What Makes B2B Event Sponsorship Work? Lessons from 18 Years in the APAC Market (Part 1)

Our Co-Founder, Shay King, shares his golden tips on getting the most from your event partnerships.

After nearly two decades in the B2B events space here in Australia, I’ve seen sponsorships hit the mark – and I’ve also seen them completely miss the mark. What’s fascinating is that two sponsors can walk into the same event, with the same package, and walk away with very different results.

So what’s the difference?

In this two-part series, I’m sharing practical, behind-the-scenes tips on how to get more value from your event sponsorship – starting with how you approach speaking sessions and panel discussions.

🎤 Step 1: Nail the Pre-Event Conversation

If you’re part of the agenda, the pre-event content call with the event organiser is critical. This is your chance to:

• Understand the audience’s pain points

• Learn what key challenges and trends were uncovered during the organiser’s research phase

• Align your expertise and solutions with what the audience actually cares about

Great event producers will have had dozens (often hundreds) of conversations with your target attendees. Tap into that knowledge. Don’t just show up with a message you want to push — that’s when you see phones come out and engagement nosedive.

📣 Add Value, Don’t Just Sell

If your session turns into a product pitch, you’ve lost the room. But if you can bring genuine insight, tie your message back to real challenges, and even speak candidly about lessons learned or challenges faced, you’ll build credibility and drive meaningful conversations post-event.

This approach works — I’ve seen it time and again.

⚖️ If You're on a Panel: Play the Long Game

Panel discussions are often underestimated by sponsors. Done right, they can be one of the best ways to:

• Be seen as a thought leader

• Spark authentic conversation

• Introduce your clients or internal experts in a credible way

Make sure you have a pre-event panel briefing. If you’re moderating, steer the discussion in a way that subtly supports your brand’s expertise — but remember, you won’t control every comment from the other panelists. That’s both the risk and the power of a panel.

🚫 A Final Note on Live Demos

Unless your audience is highly technical and genuinely interested in how your product works on a granular level, avoid live demos on stage. In most cases, it breaks the energy of the room and reduces engagement.

Wrapping Up

Sponsorship isn’t just about showing up — it’s about showing up strategically. Work closely with your event organiser. Ask the right questions. Be bold enough to share both your wins and your lessons. That’s where real cut-through lies.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll dive into how to make the most of networking, booths and brand visibility onsite.