Exhibitors, partnerships and co-hosting
Choosing media partners for audience fit, not logo count
A long row of media logos looks impressive, but your delegates only notice the outlets they already read.
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The short answer
Choose a media partner by who reads, watches or follows it and whether those people are your delegates. Ask each candidate to describe its audience in terms you can check, then compare candidates on fit, the promotion offered and what it expects from you.
A short list of three or four relevant partners with clear deliverables is more useful than a dozen logos with vague promises.
Start with who you need in the room
Write down the delegate profile first: roles, sectors, seniority and where they get industry news. A media partner is only useful if it reaches some of those people through a channel they trust.
Include the audiences you want to reach but do not yet reach, such as younger members or another state.
What to ask a candidate partner
- Who is the audience, described by role and sector, and how is that known?
- Which channels would carry the promotion: print, newsletter, website, social, podcast, event listing?
- What exactly is offered, with dates and formats, and what is the editorial independence position?
- What does the partner expect in return: logo, passes, access, content, a mention?
- Who is the single contact, and how are corrections or changes handled?
Compare candidates on one sheet
| Criterion | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Audience fit | Readers match your delegate roles and sectors | Reach is useful only among likely delegates |
| Channel fit | Format suits how your audience hears about events | A listing may work better than a banner |
| Deliverables | Named items with dates | Vague offers cannot be checked afterwards |
| Cost to you | Passes, content, access, or fees | Include in the budget before agreeing |
| Independence | Clear editorial policy | Avoids implied endorsement the partner did not intend |
| Reporting | What the partner will share after the event | Lets you review without over-claiming attribution |
Put it in writing
Record each partnership in a short agreement or exchange of emails: deliverables, dates, what you will supply, who approves wording and how credits will appear. Questions about contract terms, data sharing or exclusivity are for your legal adviser and data protection owner.
Do not share delegate lists with a partner unless your data protection owner has confirmed the basis and wording.
After the event
Ask what the partner delivered against what was agreed, and note which promotions you can actually trace. Be honest about attribution limits: a delegate who read a partner's article may also have heard from a colleague. If media partners sit next to paid rights, track them in a rights inventory and avoid overlapping exclusivity through the conflict checker.
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional accounting forum trims its partner list
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
The Fictional Finance Professionals Forum expects about 260 delegates, mostly accountants and finance managers in the Klang Valley. It has seven media logos on the draft poster.
The team asks each partner for audience detail. Two have audiences that match, one is an industry newsletter with mostly students, and four cannot describe their readers. The forum keeps the two matching partners and adds a trade body's member newsletter, each with named deliverables and dates.
Use this yourself
Media partner scoring sheet
Copy per candidate. Score 1 to 3 for each line, then compare totals alongside the notes.
- Candidate and contact:
- Audience described by role and sector (and how verified):
- Fit with our delegate profile (1-3):
- Channels and formats offered:
- Named deliverables and dates:
- What they expect from us (passes, content, logo, access):
- Editorial independence position noted:
- Cost to us, included in budget (yes/no):
- Reporting offered after event:
- Decision and approver (name, date):
Open the tool: Sponsor rights and exclusivity conflict checker
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- You know your delegate profile and the outlets they follow.
- You are comparing only a few partners.
- A named person can agree and track deliverables.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Many partners overlap and nobody tracks what was promised.
- Partners ask for rights that touch exhibitors or sponsors.
- You need a clear approach to reaching a new audience.
Want the partner plan organised?
A project lead can coordinate the partner list, deliverables, dates and approvals so that promises are tracked against the conference timeline. An Event Blueprint can record the audience profile and partner requirements in the planning pack. This covers coordination only, not buying media or promising registrations.
Questions organisers ask
Should a media partner get free passes?
That is a budget and package decision. Record it as a cost, and agree it in writing alongside the deliverables.
Can a media partner share our delegate list?
Only if your data protection owner confirms it is permitted and agrees the wording. Treat it as a question to settle before any data moves.
How many media partners are enough?
As many as have clear audience fit and defined deliverables. Three or four relevant partners usually serve better than a long, vague list.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.