Social Connections 9 – Speed Sponsoring 101

If you’re attending Social Connections 9 next week, and you’ve already taken a look at the agenda on our site or in PDF form, you’ll have noted that we have Speed Sponsoring scheduled at the end of our first day’s sessions, before everyone heads off to the event’s Gala Reception.

For some attendees, Speed Sponsoring is a well-practiced ritual, whereas if you’re new to user groups you might be asking ‘what is Speed Sponsoring?!’

So here’s the Speed Sponsoring 101!

1. There’s a free bar! This is important…
2. All our 16 exhibiting sponsors man their pedestals and have a pitch ready to go.
3. Attendees split into groups so that there is a group at each pedestal. Each attendee gets a form containing all the sponsors logos
4. Each sponsor gets 3 minutes to pitch their product, solution or service. Plus answer any questions and collect business cards as required!
5. At the end of the 3 minutes, attendees have their forms stamped by the sponsor and move on to the next pedestal.
6. At regular points, everyone gets the chance to grab a fresh drink and take a deep breath!
7. Once all sponsors have been seen, all completed forms are collected and a draw takes place to hand out some awesome prizes!
8. There is a free bar!

In short, it’s great fun for everybody concerned. Sponsors get to talk about their wares in a rapid and light-hearted way, attendees get a whistle-stop no-pressure tour of all the exhibitors, and plenty of drinks and snacks are available to help the time pass by with even more good humour.

And just to make the Speed Sponsoring at Social Connections 9 go with even more of a bang, we’ve drafted in a friend-of-the-event and IBM Champion to act as MC!

Yes, that’s right, Mr Tony Holder will be in the house!

So, if you’re attending Social Connections 9, make sure you stay around at the end of the Thursday sessions, grab a beverage of your choice, partake in the pitches and hopefully, win a prize!

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