Why You’re Not Going to Find Conference Sponsorship on Twitter

Are you looking for a sponsor so you can attend BlogWorld? If so, are you asking for sponsors on Twitter? Well stop right there, because chances are it’s not going to happen.

Now, there’s a few different ways to land a sponsorship, but Tweeting out your intentions aren’t going to land you that gig.

Because unless a brand is following you on Twitter, they’re not going to see your Tweet.
Because it reeks of desperation and that’s a turnoff for a client or brand.
Because they want to know more about you and your blog. If your your Tweets and Twitter profile don’t give them enough to go on they’re going to pass.
Because, seriously, the person with the funds for sponsorship isn’t going to magically see your Tweet and think, “Oh hey, let me throw money at this guy. He wants to go to BlogWorld.”
It’s kind of a lazy approach. Brands want you to pitch to them. They want to know why and how you’re a good fit. That ‘aint gonna happen when you’re working with 140 characters or less. They want you to come to them.

Here are a few other routes to consider:

Research a business or brand that you feel is a good fit for your blog and its message. Send them a pitch including a media kit and a list of what you will do in exchange for a sponsorship.
Consider finding a job as a professional blogger. Many businesses are happy to send their own bloggers to conferences if it means they’ll learn the tricks of the trade.
See if you qualify for a press pass. If you report news on a regular basis, at least the cost of the ticket will be covered.

Also, Before you sign your life away, consider what you will do in exchange for a sponsorship. Is it worth it to be a brand ambassador? There’s more to this than just wearing a t-shirt sometimes. You might have to dive in to a long term commitment. If this is the case, make sure the cost of the conference isn’t less than the amount of time and work being put into promoting said brand. Some bloggers sell their soul for a conference ticket and, while we feel BlogWorld is awesome, it might not be worth the work you’re putting out.

Brands aren’t trolling Twitter for people to send to conferences and it’s very rare they’ll respond to Tweets requesting the same. There are better ways to land a sponsorship.

Here are some posts to help you with that:

Have you landed a sponsorship? How did you do it?

Deb Ng is Conference Director for BlogWorld. When she’s not sending out form letters or stirring up some sort of daily drama, she’s blogging about blogging and social media at Kommein. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @debng.