors screen, under the Event tab.
2. Configuring Passes, Pricing groups and Codes
Once a sponsor application has been approved you will want to receive payment and allow the sponsor to register the attendees with their included passes.
Pricing groups when an event sponsorship is handled through Attendease
Typically, sponsorship packages will include at least one pass for sponsor representatives - and usually include more than one for higher levels. If managing event sponsorships via Attendease, we recommend you to set up the following configurations:
On the Registration tab you can add new passes by clicking the Passes menu item. Add a pass for sponsors, called e.g. “Sponsor” or “Sponsor Pass”
For each sponsor level of your event, create a Pricing Group for that level and associate it to the Sponsor Pass. As an example, if your sponsor levels are “Platinum”, “Gold”, “Silver”, and “Bronze”, create a Pricing Group for each of these levels. Add an additional Pricing Group named e.g. “Sponsors - Free passes”.
For each company that you intend to approve as a sponsor, add a unique registration/promo code in the Pricing Group of their selected sponsor level. The format of this code should be
LEVELcompanynamePAIDand the capacity should be set to 1. This code will be sent to the sponsor representative to pay for the sponsorship and register for their pass.In the Pricing Group that was named “Sponsors - Free passes” add a unique registration/promo code with the format
LEVELcompanynameFREE. Set the capacity as n—where n is the number of passes included for that sponsor level.When the approval email is sent to the sponsor include the
LEVELcompanynamePAIDcode, so the representative can complete the transaction. You may decide to include both codes immediately, or you may decide to send the code for the “free” passes only once the sponsorship invoice has been paid.
Pricing groups when an event sponsorship is handled outside of Attendease
If sponsorship transactions are handled outside of Attendease the process will look slightly different. When you approve a sponsorship application, you must reach out to the sponsor representative separately to complete the transaction.
On the Registration tab you can add new passes by clicking the Passes menu item. Add a pass for sponsors, called e.g. “Sponsor” or “Sponsor Pass”
For each sponsor level, create a corresponding pricing group and for each approved sponsor for that level add a unique registration code.
Since the sponsorship transaction is handled outside the Attendease platform, the cost for all the included passes can be set as free. Once the transaction is completed via your selected method, send the sponsor their unique registration code, e.g.
LEVELcompanyname, so they can register attending sponsor representatives.
3. Setting up the registration form
When configuring registration forms, it is generally best practice to utilize the additional forms function. For the vast majority of events, we strongly recommend making no alterations to the default form. For questions that are pertinent to only a specific group - such as attendees, speakers, sponsors, or exhibitors - we suggest you use the “Add Forms” option to create a form specific to each of these groups. This will include the default fields, plus the questions on the form assigned to a particular group, such as Sponsors.
Once you have configured the pricing groups—as described above—ensure that the correct registration form is enabled for that particular pricing group.
4. Configuring the sponsor application form
While each event has unique needs, there are some questions that are more common. Although it is not mandated, we suggest that you add a drop-down question (Select List) so the applicant can choose what Sponsor Level or package they want to apply for. This way, once an application has been approved, you and your event team know what package you are approving and can ensure that the applicant receives the right codes for payment and registration of additional attendees—if included in the package. Additionally, this will allow you to immediately assign their sponsor profile to the correct Sponsor Level. Click here to learn more about creating sponsor application forms.
Once approved, your sponsors will be added to the approved Sponsors List and once published, their profiles will automatically be updated on your public-facing event website.
5. Share your sponsor packages on your event website
We recommend that you create a page on your event website that details all sponsorship options. This way, when a prospective sponsor applies to sponsor your event, they know what the available options are.
6. Invite and approve sponsor applicants
Once you have completed the above steps, as well as properly set up the Sponsors Workflow, you are ready to invite, receive, and review sponsor applicants.