Event sponsorship can be a significant investment for law firms, but without a strategic plan, it’s easy to miss opportunities. Sponsorship isn’t just about getting your firm’s logo seen—it’s an opportunity to connect with the right people, build relationships, and generate measurable business results. By taking a strategic approach to both business development (BD) and marketing, your firm can maximize the return on its event sponsorship investments.
So, how do you ensure that your sponsorship investment translates into tangible value for your firm? It starts with having a clear plan—and executing it effectively.
Event Sponsorship Is More Than Just Marketing—It’s Business Development
Too often, firms treat event sponsorship as a passive marketing exercise. They attend, their logo is displayed, but that’s where the effort ends. To generate positive ROI, sponsorship must be seen as a business development opportunity. This means being intentional about who you connect with and how you follow up after the event.
Here’s how to take a BD-focused approach to event sponsorship:
- Identify Key Contacts in Advance
Before the event, make sure your team has a clear plan of who you want to connect with. Whether it’s current clients, prospects, or potential referral sources, identifying the right people in advance is key. Research the event’s attendee list and prioritize contacts that can offer the most value to your firm.
2. Make Meaningful Connections
At the event, don’t just hand out business cards and hope for the best. Instead, engage in meaningful conversations. Focus on understanding attendees’ business needs and how your firm can help solve their challenges. Every interaction should be strategic, with the goal of laying the groundwork for future business opportunities.
3. Follow Up Strategically
After the event, the work doesn’t stop. Following up is crucial to ensure that the connections you made turn into actual opportunities. Craft personalized follow-ups that reference your conversations, offer value, and provide a clear reason to stay in touch. Whether it’s setting up a meeting or sending helpful resources, follow-ups should be timely and relevant to keep the momentum going.
3. Spinning Your Sponsorship: Leveraging Marketing for Maximum Impact
While business development focuses on building relationships, the marketing side ensures your sponsorship reaches a wider audience and delivers measurable impact. The more visibility you generate, the greater your potential return on investment. Here are key strategies to spin your sponsorship for maximum ROI:
- Promote Your Involvement Before, During, and After the Event
Don’t wait for the event to start promoting your sponsorship. Use your firm’s social media platforms, newsletters, and website to announce that you’ll be sponsoring. This creates buzz and raises awareness before the event even begins.
During the event, leverage live posts, photos, and videos on your social media channels. Highlight key moments, speakers, and any activities your firm is involved in. After the event, continue to share insights, takeaways, and reflections. This keeps your sponsorship in the spotlight and showcases your firm’s active role.
- Repurpose Event Content
Most events feature speakers, panel discussions, and breakout sessions offering valuable insights. Use this content as part of your marketing strategy. Repurpose these takeaways into blog posts, thought leadership pieces, or client alerts. This extends the value of your sponsorship beyond the event and positions your firm as an industry thought leader.
- Leverage Visual Branding
Ensure your firm’s branding is consistent and professional across all event-related materials. Whether it’s digital banners, event programs, or physical displays, your logo and messaging should be prominent and cohesive.
The Key to Positive ROI: Combining Business Development and Marketing
Event sponsorship offers the best returns when business development and marketing work hand-in-hand. Your BD team should be focused on building relationships and following up with key contacts, while your marketing team amplifies the event’s impact by promoting your firm’s presence, repurposing content, and maintaining visibility long after the event ends.
How Autem Helps Firms Maximize Sponsorship ROI
At autem, we help law firms turn sponsorship opportunities into measurable returns by combining strategic business development with impactful marketing efforts. We ensure that your firm connects with the right people and maximizes visibility at every stage of the sponsorship process.
- Strategic BD Planning for Events
We work with your team to create a targeted BD plan for event sponsorships. This includes identifying key contacts, setting objectives for the event, and ensuring that meaningful follow-ups convert connections into clients. - Maximizing Marketing Impact
Autem helps you leverage your sponsorship by promoting your involvement before, during, and after the event. We ensure your branding is consistent and that event content is repurposed to extend its impact. - Post-Event Relationship Management
After the event, autem assists with follow-up strategies, ensuring that your new connections are nurtured and developed into potential clients. We help you maintain momentum and turn networking into results.
If you’re ready to turn your next event sponsorship into measurable success, contact Autem today.
