Articles

Meta Ads in 2026: 6 Shifts Event Marketers Can’t Ignore

Rebecca Bender — Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:01 GMT

Meta’s ad platform is evolving fast, and most of that evolution is being driven by online shopping. Automation, creative tools, and optimization systems are largely built for products that are always available and easy to promote at scale.

Live events don’t work that way.

Events are time-bound. Creative is artist-driven. Revenue depends on urgency. As Meta automates more, old habits like manual targeting and endless tweaks lose impact. Success now depends on adapting to how the platform works today.

Here are 6 shifts event marketers can’t ignore if they want Meta ads to drive ticket sales in 2026.

1. Meta’s Ad Automation Is Built for E-Commerce, Signals Make It Work for Events

Meta is putting more responsibility on automated campaigns, including tools like Advantage+. These are designed around products, pricing, and ads that can change constantly.

For events, automation still works, but only when it’s fed clear, event-specific signals because unlike ecommerce, demand isn’t always-on. Meta’s system needs real indicators of when interest is building and who is most likely to act within a short window. Without those signals, it struggles to distinguish casual interest from real purchase intent.

Key signals include:

Ticket page visits
Presale activity
Email and SMS engagement
Prior attendance and purchasing behavior

To make this work, those signals need to live in one place. When email engagement, SMS activity, ticket purchases, and site behavior are fragmented across systems, Meta receives weaker inputs. When they’re centralized and continuously updated, campaigns start from real fan intent instead of guesswork.

The goal is no longer to tightly control who sees your ads. The goal is to seed Meta’s automation with high-intent fans so it can expand from the right starting point.

Broad delivery with weak inputs behaves very differently than broad delivery seeded with real demand.

Advantage+ should be viewed as the execution engine. But like any engine, performance depends on the quality of the fuel. For live events, that fuel is real fan behavior.

Instead of trying to control every setting, event marketers will see better results by helping Meta understand who’s interested, who’s buying, and when demand is building. When Meta sees clear signs of fan intent, it can perform well even with broader audiences.

2. Automating Ad Creative in Meta Has Limits for Live Events

Meta is investing heavily in generative AI for creative, with the long-term goal of allowing advertisers to launch campaigns using minimal inputs. This approach works well for e-commerce, where creative can be generated and swapped automatically.

For live events, however, creative is rarely generic:

Artist branding must be respected
Visual identity is tightly controlled
Tour, venue, and lineup details matter
Messaging changes by market and on-sale phase

While full creative automation isn’t realistic for most events, AI can still play a role in:

Adapting existing assets into new formats
Resizing or reformatting visuals
Generating copy variations aligned to event timing
Accelerating testing without sacrificing brand integrity

The goal isn’t to replace event creative teams, but to help them move faster while staying on-brand.

3. Reels and Stories Are Becoming Core to Event Discovery

More and more of Meta’s ad space is focused on Reels and Stories, which matches how fans discover and engage with events.

Through Meta, you’re also advertising on Instagram, a highly visual platform where:

Fans follow artists and venues
Short-form video drives discovery
Behind-the-scenes and live content performs well

For event marketers, vertical video isn’t just something you have to do. It’s a real opportunity.

Best practices include:

Designing creative in 9×16 vertical formats
Showing energy, atmosphere, and urgency within the first few seconds
Using captions or on-screen text for sound-off viewing

Reels and Stories allow events to feel immediate and immersive, making them ideal for promoting shows, festivals, and on-sale moments.

4. Targeting Is About Signals, Not Precision

Meta no longer relies on detailed interest targeting the way it used to. This change is driven by privacy updates and automation.

For event marketers, that means:

Very narrow targeting can limit reach and performance
Broader audiences work better when paired with strong engagement
Location targeting still matters for in-person events

For events with short sales windows and specific revenue goals, supplying strong event-specific signals helps ensure optimization aligns with ticket sales, not just delivery scale.

Instead of spending time building complex interest lists, the focus should be on helping Meta understand who is actually engaging with events. Real fan behavior gives Meta better direction than guessing based on interests.

5. Pixels and CAPI Work Best Together

Good tracking is still essential.

Browser-based pixels are still important because they:

Capture on-site behavior
Enable retargeting
Provide real-time feedback for optimization

However, pixels alone are no longer enough. Server-side tracking through the Conversions API (CAPI) is essential to:

Recover signal loss caused by privacy changes
Improve attribution accuracy
Send reliable purchase and engagement events from ticketing flows

Without consistent, high-quality purchase signals, Meta has a limited view of what’s actually driving conversions. That leads to weaker optimization, less efficient spend, and attribution that underrepresents true performance.

CAPI strengthens the feedback loop after conversions happen by ensuring those purchase signals are still captured and sent back to Meta, even when browser tracking falls short.

When these two approaches work together, Meta receives a clearer picture of what’s working, allowing it to optimize with more confidence and less guesswork.

6. What Happens After the Click Matters More Than Ever

As creating and targeting ads becomes easier, the biggest difference often comes after someone clicks.

For live events, the post-click experience should:

Load quickly on mobile
Clearly communicate event details and urgency
Align with the creative and messaging that drove the click
Minimize friction in the ticketing or registration flow

When the page experience matches what fans saw in the ad, more people convert, and Meta learns faster. Strong post-click experiences don’t just drive sales now, they help future ads perform better too.

The Bottom Line for Event Marketers

Meta isn’t slowing down its move toward automation. For event marketers, that doesn’t mean Meta ads stop working. It means what drives results has changed.

Results no longer come from constantly adjusting settings or chasing interest targeting. They come from giving Meta clear signals that reflect real fan demand.

Teams seeing stronger results in 2026 will:

Spend less time fighting the platform and more time guiding it
Use real fan behavior to time campaigns and pushes
Keep ads, ticketing, and engagement connected so decisions are easier

Meta’s automation is powerful but it still needs to be pointed in the right direction. Event marketers who centralize first-party data across email, SMS, ticketing, and ads, and keep those audiences continuously updated, will be better positioned to build momentum and sustain demand across the event lifecycle.

Want the Event-Specific Playbook?

Live events don’t behave like e-commerce or lead gen and your ad strategy shouldn’t either.

👉 Download Hive’s Ads Strategy Guide for Live Events to learn how experienced teams approach paid ads in the real world and what actually works when promoting events.

SMS Click-Through Rates Have Been Misleading for Years. Here’s What’s Actually Happening.

