Food truck events provide a great opportunity to introduce your community to the mobile food industry as well as bring in funds for charitable organizations.  However, organizing an food truck event also costs money to produce, as well as resources to manage all the details.   To help offset these costs, you may want to consider soliciting event sponsors.

Finding Event Sponsors For A Food Truck Event

There are two major forms of sponsorship event organizers can use:

Business Sponsorship. Local businesses often look for opportunities to give-back to their community.  The great thing about these event sponsorships is that not only do companies receive tax benefits (as their sponsorship fee is considered a donation), but they also receive exposure through presence at the event.

This allows them to reach out to new potential customers, and receive free publicity through media coverage.  Sponsoring an event also gives employers an opportunity to engage employees and business partners in a social setting outside of the workplace, while encouraging teamwork and goodwill.

Media Sponsorship. Another integral part of creating the right kind of exposure for your food truck event is through the use of media. This use of media as a medium for event dissemination is called media sponsorship. The challenge of setting up and publicizing your event are what organizers always face. With limited budgets, the reality of buying airtime can exhaust your resources.

It is through media sponsorship that your event gains the opportunity to get aired through media forms. This kind of support allows for stretching your marketing budget, print placement and more commercial airing coverage. Most often, media sponsorship is applied through the following – radio, print, television, outdoor advertising and now social media/Internet advertising.

How to Land Food Truck Event Sponsors

Remember that each form of sponsorship has its own goals – the media and local businesses will use sponsorship for their own gain. They both realize that their participation in event earns them a good image/reputation in the community. This is a win/win situation. While the sponsor is helping you, they also recognize that the more successful your event is, the more publicity they will receive as your sponsor.

The advantages for you will be numerous. Media sponsorship helps save money for your business since advertising will be taken care of through radio, television or print. This will also give your event more credibility since it is sponsored with a public organization. People will come to associate one with the other…another reason to choose your sponsor carefully.

RELATED: Boost Your Food Truck Event Sales Through Facebook

What Can You Offer Food Truck Event Sponsors?

In return for sponsoring your event, local business and organizations will most likely be looking for ways to increase their exposure within the community. Use these ideas to help you promote your sponsor’s involvement.

  1. Print sponsor names on all clothing and promotional materials.
  2. Print sponsor names on invitations and event materials. You can use a self inking stamp to save on printing costs.
  3. Include displays encouraging attendees to support or frequent the sponsor’s business.
  4. Print sponsor logos on banners and signs.
  5. Set up tables for sponsor product samples/materials at your event.
  6. Give the sponsor the opportunity to distribute coupons for products.
  7. Distribute sponsor advertising materials to participants as inserts in programs or newsletters.
  8. Display sponsor logos on your organization’s website and add a link from your organization’s Web pages to sponsor websites.
  9. Include photos of participants, staff, etc. wearing sponsor logos in media packets.
  10. Display a poster or flier about the event with sponsor logos on bulletin boards in your organization’s entry way or offices.
  11. Print sponsor logos on event giveaways such as cups, medals and ribbons—or let the company produce them and hand them out.
  12. Print sponsor logos on name badges.
  13. Promote sponsor names and products on the PA system during the event.
  14. Lend sponsors use of event photos for their own publications and promotions.
  15. Include sponsor names or logos in your organization’s newsletter article about the event.
  16. Set sponsorship levels whereby sponsors at higher levels have additional, distinct benefits and visibility.
  17. Develop an award ceremony as part of your event and honor sponsors for their leadership. Issue a press release about the award and be sure to send a picture of the company rep receiving the award to your local papers.
  18. Acknowledge the sponsors in all media materials—like media advisory and press releases—about the event.
  19. Develop a way for the sponsor’s product to be used at your event.
  20. Give sponsor products, coupons or discounts away as a door prize to give the sponsor exposure in the community.

The Bottom Line

Nurturing a relationship with event sponsors is an on-going process. Even though it takes time the payoffs are huge. Once you establish a strong rapport, you have a company that will have your back for future food truck events. A healthy sponsor relationship is also a win-win situation where both sides get out of it what they put in.

Do you have any additional advice for promoters starting a food truck event and looking for event sponsorship? Share your ideas in the comment section below or on social media. Facebook | Twitter