Whether it’s a fashion show, a charity ball, or a local community sports show, hosting an event can be a great opportunity for small businesses to gain the visibility they want so badly. It doesn’t matter if ten people show up or ten thousand; if you’re able to convert those visits into sales, then it will have been a success. But, hosting a show of any kind is no easy task, and for that, it is crucial to become well versed in the best practices of event marketing.
Your best bet – and the simplest to start – is to try and have a presence at an already established event. Look around your community for popular things that have been going on annually, especially those that relate to your business. This will not only save you the money of trying to actually host and market your own event, but you will also already have a guaranteed audience. If thousands of people showed up at your town’s local home show, then chances are thousands more will show up again this year.
Once you’ve found an event that you’d like to be a part of, get in touch with its organizers to see if you can secure your participation. Maybe you could set up a tent or a booth advertising your company in the entrance of the show, something that visitors would have to pass by in order to get in – and out. To really get their attention, you could also stray from the usual corporate signs, brochures, and business cards, and do something a little more exciting like a raffle draw or some sort of contest. Remember not to be so pushy that you turn your visitors; events can be used just as a way to build up a customer list and get information – the sales can come later.
There are four key P’s that you need to keep in mind when event marketing, namely the product itself, the price, the place, and the promotion. Who is your target audience – who are you trying to reach – and how can you position yourself accordingly?
It’s important not to overlook the details here. If you’re going to make the most out of the event for your business, you need to plan out everything. Where will your product be demonstrated or sold, and if you have staff helping you, have you trained them to be polite and professional? Even things like coffee breaks should be scheduled so as to avoid any confusion during the day. If sales are made, how will you go about collecting the money? Will you have the capacity to deal with credit cards?
Also, don’t think that event marketing is solely to reach the visitors at the event. These types of occasions are good opportunities to also network with fellow vendors, or other professionals who are participating in the event. For instance, at a home show, it would be worth trying to talk to everyone from the real estate agents to the interior decorators. You never know when or where a business opportunity will present itself.
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