Rebecca Bender — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:08:24 GMT

If you’ve been running SMS campaigns, you’ve probably seen click-through rates in the 15 to 25 percent range and taken that as the benchmark.

It shows up everywhere. Platform dashboards, industry reports, and channel comparison decks. It is widely accepted as a signal of strong performance.

But those numbers don’t tell the full story.

The hidden problem with SMS click data

A significant portion of SMS “clicks” aren’t coming from people.

They are generated automatically, before a recipient ever opens the message.

When a text message containing a link is delivered, smartphones and security systems often scan that URL immediately. Devices, operating systems, and third-party filters fetch the link to generate previews or check for malicious content.

These requests look exactly like real clicks at the infrastructure level.

So for years, they have been counted as clicks.

The result is inflated click-through rates across the entire industry.

Why this went unnoticed?

On the surface, everything looked normal.

These automated clicks behave like real ones. They hit the same URLs, come from legitimate devices, and do not trigger obvious anomalies unless you are specifically looking for them.

But there are patterns.

The first is timing. Automated clicks tend to happen almost instantly, often within seconds of message delivery. At scale, if a large percentage of clicks come in immediately after send, they are unlikely to be human.

The second is impact. If click-through rate changes significantly but conversions, revenue, or downstream actions stay the same, the clicks that moved were not driving real outcomes.

In other words, the metric was moving, but the ROI was not.

We’ve seen this before

This is not the first time a marketing channel has had to rethink a core metric.

Email went through the same shift when Apple introduced Mail Privacy Protection. Opens were automatically triggered before users actually engaged, inflating open rates across the industry.

The pattern was almost identical:

Reported engagement increased
Conversions stayed flat
Revenue did not change

Eventually, the industry adjusted. Open rates became directional. Clicks and conversions became the metrics that mattered.

SMS is now at a similar inflection point.

What this means for SMS marketers

As platforms begin filtering out automated traffic, reported click-through rates will likely decrease.

That does not mean performance is getting worse.

It means measurement is getting more accurate.

This shift has a few important implications:

CTR is no longer a standalone performance metric
It is useful context, but on its own, it does not tell you whether a campaign is driving real outcomes.

Revenue and conversions matter more
If your SMS campaigns are generating ticket sales, that is the signal to optimize for, not just clicks.

Not all CTRs are comparable
A 20 percent CTR on one platform may include automated traffic. A 4 percent CTR on another may reflect only real human engagement. Without understanding how clicks are defined, comparisons can be misleading.

How Hive is handling it

At Hive, we started investigating, testing and working with industry experts to try and solve for this.

"When a message is delivered and a link preview is generated, the device makes a real HTTP request to that URL. Without filtering, that request is indistinguishable from a human click. Most platforms, and the third-party infrastructure many rely on, have historically treated it as one."
— Prateek Madhikar, Staff Software Engineer, Hive

As we improved our tracking infrastructure, we were able to measure click-through rate more accurately. At first glance, it looked like performance had declined.

But when we looked deeper, the story did not hold up.

Revenue from SMS campaigns remained steady. Attribution did not change. Conversions were consistent.

That told us something important. The clicks that disappeared were not real engagement to begin with.

They were automated.

Once we filtered out preview traffic and bot activity, what remained was a much lower but much more accurate click-through rate.

What we’re doing differently

What you see in Hive today is the true click-through rate. It reflects real human engagement and filters out automated preview traffic.

We are also working toward showing both, just like we do for email:

A true CTR based on human engagement
An industry comparable CTR that includes automated traffic

This gives event marketers the best of both worlds. You get accurate performance measurement and the ability to benchmark across platforms.

Where the industry is heading

The shift toward more accurate SMS measurement is already underway, and the industry is starting to take notice.

As privacy features evolve and platforms improve their tracking, the old way of counting clicks is becoming less reliable.

The platforms that adapt by prioritizing accuracy over inflated metrics will be the ones marketers trust long term.

For marketers, the takeaway is simple.

The goal is not higher click-through rates.

It is real engagement that drives real results.

How AI Is Reshaping Meta Ads for Live Events

Rebecca Bender — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:49:41 GMT

If Meta ads feel harder to control, harder to predict, and more dependent on the platform than they used to be, you’re not imagining it.

Meta advertising is entering an AI-first era. Automation is replacing much of the setup, targeting, and optimization marketers have relied on for years. More decisions now sit inside Meta’s algorithms, especially through tools like Advantage+.

Meta was built and optimized around e-commerce, where products are always available and purchase signals are constant.

Live events don’t work that way. Inventory expires. Demand spikes and drops. Conversion windows are short.

Meta’s automation is largely optimized around persistent product behavior. That doesn’t mean it won’t work for events. It means event marketers need to approach it differently.

Strong results in 2026 won’t come from tweaking settings inside Ads Manager. They’ll come from supplying Meta with high-quality, event-specific signals such as presale signups, email clicks, and past purchases that improve learning before and during campaigns. When Meta sees clear intent, it can optimize more effectively, even with broader audiences.

Here’s where Meta is headed for event advertising, what’s changing, and how event marketers can adapt as automation takes center stage.

Why Meta Feels Harder to Control (and Why That’s Intentional)

Meta is quickly moving toward automated campaigns. Tools like Advantage+ are expanding, interest-based targeting is being removed, and more decisions are made by Meta instead of the advertiser.

This approach works well for e-commerce, where products are always available and data is constant.

For event marketers, this shift shows up as less control over targeting and placements, and more dependence on the quality of what Meta is learning from. Performance increasingly depends on the signals you provide, not the settings you fine-tune.

Meta performs best when it can learn from real behavior. For events, that means focusing on signals like ticket page visits, presale activity, email and SMS engagement, and past attendance.

Broad targeting with weak inputs behaves very differently than broad targeting seeded with high-intent fans. As interest targeting fades, audience quality matters more, not less.

First-Party Data Is Now the Cost of Entry

Privacy changes have made one thing clear: using your own data is no longer optional.

Many ad tools still rely on platform audiences, manual list uploads, or ticketing data that isn’t connected to anything else. These methods don’t work well in a system that depends on fresh, ongoing signals.

For live events, static lists and one-time uploads fall behind quickly. Fan interest changes fast as events move through on-sale phases, and Meta needs up-to-date information to keep improving performance.

To succeed on a platform built for e-commerce, event marketers need to supply what Meta can’t guess on its own: real engagement, real intent, and real purchase behavior across the full fan journey.

