GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales Released to Help Clients Optimize Sponsorships

April 25, 2018

An event provides one of the most powerful opportunities for sponsors to get their brand and message out in a face-to-face environment. For event organizers, sponsorships can help offset costs, increase revenue, enhance the attendee experience and strengthen partnerships. 

To help clients increase the value, efficiency and impact of their live events, GES has launched GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales. Announced on Apr. 10, the new program enhances the company’s sponsorship program offerings. 

“We’ve blended decades of experience in live event marketing and domain knowledge with the largest sponsorship database in the industry,” said GES EVP of strategy, David Saef. 

He added, “Our focus is to help our clients drive revenue and improve efficiencies through sponsorship optimization.” 

GES’ standard sponsorship services – GES Sponsorship Platform, a database of more than 20,000 sponsorships and Sponsorship 2020 workshops – are included in the new program. 

The expanded service offers consultation, sales execution and services, including measurement and reporting, to help clients increase attendance, drive revenue and improve efficiencies through sponsorship optimization.

GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales adds:

  • Program assessment and strategy development
  • Full sponsorship sales services, including operations, invoicing and collections
  • Design and development of sales assets
  • Ability to sell, track, and report progress to goals
  • Development of distinct activations
  • Utilization of industry-leading tools to manage sales

GES has also hired industry veteran Andy Herman as vice president of sponsorship strategy and sales. Herman has more than 25 years of expertise developing and selling high-value sponsorship programs and a thorough knowledge of all aspects of exhibitions and event sponsorship. Prior to joining GES, he led sponsorship sales at Jack Morton Worldwide.

Herman explained that GES’ sponsorship programs can help clients effectively acquire and manage the right sponsors to drive event growth.

“GES’ industry-leading database of more than 20,000 sponsorships and our Sponsorship 2020 workshops helped event professionals get more out of their sponsorships,” Herman said. 

He continued, “With the launch of GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales, we are enhancing our end-to-end solutions. We can now provide a comprehensive range of event services with the ultimate goal of optimizing sponsorship revenue and improving efficiencies for our clients.” 

GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales is designed to act as an extension of show organizers, brand marketers and event planning teams, and can scale from simply offering strategy or sales to providing full end-to-end event services and production. 

“Global brands and industry associations turn to GES for sound advice and trends on sponsorships,” said Wendy Gibson, EVP of global marketing for GES. 

She added, “GES has the experience, processes and proven strategies to optimize sponsorship programs and a full suite of strategic and tactical services designed to increase attendance and drive revenue from sponsorships.” 

For more information on GES Sponsorship Strategy & Sales, go HERE

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.