Bonding over Code - Sponsoring Coding Events

This past weekend, I was involved with the International Space Apps Challenge here in the Cleveland area.  While talking with my fellow organizers, I realized that they didn't have sponsors for some aspects of the event, mostly due to lack of attention.  This had me thinking.

Why should a company sponsor an event?

By sponsoring an event or a facet of an event, your company name is exposed to the community that is attending the event and the audience of the event, even those checking out the event's website with little intent of attending.  Most events will post their sponsors' logos and link to their websites, which will generate more visibility for you.  Some events will have you send swag or set up a booth, which means generating more visibility of your company and your brand(s).

What kind of sponsorships are out there?

There are financial sponsorships - where events need funds to help cover costs of operations.  These costs could include venue fees, meals, speaker fees, mailing fees, conference materials (programs, lanyards, swag) and other costs that make the event happen.

Some events - especially user groups and smaller, grassroots events - also have in-kind sponsorships - where you provide something in exchange for your recognition.  Examples of these include providing a venue for a meeting or providing some type of service for an event (such as photography, videography, or media coverage).

How do I identify where sponsorships are needed?

A simple search of tech conferences in {your city} or user groups in {your city} is a good start.  You could also find groups at Meetup.com.

Common events that could benefit from sponsorships include:

• Hackathons
• User groups
• Code camps
• Conferences

If you are in the Cleveland area and are looking for tech groups or conferences to sponsor, you can also contact me at sarah@cletechconsulting.com. As the owner of Cleveland Tech Events, I track over 60 different technical groups in the Cleveland and Akron areas.  Knowing each of the groups and what they do, I can match you with the right group.