The goal isn’t narrow targeting. The goal is better learning. The stronger and more consistent the signals you provide, the faster Meta can optimize toward ticket sales.

Multi-Channel Sounds Smart Until Budget Gets Thin

Advertising across every platform can feel like a balanced strategy. In reality, most event marketers face limits:

Budgets are only so big
Ad systems need time and activity to improve
Spreading spend too thin slows results everywhere

Even as new platforms appear, Meta remains one of the most reliable places to sell tickets at scale, especially when campaigns are supported by strong first-party data.

For events, focus matters. Putting more effort into fewer platforms allows campaigns to perform better than trying to do everything at once.

Attribution Expectations Have Changed

Promoters want to understand what’s actually working.

As Meta changes and privacy limits visibility, overly complex attribution models often create confusion instead of clarity. Looking at ad metrics alone rarely explains why fans decide to attend an event.

The most useful measurement puts ads in context. Viewing paid performance alongside ticket sales, email engagement, and SMS activity makes results easier to understand and easier to act on.

The more your ad system is connected to your ticketing and fan data, the clearer that picture becomes.

Standalone Tools Are Starting to Break

Many ad tools were built as one-off or add-on solutions that don’t connect with the rest of your marketing efforts. That worked when campaigns were managed manually inside each platform. It doesn’t work as well in an automated world.

For event marketers, disconnected tools create problems:

Data gets stuck in separate places
Teams waste time moving information around
Inconsistent data leads to weaker results

As automation increases, ads shouldn’t sit next to your data. They should be built from it. Tools that connect data and execution in one place are better suited to grow with these changes.

How Event Marketers Can Adapt

The biggest change event marketers are already seeing is Meta’s move away from manual targeting. As the platform continues to prioritize e-commerce, interest-based targeting keeps disappearing and automation plays a bigger role.

This isn’t a short-term experiment. It’s where Meta is going.

For live events, the answer isn’t to resist automation. It’s to give Meta better inputs.

Think of Meta less as a tool you control and more as a system you train. The quality of your data, your creative, and your goals are even more important. Meta’s AI can only learn from what you provide.

To be successful with ads in 2026, event marketers will need to give Meta clearer direction and better signals to work with.

That means:

Sending real fan actions to Meta such as ticket purchases, page views, presale signups, email clicks, and past attendance
Keeping audiences continuously synced from CRM and ticketing systems instead of uploading static lists
Excluding recent buyers and prioritizing high-intent fans who haven’t converted
Helping Meta campaigns learn with quality first-party audiences
Reviewing ad performance alongside your other marketing efforts, not in isolation

The teams that succeed won’t simply hand control over to Meta. They’ll actively guide its automation by using real-time event data and connected systems built for live events.

Ready to Put This Strategy into Action?

Hive helps event marketers power Meta’s automation with real fan data, connected systems, and event-first workflows.

The Future of SMS Marketing: Navigating Apple’s iOS 26

Rebecca Bender — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:56:29 GMT

When Apple makes a change, the ripple effects extend far beyond the App Store, and iOS 26 is one of those moments. At first glance, the new message filtering looks like another anti-spam feature. But for event marketers who rely on SMS and MMS, Apple’s iOS 26 signals something bigger: a shift in how fans experience mobile messaging and how brands approach SMS deliverability.

Apple isn’t out to block legitimate businesses. It’s responding to what consumers want: fewer irrelevant texts. That means brands now have to prove value and legitimacy from the very first send.

If Gmail’s Promotions tab taught us anything, adoption of these filters will grow. And when it does, SMS marketing will evolve just like email did a decade ago.

At Hive, we’ve seen firsthand how changes like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection reshaped event marketing. iOS 26 is the next inflection point and with the right strategy, event marketers can turn it into a consumer trust strategy.

What iOS 26 Means for SMS

Apple is expanding its existing “Filter Unknown Senders” into a split inbox that’s much more powerful:

Unknown senders are automatically routed into a dedicated “Unknown Senders” inbox.
Messages are sorted by category (Promotions, Transactions, Spam).
Notifications are silenced by default unless a user actively changes settings.
Only time-sensitive alerts (like verification codes or delivery updates) can break through.

For marketers, this means presale alerts, cart reminders, or last-minute event notifications could land in the Unknown folder even if fans opted in. These are the kinds of high-urgency campaigns Hive customers run every day, from low-inventory ticket pushes to last-minute venue updates. That’s why it’s critical to get ahead of this shift now.

An Inflection Point for Marketers

iOS 26 is a chance to reset how SMS works for event marketing. Success going forward depends on three things:

Recognition: Fans should instantly know it’s you. Lead with the artist or event name in the preview text.
Trust: Give fans an easy way to verify your number. Contact Cards help you move from “unknown” to “known.”
Relevance: Every text should feel personal and timely enough that fans want to engage, filter or no filter.

Check out the Quick Tips for Event Marketers below in this article for specific ways to accomplish this with Hive.

Contact Cards: A Must-Have

Contact Cards aren’t just convenient, they’re a trust signal. One tap lets fans save your number, name, and brand details to their contacts.

Here’s why Contact Cards matter for your SMS strategy:

Deliverability: Alerts land in the main inbox, not the “Unknown Senders” folder.
Engagement: Known contacts are more likely to open and act on your texts.
Brand visibility: Fans see your name, not just a random number.

Hi ve doesn’t automate Contact Cards yet, but you can drop a vCard.Link into Hive welcome flows. Create a digital contact card, include it in your welcome SMS, and let fans save your info instantly. This is especially powerful for event marketers running contests or last-minute alerts, and exactly the kind of messages most at risk of being filtered. And we’re actively exploring ways to make this even more seamless directly inside Hive.

Quick Tips for Event Marketers

Turn iOS 26 into an opportunity to strengthen your SMS strategy with Hive:

Lead with recognition → Put the artist, event, or brand in the preview line.
Phrase thoughtfully → iMessage shows the first 30–40 characters (20–25 with large text) of your latest message. Include content your fans will instantly recognize, even in a crowded inbox.
- Bad preview text: “Don’t miss your chance to buy now!”
- Good preview text: “Taylor Swift | Presale tickets on sale today 🎟️”
Add Contact Cards early → Drop a vCard.Link in your Hive welcome SMS. (Make sure to use the VCF link!)
Automate for trust → Use Hive SMS automations to encourage saving your contact.
Use Hive’s text-to-enter contests → Since fans start the conversation, your number is instantly marked as known, ensuring future contest updates and notifications land in the main inbox.
Extend confirmation windows → Give fans 72+ hours to complete opt-ins.
Educate subscribers → Add a quick note to your Hive forms: “If you don’t see our texts, go to Messages → Filters → Unknown Senders and mark us as known.”

