13 proven ways to incentivize and reward your event influencers in 2025

What really gets people talking about your event before it even begins?

You might say an incredible on-site experience. But that only helps after the show starts.

The real question is: how do you get attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors to start promoting your event weeks—or even months—before it kicks off?

One of the most time-tested tactics in the event marketing playbook is also one of the most overlooked: incentives and rewards.

Strategic incentives, whether it’s a discount, exclusive content, early access, or even a well-chosen raffle prize can boost event referral activity by as much as 25%. And when the reward structure benefits both the sharer and the invitee, participation goes up even more.

But here’s the thing: not all incentives work equally well. Generic giveaways and one-size-fits-all promos often fall flat in B2B.

In this post, we’ll walk through 13 proven event incentive strategies, backed by real-world results, to help you increase sign-ups, spark organic buzz, and turn your event participants into powerful promoters.

Here’s a quick look at what you will learn:

 

• What are the essential principles for event incentives to work?
• How do you implement an incentives program?
• What are the different budget-based incentive categories?
• Incentives for attendees
• Incentives for speakers
• Incentives for exhibitors
• Incentives for sponsors
• Post-event follow-up incentives
• What are some common incentive mistakes to avoid?
• Legal and compliance considerations
• Tips you should keep in mind while implementing incentives
• What does Snöball do and how it helps you run incentives?

 

What are the essential principles for event incentives to work?

Before diving into specific tactics, successful event incentives must follow three core principles:

• Add genuine value for recipients – The definition of “value” varies by industry and audience segment, so tailor accordingly.
• Remain budget-friendly for organizers – The best incentives often leverage existing partnerships and resources. Partner discounts, room block upgrades, and content access typically cost organizers little while delivering high perceived value.
• Focus on quantity over quality – Instead of one mega prize, offer several smaller rewards throughout your campaign. This gives more participants a realistic chance to win and drives sustained engagement, especially for large events with thousands of attendees.

Pro tip: Make each share equal to one entry in a draw rather than rewarding only top performers. This approach encourages broader participation from people with smaller professional networks.

How do you implement an incentives program?

A typical incentives program can be 12-16 weeks before the event goes live. The timeline usually depends on the nature of the event and the requirements of the event organizer. 

For complex B2B conferences or trade shows, the longer lead time allows for more strategic advocacy building and community engagement.

Implementation Timeline

16 weeks prior to event: Begin advocate identification and recruitment phase, targeting past attendees who spark genuine enthusiasm and building foundational community engagement frameworks.

12 weeks prior to event: Launch early-bird referral campaigns with tiered incentive structures and establish personalized landing pages for every advocate to create initial momentum.

8 Weeks Prior to Event Activate share-to-win campaigns for attendees, incorporating leaderboard systems to showcase top referrers and create competitive engagement among participants.

6 Weeks Prior to Event Deploy speaker ambassador programs with co-branded promotional assets and exclusive content access, enabling speakers to leverage their professional networks effectively.

4 Weeks Prior to Event Roll out exhibitor booth traffic incentives featuring VIP experiences rather than just discount-based rewards and implement video testimonial tools for personalized soundbites 

2 Weeks Prior to Event Deploy sponsor visibility add-ons with custom incentives for top influential advocates and enhanced recognition programs to maximize final push engagement.

Post-Event Follow-up Implement testimonial and review collection initiatives using user-generated content campaigns to build credibility and momentum for future events.

What are the different budget-based incentive categories?

Under $500 Budget

• Social media share-to-win raffles with gift cards
• Hotel room upgrade partnerships
• Future event access rewards

$500-$2,000 Budget

• Local experience bundles
• Multiple mini-prize campaigns
• VIP networking access packages

$2,000+ Budget

• Premium technology giveaways
• Comprehensive speaker ambassador programs
• Multi-tiered exhibitor incentive systems

Now let’s examine how these principles apply to each audience segment, starting with your largest group – attendees who represent the greatest volume opportunity for viral sharing.

Incentives for attendees

Attendees are often the easiest segment to incentivize since they’re already financially invested in attending. Here are proven tactics that work:

1. Share-to-win raffle system

What it is: Count each social share as one entry in a draw for prizes

Why it works: Creates fair opportunity for all network sizes, multiplies posts, and increases organic reach through sustained participation 

Best practice: Clearly communicate that more shares equal more chances to win, encouraging consistent engagement throughout your campaign

2. Multiple mini-prizes

What it is: Replace one grand reward with several $15-30 gift cards for coffee, books, or ride-hailing services 

Why it works: Frequent drawings maintain high buzz, accommodate varied budgets, and eliminate winner-takes-all fatigue 

Best practice: Schedule regular draws (weekly or bi-weekly) leading up to your event to maintain momentum

3. Complimentary networking access

What it is: Free tickets to paid cocktail receptions, VIP networking sessions, or premium workshops 

Why it works: Low marginal cost with high perceived value, plus provides face-time with industry leaders and organizers 

Best practice: Position these as “insider access” opportunities that enhance the overall event experience

4. Local experience bundles

What it is: Partner with a group like Convention & Visitors Bureau for discounted theme-park passes, city tours, or cultural experiences 

Why it works: Sponsor covers most costs while attendees receive tangible destination-specific perks 

Best practice: Bundle 10+ activities worth $1,400+ in total value, though participants won’t use everything – the perceived value drives engagement

5. Hotel upgrades through partnerships

What it is: Suite upgrades or premium room accommodations

Why it works: Often available at no cost through existing hotel room block negotiations 

Best practice: Particularly effective for events where attendees travel and stay overnight

6. Future event access

What it is: Complimentary registration for next year’s conference 

Why it works: High perceived value with deferred actual cost 

Best practice: Position this as an “early adopter” benefit for your most engaged community members

Incentives for speakers

Speakers often contribute significant value while receiving minimal compensation, making thoughtful incentives particularly impactful.

