How to Get Brand Deals at the International Builders' Show (IBS)
How to Get Brand Deals at IBS
Every year, the International Builders' Show (IBS) is the ultimate destination for builders, designers, and industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and discover the latest innovations in homebuilding. For The Curious Builder Podcast, IBS is not just about exploring new products—it’s about securing strategic brand partnerships that drive projects like Mysa House and expand opportunities for builders across the industry.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we successfully landed multiple sponsorships and how you can leverage similar strategies to secure brand deals of your own!
Setting Goals
Before stepping onto the show floor, we had clear objectives in mind. We new we needed to secure brand deals for both Mysa House and The Curious Builder Podcast. What better place to do it than surrounded by like-minded professionals? We also wanted to make sure to meet with our key sponsors like Emser Tile, Adaptive, and Pella. Our long-term relationships are important and we always want to invest in them!
Additionally, we needed to explore new collaborations with brands that align with our values of sustainability, wellness, and innovation. Lastly, we were slated to speak on industry panels, including the Buildertrend Panel, which is an awesome opportunity to share information and connect with others!
During the show, we successfully secured deals and opened discussions with multiple brands, including Emser Tile, Rockwool, Pella, True Appliances, House of Rohl and Toto Toilets, and ZIP (Huber).
Our Strategy: How To Get Brand Deals
1. Prepare a Clear Sponsorship Pitch
Before IBS, we created an entire brand partnership website with high-quality content outlining different sponsorship tiers for Mysa House. We also designed branded sponsorship cards that clearly outlined our partnership levels.
Tier 1: $10,000
Tier 2: $30,000
Tier 3: $50,000+
This really helped while pitching brands!
2. Know Your Target Audience
While we kept an open mind for new opportunities, about 80% of our meetings were pre-planned. We reached out to brands before the show, scheduling dedicated one-on-one discussions—some lasting an hour—to ensure meaningful conversations.
We know our niche audience, which is really just connections with companies who hold the same standards and convictions we do! This also helps find long-term partnerships as you're more likely to connect over the long-term.
Learn more about our ideals on collaboration here!
3. Have a Unique Project That Stands Out
Instead of just asking for sponsorships, we positioned Mysa House as a high-end, Scandinavian-inspired home with a strong narrative. This type of content made brands more eager to be part of the story. Key elements that caught brands' attention and helped in landing deals:
Eco-conscious materials (low VOC, no formaldehyde, sustainable sourcing).
Soundproofing focus (Rockwool insulation, Pella triple-pane windows).
A curated luxury experience, making it feel more like launching a high-end product than a traditional home build.
4. Making the Ask Simple
We focused on making sponsorship easy for brands with clear tiers, targeted conversations with content managers, and a strong brand presence that made our project recognizable and memorable.
Land Brand Deals at IBS
IBS is a goldmine for builders looking to grow their brand and secure meaningful partnerships. By taking a strategic approach, you can turn this and similar industry events into a powerful tool for business growth—just like we did with Mysa House and The Curious Builder Podcast!
Want to hear more? Check out our full podcast episode recapping IBS and our brand deals!