Wrap up

The good news: iOS 26 probably won’t change your SMS performance overnight. But it does mark a turning point. Smarter inboxes mean event marketers need to double down on trust, recognition, and relevance.

Hive equips you with everything you need, from personalized SMS to flexible segmentation and automated flows that build trust from the very first message.

The 4-stage ad playbook promoters swear by

grace@hive.co (Grace Lu) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:52:23 GMT

Promoters spend thousands on ads and watch the money vanish. The mistake? Running ads without a plan. Maybe it’s blasting Facebook with no warmup. Maybe it’s going silent the week before the show when urgency is highest. Either way, dollars get wasted and seats stay empty.

The fix is simple: follow a four-stage strategy that turns ad spend into sold-out shows.

Stage 1: Announce

Goal: Build anticipation and seed your audience.

When tickets aren’t on sale yet, the goal isn't immediate sales; it's building anticipation and creating an audience you can retarget later.

What to run:

Contest or presale sign-ups to collect fans who want early access
Short video ads that introduce the show (you can retarget viewers later)
Ads targeted by interests closely related to the artist or genre
Target artist page visitors if you have advertiser access
Local ads narrowed to the city or region where the event is happening

Pro tip: If the artist gives you advertiser access to their Facebook or Instagram page, use it. Being able to reach fans who’ve already engaged is a gold mine. These are the people most likely to buy when tickets go live.

Stage 2: On-sale

Goal: Capture peak excitement.

When tickets first go on sale, urgency is at its highest. This is when ad spend should spike — fans are primed, they just need clear reasons to buy.

What to run:

Traffic campaigns that highlight ticket tiers and pricing
Creative that builds urgency (“Early bird tickets are limited”)
Retargeting campaigns to people who engaged during announce

Targeting focus:

Past users who engaged with marketing or purchased tickets to past similar shows
Exclude those who already purchased to avoid wasted spend

Pro tip: This is typically where you'll see your strongest returns — if you did the work in announce. Announce builds the crowd, on sale turns that crowd into buyers.

Stage 3: Maintenance

Goal: Stay top of mind.

After the initial rush, sales often slow down. This stage is about keeping momentum without overspending. Think of it as the steady hum that keeps fans engaged until urgency returns.

What to run:

Retargeting ads for fans who opened emails, clicked links, or engaged on social but haven’t bought
Fun contests or giveaways that keep buzz alive and grow your retargeting pool
Fresh creative swaps to prevent ad fatigue
Ads targeted to people who’ve visited the ticket page but haven’t checked out

Pro tip: Don't hit pause just because sales cooled off. The fans engaging here are close to buying—they just need more nudges. Small, steady spend keeps the show in their heads until the final push.

Stage 4: Closeout

Goal: Drive urgency and last-minute sales.

As event day gets close, urgency does the heavy lifting. This is where you ramp up spend with laser-focused, time-sensitive messaging.

What to run:

Ads optimized for sales, target purchase events in your meta pixel
Retargeting ads that say exactly what fans need to hear: "Tickets almost gone" or "Show this week."
Target artist page visitors if you have advertiser access
Dark post ads as the artist matching their tone, “We’re excited to be in Milwaukee next week! Come see us at (venue)”
Facebook Event Response ads (cheap, fast, high engagement)

Pro tip: Zero in on anyone who showed interest but hasn’t bought — site visitors, email clickers, SMS clickers, social engagers, contest entrants. They’ve already leaned in; now urgency pushes them across the finish line.

The Takeaway

Each stage builds on the last. Skip the announce and your on-sale fizzles. Skip maintenance, and your closeout lacks punch. But when you line them up, you build momentum that carries from first impression to a packed venue.

Smart promoters know ads aren’t about blasting for sales. They’re about guiding fans along the journey — warming them up, keeping them engaged, and sealing the deal when the time is right. That’s how you turn ad spend into sold-out shows.

Hive Ads Beta: The First Ads Product Built for Live Events

grace@hive.co (Grace Lu) — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Promoters are pouring 30 to 50 percent of their budget into Meta Ads, stuck with generic targeting and clunky tools. Hive Ads changes everything.

Starting August 5, 2025, all Hive customers can access Hive Ads in beta. When you run ads with Hive, your Meta campaigns are powered by event data only Hive can see: ticketing behavior, email engagement, SMS interactions, and site activity..‍

The problem we’re solving

Picture this: Your show is 2 weeks out, only 40% sold, and you need to launch targeted ads fast. But first, you have to:

Export CSV files from your ticketing platform
Jump into Meta Ads Manager (with its 500+ targeting options)
Manually upload audience lists that are already outdated
Set up tracking that only shows website clicks, not actual ticket sales
Hope you didn't accidentally target people who already bought tickets

Sound familiar? Hive Ads eliminates this entire workflow.

Made for event marketing reality

While Meta Ads Manager relies on pixels and basic demographics, Hive taps your Meta Ads into the complete fan journey, from email opens to ticket purchases.

Ultra-fast campaign launches: Use your existing Hive segments to launch Meta campaigns in minutes. No CSV uploads, no platform switching.

Event-specific targeting: Build custom audiences based on ticket purchases, email/SMS engagement, presale registrations, and website behavior, or generate Meta interests based on the event’s performers.

True ticket sale attribution: Track which Meta ads convert to actual ticket purchases using Hive's integrated ticketing data, not just website clicks.

Automated buyer exclusions: Prevent wasted spend by automatically excluding people who have already bought tickets.

Everything in one place: Manage ad campaigns alongside email and SMS from the same dashboard.

Real impact for event marketers

Hive Ads speeds up campaign creation by 50-70%. When you need to react to slow sales or capitalize on momentum, every hour counts.

Ready to level up your Meta campaigns?

Lessons from an expert: Growing your fan base | Hive

Kait Huziak — Wed, 28 May 2025 17:51:43 GMT

Even your best shows can fall flat without an active fan base. As an event marketer, if you’ve dealt with soft onsales, low engagement, or last-minute ticket pushes that barely make a dent, you know the feeling.

Whether you’re promoting a club show or working on an arena calendar, growing (and regularly communicating with) your fan base is the difference between chasing your audience and leading them.