7. “Speaker Ambassador” badge pack

What it is: Special ribbon, homepage spotlight, reserved front-row seating, and exclusive recognition for top-sharing speakers

Why it works: Appeals to ego and professional status while providing tangible VIP treatment 

Best practice: Include exclusive perks like industry night tickets, private networking opportunities, and branded merchandise

8. Landing page video slot

What it is: Grant top-sharing speakers a free video embed on their personal promotional page 

Why it works: Boosts their personal brand visibility while incentivizing ongoing outreach efforts 

Best practice: Use personalized video tools to make this turnkey, and allow speakers to promote their sessions or expertise.
Note: Snöball offers this tool as an add-on for peer sharing campaigns. Know more with a quick chat.

9. Featured promotion and visibility

What it is: Prominent placement on event homepage, social media features, or specialized promotional content 

Why it works: Amplifies their professional brand and drives session attendance 

Best practice: Create tiered recognition where top-sharing speakers get featured placement, but ensure it doesn’t compete with keynote speaker positioning

Incentives for exhibitors

Exhibitors invest significant money in trade show participation, so incentives must demonstrate clear return on investment.

10. Priority-point boost

What it is: Award extra priority points toward next year’s booth selection process 

Why it works: No hard cost to organizers, yet extreme perceived value for exhibitors seeking prime floor real estate 

Best practice: Booth placement directly impacts ROI – even strategic spots near high-traffic areas like bathrooms can drive qualified leads

11. Social-card logo upgrade

What it is: Promise the most active sharing exhibitor additional branding on next reminder campaign’s social share cards 

Why it works: Drives traffic to their booth this year while justifying their participation ROI 

Best practice: Ensure logo placement doesn’t conflict with existing sponsor agreements

12. Limited curated-video upsell

What it is: Sell promotional video spots, then refund the fee for the exhibitor who tops the sharing leaderboard 

Why it works: Creates new revenue stream while providing motivational prize for top performers 

Best practice: Allow exhibitors to promote booth demos, giveaways, or special offers like “Visit booth #247 for free popcorn”

Important messaging shift: Instead of generic “engage your network” language, focus on “drive attendance to your booth by sharing” – this speaks directly to their lead generation goals.

Incentives for sponsors

13. Tier-safe visibility add-ons

What it is: Offer small but desirable extras like sponsored coffee break branding or additional signage that don’t conflict with existing paid sponsorship tiers 

Why it works: Provides valuable exposure without undermining current sponsor contracts or creating resentment 

Best practice: Always confirm with organizers first to ensure these additions don’t compete with existing paid sponsorships or violate tier exclusivity

Post-event follow-up incentives

Don’t stop rewarding after the event ends. Implementing post-event incentive strategies builds momentum for next year:

• Testimonial rewards: Offer small incentives for video testimonials or LinkedIn recommendations
• Review incentives: Provide exclusive early-bird access to next year’s event for detailed feedback submissions
• Community building: Create exclusive alumni groups with ongoing value for your most active sharers
• Content creation: Reward attendees who create blog posts, case studies, or social content about their event experience

What are some common incentive mistakes to avoid?

• • Misaligned rewards: Offering consumer-focused rewards (spa vouchers) to B2B audiences who value professional development opportunities
  • Over-complicated entry processes: Requiring multiple steps or platform downloads significantly reduces participation rates
  • Unclear terms and conditions: Ambiguous rules about eligibility, timing, or reward delivery create frustration and reduce trust
  • Generic messaging: Using the same promotional language for speakers, attendees, and exhibitors ignores their different motivations
  • Inadequate legal compliance: Failing to research raffle and contest regulations in your event location, especially for international events

Legal and compliance considerations

• Contest regulations: Research local laws regarding raffles and contests, especially for international events. Some jurisdictions require permits or have specific rules about prizes.
• Tax implications: In many regions, prizes over certain values may be considered taxable income. Provide clear guidance to winners.
• Data privacy: Ensure your tracking and reward systems comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant privacy regulations.
• Terms and conditions: Clearly communicate eligibility requirements, reward delivery timelines, and any restrictions.

Tips you should keep in mind while implementing incentives

• Leverage existing partnerships: Work with hotels, local tourism boards, and venue partners to access low-cost, high-value rewards.
• Segment your messaging: Each audience has different motivations – attendees want experiences, exhibitors want ROI, speakers want recognition.
• Track and optimize: Use entry-based systems that allow for data collection and campaign refinement.
• Timing matters: Align incentive announcements with your email reminder campaigns to maximize sharing spikes.
• Technology integration: Use platforms that automatically track shares, deliver rewards, and provide analytics dashboards for real-time optimization.
  

The most successful event marketers treat incentives as investments, not expenses. Start with one tactic per audience segment, measure ruthlessly, and scale what works. Your community wants to share – incentives simply make it irresistible.

The goal isn’t just to increase shares, but to create a sustainable ecosystem where your biggest advocates feel valued and motivated to continue promoting your events year after year.

When done right, incentive programs don’t just boost this year’s attendance but build a loyal community that becomes your most powerful marketing channel.

What does Snöball do and how it helps you run incentives?