Why put your conference attendance into someone else’s hands? Take charge and send yourself to the event. If it is worth attending, isn’t it worth sponsoring yourself?

Here’s how:

1. Total up all your expenses for the trip.
Airfare or transportation, hotel, conference registration, meals, pocket money, and anything else that you’ll have to pay. Get the grand total.

2. Figure how much you’ll need to save per month.
Count the number of months between now and the conference. Divide your total expenses into monthly amounts. That’s how much you’ll need to set aside each month to reach your total.

3. Make a plan to get there.
It’s no good knowing the target if you don’t have a plan to get there. Figure out a way to dedicate some revenue to your conference fund.

• Offer a special sale.
• Put one item on sale, and dedicate profit from it to your fund.
• Set aside a percentage of all your sales.
• Commit to an extra hour of work each week.
• Make and hold one extra selling appointment per week.

Let your customers know what your purpose is. You’ll be surprised who is willing to spend a bit extra to help out, while still getting a good deal for themselves.

4. Not enough time? Start now for next year.
Yes, a full year out. If that’s what it takes, do it. You’ll have an easier time because the monthly amount will be smaller.

You’ve probably heard about companies sponsoring individuals to attend conferences. In some subject areas, it’s considered common practice. In other fields, it’s practically unheard of. Sponsor relationships come in all sizes. When I heard legendary former Texas Governor Ann Richards speak, her national tour was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company.

There are several guides out there to finding corporate sponsors to send you to a conference. My recommendation: Want to get Sponsored? You’d Better Be Sponsorable by Peter Shankman. He covered how to create an effective pitch statement and an example of providing value to your sponsor through blogging and other promotion.

But what if you could work with local business? How would your approach need to be different?

Why Local Companies Are a Better Bet for Sponsors

Your local community is full of businesses capable of affording at least partial sponsorships. Your local network is probably where you have your strongest connections. You may know more local business leaders than you do national corporate leaders. You can help a local business more directly than you can most national companies.

What’s in it for them?

Local businesses are less interested in you mentioning them in blog posts or promoting them at a distant event. Find a way to share the knowledge you’ll be gaining with your sponsor or to gain attention for your sponsor in the local community.

You might share what you learned with them by doing a presentation to some of their staff. Maybe a consultation with their team. Maybe you can do a presentation to a group or local association on their behalf, extending that sponsorship into the community. For example, in a small city, I’m betting your local sponsor would be happy to bring you as a guest speaker to their Rotary meeting. Maybe you can talk to a local entrepreneurs meetup, as a guest of your sponsor.

Sit down in person with the potential sponsor, and talk through what they need and what you can offer. Find a way to benefit both of you. There is no short cut. You have to dedicate the time to find the right exchange of value.

Thanks to SOBCon alum Todd Jordan for helping to refine these ideas.