In this article, I’ll break down why fan growth matters and share real-world strategies to help you build a list that works harder for every show.

Why growing your fan base pays off

Your fans are the heart of your brand. They’re the reason you do this job—bringing people together for unforgettable experiences.

Every concert, comedy show, or festival could be the best night of someone’s life. As promoters, our job is to make sure no one misses out just because they didn’t hear about it.

While growing your fan base makes it easier to sell tickets, a healthy, growing list also:

Builds long-term loyalty
Opens up more chances to engage (both online and at the venue)
Helps you attract better sponsors with consistent audience data
Future-proofs your marketing by expanding your direct reach

But here’s the thing: not all engagement is equal.

It might feel good to see an increase in vanity metrics like post likes or video views, but they don’t always translate to ticket sales. An email click or a presale registration, on the other hand, shows real intent. It’s a signal you can act on.

Someone clicks your email? You can retarget them, drop them into a segment, or send a quick “Tickets Going Fast” message to help close the loop.

Take control of your audience

Social media is great for creating hype. But when it comes to driving ticket sales, your owned channels—especially email, SMS, and first-party data—are where the real work gets done.

Unlike social, you’re not relying on an algorithm to hopefully deliver your message. With email and SMS, you have direct access to your fans without having to battle a clutter of ads, sponsored posts, and trending noise.

For example, let’s say you’ve got a big rock show like Guns N’ Roses coming up. You might hit social to reach new fans at the top of the funnel. But your subscriber list? That’s where the real conversions happen.

With owned data, you can segment by genre, location, purchase history, or engagement. This way, every message feels personal to your fans and is more likely to lead to a sale.

But email and SMS are just the beginning.

Other owned channels give you even more ways to grow and reach your audience directly, including:

On-site data capture from Wi-Fi, ticket scans, or QR codes
Website forms and newsletter modules (homepages, show pages, checkout flows)
Presale signups and waitlists

Ultimately, the more robust and current your data is, the better your targeting gets, and the more tickets you’ll sell.

HOW TO GROW YOUR LIST

Step 1. Give them a reason

People don’t join subscriber lists for fun. You need a hook that makes it feel worth it (and ideally, exclusive). To build FOMO and make joining the list feel like someone is joining the inner circle, some proven incentives include:

Early ticket access
Exclusive content or offers
VIP upgrades, premium ticket packages, or drink specials
Giveaways or contests

Step 2. Make it easy

You want list growth that works in the background, even when you’re heads down on show day. The best strategies run on autopilot, quietly capturing fans without extra effort.

Here are a few “set-it-and-forget-it” tactics that deliver:

Ticketing integrations: Save yourself the headache of spreadsheets and manual imports. Use a CRM that automatically pulls in ticket buyer data every time someone completes a purchase.
Venue signage: Hang posters or add screens with QR codes near high-traffic areas, such as bars, bathrooms, or merch tables. The goal here is to make signups feel like second nature.
Wi-Fi integration: Trade Wi-Fi access for an email or phone number. It’s quick, easy, and effective, especially in standing-room venues where fans are already on their phones.
Website forms: Add signup forms to show pages, your homepage, and even the checkout flow.
- Bonus: Time a pop-up with an offer like early access or discounts.
Social media: Pin a signup link to your bio or stories, and use evergreen posts that explain the perks. Make it an easy “yes” with clear benefits.

Step 3. Be proactive

Once your passive tactics are in place, it’s time to lean in. Active strategies take more effort, but they also create momentum, especially around high-demand shows or big announcements.

Here are some tried-and-true active growth tactics:

Presale signups: These are perfect for capturing fan interest early. Use a presale landing page to get fans to opt in, then send them timely reminders, presale password details, and show info as the onsale approaches.
Giveaways: Contests can drive a surge in new signups, especially for popular artists or limited-ticket events. To get the most out of them:
- Partner with the artist to share across their email and socials
- Encourage sharing with bonus entries for tagging friends or reposting
- Promote via your own channels, like newsletters, event pages, and paid ads
Street teams: Don’t underestimate the power of face-to-face promotion. Set up QR codes or tablets at tables in high-traffic spots. Compared to paper forms and manual data entry, it’s a faster and cleaner way to collect signups.
Partner activations: Expand your reach by working with like-minded brands and creators. Consider:
- Collaborations with genre-specific influencer accounts or social channels
- Sponsored artist interviews, blog posts, or venue-friendly media outlets that include a CTA to your newsletter
- Partnerships with local radio, niche content creators, or trusted tastemakers

These tactics work especially well when layered together. Ultimately, the goal is to grow your list that’s full of fans who are ready to show up.

Keep your audience engaged

Growing your list is just step one. Once someone joins, the real job begins—turning casual subscribers into avid ticket buyers. Even when you aren’t promoting your next big gig, there are plenty of ways to stay top of mind with your fans.

Email is great for this, but it also works best when it connects with everything else your fans are seeing. From your website to your social channels, and even around the venue, brand consistency across everything you do helps your fans take notice and act.

Here are a few campaign ideas to keep fans engaged between onsales:

Newsletters and calendar updates: Use recurring sends to spotlight upcoming shows, share photos from recent events, or highlight fan moments with throwback recaps and artist shoutouts. Keep it casual and community-focused.
Behind-the-scenes content: Share what happens to bring your events to life. Highlight load-ins, soundchecks, crew shoutouts, or backstage snippets. People are naturally curious, so let them see what you’re up to and let them live through you.
Segmented or genre-themed emails: Build emails around your fans’ personal interests. A stacked lineup email only matters if it’s filled with things they know and love.
Seasonal campaigns: Create timely promotions that feel intentional, like Friday the 13th offers for metal fans, 4-ticket July 4th bundles, or themed holiday sales. Avoid the random 2-for-1 panic promos. Keep it smart, fun, and on-brand.
Loyalty and milestone sends: Use your fan data to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or repeat buyers with something personal. It doesn’t have to be big. Just thoughtful and timely enough to make them feel seen.

Real-world tactics in action

I’ve been preaching a lot of best practices in this article, but sometimes, it helps to see what these ideas look like in the wild. Here are a couple of examples I’ve been part of that brought fan growth and engagement to life in simple, effective ways:

Custom artist shoutouts: When promoting a Saint Asonia and Black Stone Cherry show, we worked with the artist team to record a custom video shoutout. This clip was sent to segmented fans by email, backed up by paid ads, and layered in with giveaways and local partnerships. This tactic helped keep momentum up between onsale and show day, and ultimately exceeded the sales forecast.
Local collaborations: For a Third Eye Blind show, my team partnered with two local breweries to create a custom beer—Third Eye Blonde—available exclusively at the venue. We then teased it with custom artwork and promoted it via email and social. It sold out the night of (and I didn’t even get one).

