10 years ago, we didn’t scroll TikTok for thought leadership or attend webinars in sweatpants. The world has changed—and your association’s approach to corporate sponsorships needs to keep up.Yet many associations are still selling booth space, banner ads, and logo placements as if it’s 2015.

The truth? Sponsors aren’t just after visibility. They want value—and that means:

• Thought leadership platforms
• Year-round engagement
• Customized opportunities that align with their business goals

But here’s the catch: you can’t attract 2025-level partnerships with a 2015 mindset.

One of the biggest roadblocks I see in my consulting work is a hesitancy to change. Associations cling to the transactional model because it feels “safe.” But sponsors are walking away—or scaling back—because the model no longer works for them.

If you’re still itemizing every sign, booth, and banner ad opportunity and calling it a sponsorship menu … it might be time to evolve.

This is just one of the shifts I explore in Chapter 1 of my book “Mastering Association Corporate Sponsorships”. If you’re ready to move beyond transactional sponsorships and build real, revenue-generating partnerships, this book will help you get there.

Curious what the future of sponsorship looks like? There are more insights in the book.