Not every sponsor is a good fit for every event. The most successful sponsorships happen when there’s alignment between your event’s purpose and a sponsor’s goals, between your attendees and their target audience, and between the value you can deliver and what they’re seeking.
For virtual events, this alignment matters even more. With the competition for attention online, sponsors want clear ROI, measurable engagement, and access to audiences that matter to them. So how do you make sure you’re connecting with the right sponsors and building long-term partnerships?
Here are five proven strategies.
1. Know Your Virtual Event Inside and Out
Before you start sending proposals, you need a deep understanding of your own event. Sponsors will want to know exactly what they’re signing up for, and you’ll need to show them why it’s worth the investment. Ask yourself:
- What type of virtual event are you hosting—webinar, summit, product launch, or virtual conference?
- What is your vision, and what outcomes do you want for attendees?
- Who is your target audience, and what makes them valuable to sponsors?
- How is your event different from others covering the same theme?
If you run recurring online events—say, a quarterly webinar series or an annual digital conference—make sure to highlight that. Consistency signals to sponsors that their investment could deliver not just one-time exposure, but ongoing opportunities to connect with your audience. That kind of repeatable ROI is very appealing to brands.
2. Understand Sponsors’ Needs
Sponsorship isn’t charity; it’s a business investment. To land the right sponsors, you need to show that your virtual event helps solve their challenges or supports their growth. Here are a few reasons why businesses sponsor virtual events:
- Boosted digital visibility: Virtual events generate a steady stream of social content through hashtags, speaker mentions, live posts, and recordings. Every piece of content gives sponsors valuable exposure in front of an engaged audience.
- Lead generation opportunities: For many companies, the top reason to sponsor is access to new leads. A well-targeted virtual event can connect sponsors directly with potential buyers, helping them expand their sales pipeline.
- Access to niche demographics: Virtual events are often highly specialized. If your attendees align with a sponsor’s target demographic, whether that’s IT leaders, educators, or healthcare professionals, you’ve got a strong selling point.
- Thought leadership positioning: Sponsors often want more than logos. They want to share insights, host sessions, or contribute to panel discussions to establish themselves as experts.
By understanding these motivators, you can tailor your sponsorship packages to highlight the exact value each brand will get from your event.
3. Focus on the Right Partners
One of the biggest mistakes organizers make is reaching out to too many companies. Instead, focus on quality over quantity. A handful of aligned sponsors will bring more value than dozens of mismatched ones. For example, imagine you’re hosting a virtual summit on remote work. A productivity software company, a team collaboration tool, or even a furniture brand promoting ergonomic setups would be great fits. On the other hand, reaching out to a fashion retailer might not resonate with your audience or theirs.
When your sponsors’ offerings align naturally with your attendees’ interests, both sides benefit. The sponsor connects with potential customers, and your event feels more relevant and valuable to participants.
4. Leverage Online Tools to Find Sponsors
The digital world makes it easier than ever to connect with potential sponsors. Several platforms exist specifically to match event organizers with brands looking for sponsorship opportunities.
A few to consider:
- SponsorMyEvent and SponsorPitch: Marketplaces where you can showcase your virtual event and connect with sponsors based on fit.
- Sponseasy: Helps you build professional sponsorship proposals quickly and effectively.
These platforms save time, provide access to a wider network of companies, and make it easier to demonstrate your event’s value. Beyond that, don’t overlook LinkedIn—it’s one of the most powerful tools for identifying decision-makers at target companies.
5. Learn From Competitor Events
One of the smartest shortcuts is to see who’s already sponsoring events like yours. Look at past virtual events in your industry and check their sponsor pages. If a company supported a similar event, chances are they’ll be open to supporting yours too.
For example, if you’re organizing a virtual edtech conference, research other education-focused digital events. Which software companies, publishers, or learning platforms were listed as sponsors? Add them to your outreach list. Sponsors who already understand the value of virtual events are often easier to convince because they’re familiar with the ROI.
Building Toward Stronger Partnerships
Finding the right sponsors for a virtual event isn’t just about filling a budget gap. It’s about creating strategic partnerships that benefit both sides. By knowing your event, understanding sponsor needs, focusing on alignment, using online tools, and researching similar events, you’ll build sponsorships that last beyond a single event.
Up next in this series, we’ll dive into proven strategies to help you ace your sponsorship pitches and secure the right partners.