Bonus: Use data to drive ad performance

Once your data is in place, it’s time to put it to work. Your fan list isn’t just for emails and SMS. It can power smarter, more persuasive Meta Ads too.

With detailed data, you can:

Retarget recent buyers with upgrades, add-ons, or reminders
Suppress people who have already bought, so you don’t waste budget
Build lookalike audiences based on your highest-value fans

Past buyers are the most likely to come back, so make sure they see your message first, and more often.

What not to do for list growth

Similar to vanity engagement metrics, it’s important to remember that list growth is about getting the right people to sign up. Rather than focusing on your subscriber count, here are three things that might seem like shortcuts, but will hurt you in the long run:

1. Don't buy lists

It might seem like an easy way to grow, but it leads to high unsubscribe rates, spam complaints, and poor engagement. Even worse, it can damage your sender reputation, which will make it harder for even your real fans to see your messages.

2. Don't engage with inactive subscribers

If someone hasn’t opened or clicked on a message in years, it’s time to let them go. Re-engaging deadweight subscribers can tank your deliverability and waste your budget. Focus on the fans who are paying attention.

3. Don't send every event to everyone

Just because someone’s on your list doesn’t mean they want every update. If fans keep getting emails or texts for events they don’t care about, they’ll start tuning you out (or worse, unsubscribing). So be sure to use your segments to help you stay relevant.

Wrap up

Growing your fan base is a long-term strategy, not a one-off campaign. And the best promoters don’t just think about fans when there’s an event to sell. They build always-on systems that grow their lists in the background, then double down with proactive campaigns when it matters most. That’s how you stay ahead of the curve and keep the room full.

From zero to send: Your first 6 SMS campaigns | Hive

Kait Huziak — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:03:43 GMT

16x higher clickthrough rates. 488% more revenue. 31x ROI.

Compared to email, SMS is outperforming across the board. These numbers come straight from recent industry stats focused on the live events space.

And yet, SMS is still one of the most underused channels in event marketing. That’s a huge opportunity for early adopters. Since texts don’t get buried like emails do, your messages are more likely to get seen—and acted on.

Of course, diving into something new can feel a bit overwhelming. So we’re keeping it simple: in this article, we’ll break down what you need to get started, share quick tips for success, and walk you through six SMS campaigns you can run today.

What you need to start sending SMS campaigns

Before you jump into sending your first message, there are a few housekeeping items to check off your list. Here are the basics to make sure you’re ready to go:

Get set up for SMS: Verify your business and secure an SMS phone number (you’ll need this before anything goes out).
Build your SMS list: Fans have to opt in to receive texts even if they’ve already signed up for your emails.
Stay compliant: There are a few rules around opt-ins and messaging that you’ll need to follow to stay in the clear.

💡 Pro tip: Already feeling overwhelmed? Don’t stress! This SMS guide covers everything you need to know about compliance and growing your list the right way.

6 campaigns to launch your SMS strategy

Once you're set up, it's time to hit send. These are six simple, persuasive campaigns to help you kick things off. Best of all, there are no complicated workflows or fancy automation required so you can get real results, fast.

1. Promote your SMS list (via email)

So, this technically isn’t an SMS campaign, but it’s a crucial first step. Before you can send great texts, you need people to send them to. And the easiest place to start is your email list. These fans already know and trust your brand, which makes them prime candidates for SMS. Send a quick email with a signup form link to let fans know you’ve launched texts and why it’s worth signing up. Exclusive presales, early announcements, and VIP perks are great incentives to drive opt-ins.

When to send it: Right after your SMS setup is complete.
Why it works: Fans already engaged with your brand are the most likely to opt in. A clear CTA and incentive (like early access or exclusive perks) can grow your list quickly.

2. Event announcements

When a new event is announced, your SMS list should be the first to know. Announcement texts are short and exciting. They’re just enough to tease the artist, venue, and date while giving fans something to act on. Whether you’re inviting them to sign up for a presale or letting them know when the general on-sale begins, the goal is to build hype and drive early interest. Texts tend to get opened within seconds, making them perfect for creating momentum before the broader announcement drops.

When to send it: Right after an event is announced (before or alongside your email blast).
Why it works: SMS gets seen faster, so your most engaged fans are the first to know. It’s great for driving early traction or list-only presales.

3. Presale reminder

Once presale hits, timing is everything. Send a day-of text reminding fans that tickets are officially up for grabs, along with any presale code and a direct link to buy. This kind of message works well because it gives fans what they want (aka early access and a better shot at securing tickets before they sell out). It skips the inbox entirely and lands right where fans are already active—their phones. Plus, it pairs nicely with email: send the full announcement via email, then follow up with a quick text that says “It’s go time.”

When to send it: The morning the presale starts (or just before it opens).
Why it works: It adds urgency, especially for high-demand events. Texting also helps bypass crowded inboxes or missed emails.

4. Last-call alert

As the event gets closer and tickets start to move, a quick last-call text can give sales the final push they need. Whether the show is a day away or you’re down to the final 50 tickets, urgency is a powerful motivator. Keep it short, clear, and direct: let fans know what’s left and where to grab tickets. You don’t need a long message. Just a little pressure and a link.

When to send it: 24 to 48 hours before the show, or once inventory hits a certain threshold.
Why it works: Urgency sells. A well-timed message can help push stragglers to buy before it’s too late.

5. VIP or upsell opportunity

For fans who’ve already bought tickets, there’s still room to level up. SMS is the perfect channel to promote VIP upgrades, meet and greets, merch bundles, or other add-ons. These messages feel personal, timely, and relevant. Plus, they can make a big difference in your overall revenue. If someone’s already excited about the show, offering an easy way to enhance the experience is a no-brainer.

When to send it: After purchase or 1 to 2 weeks before the event.
Why it works: Fans are already excited. Give them an easy way to enhance their experience and increase your revenue per head.

6. Post-event thank you + next event promo

Spirits are high when an event is over so keep the momentum going. Send a quick thank-you message to attendees, then tee up a similar event they might like. A follow-up text like “Thanks for coming to [Event Name]! Looking for what’s next? Check out [Upcoming Event]” can help turn one-time buyers into regulars.

