Do’s and Dont’s of Being Sponsored at a BlogPaws Conference

by: Carol Bryant

It’s that
time of year: BlogPaws 2013 Conference registration is here. New for 2013 is
our very first “choice of track” programming. That’s right: Choose your
tracks and customize your educational goals.

Tracks include 101 (Beginners), 201
(Intermediate), and PRO (Advanced), plus exclusive tracks for animal rescue and
advocacy, copyright and social media legalities, and pet lifestyle. Coupled
with networking, meeting brands, engaging with industry influencers, attending
a red-carpet media-engaged blogging award ceremony, and connecting with your
friends while making new ones, you really want to be at this conference.

Have you ever considered becoming a sponsored
blogger? Lately, we’ve had a few queries cross our desks at the BlogPaws
offices, and this post is being presented to answer and guide any further
inquiries. Here is what you must know including the do’s and don’ts of what a
sponsored blogger is/means:

Do’s

Know the guidelines of what sponsored
bloggers can and cannot do at BlogPaws conferences.

Register at the corporate rate – you are attending on behalf of a
company or corporation, therefore your registration is a corporate
registration.

Be clear with the brand/company what you
expect to be provided in return for their sponsorship. For example, the brand
agrees to pay the bloggers’ conference registration (at the corporate rate) and
travel costs (including airfare, hotel and miscellaneous expenses for
food/cab/etc) while the blogger provides certain agreed-upon benefits.

Indicate on your blog that you are being sponsored. This can be a
badge or small box provided by the sponsor, but it usually announces that the
blogger is attending the conference under a sponsorship agreement.

Make sure you offer the sponsor a good
return on the investment.

Entice brands by showcasing your blog
readership, your twitter following and/or your Facebook fans.

Don’ts

Register at the regular registration rate. If
a blogger is sponsored by a brand/company, they must register at the corporate
rate.

Sponsored bloggers may NOT create sponsored parties or events with
other bloggers on behalf of their sponsor at the BlogPaws event or in
association with the BlogPaws event. No activity may occur within the
Conference venue and hours, or at any scheduled event planned by the BlogPaws’
committee and held outside of the hotel, unless previously approved by
BlogPaws.

Do not add items to other attendees bags or
leave them around the conference.  Staff and volunteers will be on the lookout
and will dispose of any material not previously approved. Additionally, you may
be quietly asked to leave the conference if you are in violation of these
terms.

You may not add content to the Blogger Exchange Table for your
brand, only for yourself.

Realize that there are two important reasons for restricting
marketing activities within the Conference venue and hours: it’s annoying to
other attendees and unfair to our BlogPaws’ paid sponsors.

Tips for Getting a Sponsorship to BlogPaws

In short, if you follow this bulleted
list, you have a good chance of getting sponsored to come to BlogPaws, where your
presence and blog posts/ tweets/facebook posts will provide lots of eyeballs
for your sponsors.

•  Post
  a button or create a blog post talking up the sessions and purpose of BlogPaws,
  including our “giving back” to shelters and rescue sites.
•  Offer
  a specific benefit: tweeting, blogging, and otherwise giving your sponsor
  attention he or she might not otherwise receive (within the guidelines).
•  Share
  information on your sponsor outside of
  the conference area and/or hours.
•  Put your
  sponsor’s logo(s) in your newsletter and run ads for them for 2 weeks prior,
  and 2 weeks (or months) after the event. Add your sponsor’s logo to your
  business card or brochure. You are free to share those within the conference
  venue.
• Know
  how much you need to raise and be honest about it. Once you reach that level,
  cut the sponsorships off. Three good sponsors get more eyeballs and attention,
  than a dozen. They’ll know that.

BlogPaws has specific guidelines to what our bloggers can do as a
sponsored blogger at our conference. We look forward to learning, growing,
monetizing, and networking with you in May!