When to send it: Within 24 to 48 hours after the event.
Why it works: It keeps your brand top of mind and builds momentum for the next event.

Quick tips for SMS success

SMS is a powerful tool but a little finesse goes a long way. Keep these tips in mind to help you get the most out of every message:

Keep it short and casual: Texts aren’t the place for long intros or paragraphs. Lead with the key info, keep your language tight, and get to the point fast. Think: what’s the most important thing they need to know?
Sound human: Your texts should feel like they’re coming from a real person, not a robot. Use a conversational tone that matches how you’d say it face-to-face with a fan.
Use urgency when it makes sense: Words like “last chance” or “going fast” can drive action but only if they’re true. Save urgency for when it matters, like low inventory or presale countdowns.
Don’t over-send: Texting is personal, and overdoing it can lead to unsubscribes. Stick to high-value, timely messages that fans will appreciate like show reminders, presales, or exclusive offers. 3 to 4 texts per month should do the trick.
Always include a link or action: Every message should give the reader something to do—buy tickets, check out an upcoming event, or confirm attendance. It not only drives engagement, but gives you something to track so you know what’s working.
Use emojis: A well-placed emoji or recognizable name can make your message stand out but keep it relevant, and be mindful of your character count. Every space matters in SMS.

Wrap up

SMS might seem foreign at first but once you get started, it’s one of the easiest and most persuasive ways to connect with your audience. With just a few well-timed messages, you can boost engagement, drive ticket sales, and keep fans in the loop without overloading their inbox. Just remember to start simple, stay consistent, and build from there.

Mastering multi-platform paid social in 2025 | Hive

Kait Huziak — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 18:52:47 GMT

Platforms are shifting, algorithms are evolving, and what worked last year might not work this year. But one thing is certain—you need to be where your fans are.

Our friends at FanIQ have helped data-driven promoters maximize their return on ad spend (ROAS) across multiple paid social platforms. Their advice? Diversification is key. Testing new platforms, audiences, and creative formats can help drive sales while keeping ad costs in check.

So whether you're retargeting past buyers from your Hive database or reaching new fans for the first time, here are FanIQ’s top recommendations to improve your paid social strategy in 2025.

1. Test new platforms

Between platform growth, audience shifts, and regulatory uncertainty (see: TikTok’s legal battles), paid social is harder than ever to execute successfully. Many promoters default to Meta’s Advantage+ or Google’s Performance Max for simplicity, but this can come at a cost.

Across 100+ FanIQ clients in 2024:

Meta blended campaigns saw a 2.4x total ROI, while separated campaigns hit 4.7x ROI
Snapchat led the way with a 10x ROAS across multiple event categories
TikTok, Reddit, and other emerging platforms delivered results between 3x–10x ROAS

The takeaway? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Testing multiple platforms helps you find fans where they already spend time and maximize ad performance.

2. test new audiences

The biggest advantage of testing new platforms? Access to fresh audiences.

For example, “Sneakerheads” turned out to be a high-performing audience for FanIQ’s basketball and festival partners, delivering 5x ROAS in 2024.

By expanding beyond default interest categories, you can reach high-intent fans earlier or even before they even start searching for tickets. Testing audiences across multiple platforms makes it easier to identify new fan segments, scale what works, and refine targeting over time.

3. Focus on top-performing creative formats

Not all ad formats are created equal. Meta alone has 18 different ad units, each with different performance potential for live events. Snapchat has six (for now). YouTube? Even more. Some ad types drive ticket sales. Others, not so much. So if you’re not tracking performance at the ad unit level, you’re likely leaving money on the table.

The best way to optimize your ad spend? Look at performance across platforms, creative formats, and audiences to see what actually moves the needle. Understanding which ad units are working allows you to double down on what’s driving conversions and cut what’s not.

4. Lean into event cycle moments

Where you spend your ad dollars matters. But when you spend them is just as important.

Many promoters set a lifetime budget from on-sale through event day, but this approach misses out on critical sales-driving moments that can maximize ROAS.

Some key moments to prioritize in your ad strategy include:

Presale and on-sale pushes: Build early excitement and drive urgency
Artist announcements: Capitalize on momentum when buzz is at its peak
Price increases and low-ticket alerts: Encourage fence-sitters to buy before it’s too late

By aligning paid social campaigns with key buying triggers, you can create higher-impact ads that not only reach fans but drive conversions when they’re most likely to buy.

5. Get to know your customers using lifestyle-focused content

Most promoters know a lot of details about their fans; their ticket types, artist affinity, and even F&B spend. But what about beyond the event?

Fans aren’t just eventgoers. They’re foodies, sneakerheads, fashion lovers, travelers, and trendsetters. By creating content that aligns with these broader interests, you can connect with fans on a more personal level, leading to stronger engagement and long-term brand loyalty.

A few ways you can expand your reach through lifestyle-driven content include:

Food-based content for festival-goers and fair attendees
Fashion-driven campaigns for streetwear and music fans
Family-friendly content for all-ages events

Tapping into fan interests outside of live events can open the door to new audiences and fresh engagement opportunities—long before tickets even go on sale.

Wrap up

Paid social isn’t getting easier, but the right strategy makes it much more persuasive. To maximize your ROAS and sell more tickets, try to focus on:

Testing new platforms to expand reach and uncover new audiences
Experimenting with audience segmentation to refine targeting
Optimizing creative formats to drive engagement and conversions
Timing ad spend around key buying moments to boost sales
Using lifestyle-driven content to connect with fans beyond the event

With a data-driven approach, creative testing, and the right timing, you can get more out of your paid social efforts, regardless of platform shifts or algorithm changes.

Attracting and retaining sponsors | Hive

Kait Huziak — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:52:50 GMT

Even if you’re a pro at marketing your events, you can’t deny the value sponsorships bring to the table. When done right, they help you offset costs and enhance the attendee experience, while sponsors get valuable brand exposure and direct access to the right audience.

But the secret to sponsorship success lies in maintaining authenticity and knowing it’s not a one-size-fits-all opportunity. It’s about knowing your audience, tailoring your approach to each potential partner, and delivering long-term value beyond the event itself.

Melinda Colaizzi, founder of Women Who Rock and Pitch Consulting, has perfected the art of building lasting sponsorships by doing exactly that. From creating custom sponsorship packages that complement each partner’s goals to nurturing relationships year-round, Melinda offers a masterclass in attracting and retaining sponsors. Her approach combines creativity, data, and authenticity to ensure sponsors become long-term partners and stay invested in the event’s success.

Here’s how you can take a page or two from Melinda’s playbook to build sponsorships that last.

Know your audience and your brand

Your audience is a reflection of your brand, and sponsors should be no different. If attendees feel a sponsor’s presence is irrelevant or forced, it can hurt your credibility. On the flip side, if sponsors don’t see a return on their investment because their message doesn’t connect with the right audience, they’ll likely be dissatisfied, and future support could be lost.

That’s why authenticity is so important when building relationships with sponsors. A successful partnership means understanding your audience, knowing what they value, and aligning with sponsors who share those values. “Sponsorships should feel like a natural extension of your event, not just a transaction,” says Melinda. “When there’s alignment between the sponsor, your brand, and your audience, that’s when long-term partnerships thrive.”

Before approaching sponsors, it’s essential to research their brand goals and make sure they align with your audience. Tailoring your approach based on each sponsor’s specific objectives helps build partnerships that feel mutually beneficial and create long-term value.

When sponsors know they’re reaching the right audience and attendees feel connected to the brands at your event, you’re building a partnership that’s rooted in trust and relevance—two key ingredients for long-term success.

Create custom sponsorship deals

What works for one brand might not work with another, which is why creating custom sponsorship packages is essential. Melinda stresses the importance of getting to know each sponsor’s unique needs and goals, and then crafting opportunities that align with their vision and objectives. “Every single prospect has different needs,” she says. “So every sponsorship package needs to be customized.”

Customizing sponsorships not only shows that you understand the sponsor’s brand but also allows you to create a partnership that feels personal and valuable. For example, some sponsors might prioritize brand visibility through logo placements, while others might be more interested in experiences that offer direct engagement with attendees, such as event activations or exclusive VIP experiences.

Melinda highlights the need for flexibility when building these packages. Whether it’s a large corporation looking for broad exposure or a local business aiming for direct connections with a niche audience, tailoring your offer based on the sponsor’s priorities ensures a meaningful impact.

Custom packages also allow you to think outside the box and offer creative solutions. Instead of relying on standard options like banner ads or logos on promotional materials, explore how sponsors can add value to the event experience itself—whether through branded content, interactive installations, or exclusive giveaways. These personalized touches ensure that sponsors feel like an integral part of the event, rather than just another logo on a flyer.

Show value with post-event reporting and content

Your work doesn’t end when the event is over. In fact, post-event reporting is a crucial step in retaining sponsors and proving the value of your partnership. Detailed reporting that highlights the impact of the sponsorship is key to keeping sponsors happy and helping them clearly see the return on their investment. “Recap decks with metrics like attendee demographics, press coverage, and social impressions are essential for retaining sponsors,” says Melinda.

But it’s not just about the numbers. Visual content like recap videos or photo highlights of branded activations can go a long way in demonstrating the tangible benefits of the sponsorship. Sponsors want to see their brand in action—whether it’s a logo placement or an interactive booth—and how attendees engaged with it throughout the event.

Another effective tool is to include feedback from attendees or even testimonials from social media posts where sponsors were mentioned. This adds a layer of authenticity, showing sponsors the direct impact they had on the attendee experience.

Taking the time to compile and present this data not only demonstrates professionalism but also makes it easier to pitch for future events. When sponsors have concrete evidence that their investment paid off, they’re more likely to re-engage and potentially increase their sponsorship for the next event.

Seek ways to build long-term relationships with sponsors

Securing a sponsorship is just the beginning. The real value comes from building long-term relationships that extend beyond an event. Melinda believes that nurturing these relationships year-round is what turns one-time sponsors into recurring partners who continue to invest in your event’s success.

And it all starts with consistent communication. Sponsors shouldn’t only hear from you when it’s time to renew a deal. Keep them engaged by sharing updates about your event, industry trends, or even other events they might be interested in. Simple gestures like tagging them on social media, sharing their posts, or sending them personal invites to future events can go a long way in strengthening the relationship. “Staying engaged with sponsors through social media, like LinkedIn, is key. Relationships don’t stop when the event does,” Melinda points out.

Another way to build loyalty is by involving sponsors in the planning process. Invite them to give feedback, ask for their input on potential activations, or involve them in brainstorming ways to enhance the attendee experience. When sponsors feel like collaborators rather than just financial backers, they’re more likely to stay committed.

Long-term relationships are also about delivering consistent value. If you’ve delivered strong results and maintained open communication, sponsors will trust you to deliver again in the future. By proving that their investment continually pays off, you make it easier for sponsors to say “yes” later on.

Overcome common sponsorship challenges

Securing and maintaining sponsorships can be challenging, especially in a fast-moving market. From shifting brand priorities to increasing demands for customized content, promoters must be prepared to navigate potential roadblocks. Melinda understands these challenges firsthand and emphasizes the importance of flexibility and persistence when working with sponsors.

One common challenge is the growing expectation for custom content. Brands no longer want generic placements. They want tailored activations and personalized experiences that align with their goals. As Melinda points out, “Brands want custom content with their sponsorships, and there’s a cost associated with that so balancing those costs is a challenge.” While this adds extra work and cost for promoters, it also provides an opportunity to build more meaningful and collaborative partnerships. By embracing these customized opportunities, promoters can create more valuable sponsorships that resonate with both the brand and the audience.

Budget cuts or shifting priorities can also impact sponsorships. A sponsor may initially express interest, only to back out due to changes in their marketing budget. In these cases, Melinda recommends staying persistent and adaptable. “No is just part of the process,” she says. “But some sponsors can come on board even after years of saying no.” Sponsors may need time or convincing, but “no” isn’t always final. Brands that pass on one event might reconsider for another.

Additionally, some brands may want detailed, real-time metrics on their return on investment, which can create pressure for promoters. To overcome this, Melinda suggests focusing on data transparency and regularly communicating results. By providing clear metrics, promoters can ease sponsors’ concerns and build trust, making it easier to secure future sponsorships.

Wrap up

Sponsorships mean so much more than securing financial support. They’re about building real, long-term partnerships that mean something to your audience. As Melinda shows, the key to success is understanding each sponsor’s goals and creating tailored opportunities. While there may be challenges, embracing these can lead to stronger, more valuable collaborations. By fostering trust and delivering real value, you’ll be better positioned to keep your sponsors happy and improve the event experience for your attendees.