Marketing a small business is hard work if you look in all the wrong places. Communities are a great place to begin marketing; without the support of the community your business probably won’t do as well as it could. Step out and try one of the following six ways to use events to market your small business, whether you sell widgets or electronics.
Sponsor an Event
Go out and find an event in your community, and contribute some funds to the event. Your company’s name will appear in the advertising surrounding the event. Some event organizers will arrange to have a representation of your product at their event, or at least an image of your brand. You can do this with school sports, concerts and more.
Host an Event
Consider hosting an in-house event supporting your brand. If you sell antiques, arrange a wine and cheese night in your shop. If you sell children’s clothes, arrange an evening of arts and crafts that targets families. Be creative and plan an evening when your community can stop by to see what you offer. If the evening becomes a hit, you could even make it a regular event and invite other people in the profession to come speak.
Contact Local Media
Call the local media and tell them about your business. Often, they will host events in other communities near yours where you might be able to participate. Let them know about any events you are planning or that you are willing to perform demonstrations at their upcoming events. Offer promotional products that are imprinted with your company’s logo and contact details such as embroidered hats or promotional beach towels. Physical gifts like promotional beach towels are great for marketing because they are practical items that hang around a long time in people’s homes. You can use promotional products like these during giveaways and contests or even when you are at an industry-specific tradeshow or conference. Promotional products like these act as walking billboards, ensuring that you gain repeated marketing exposure every time they are used by recipients.
Contact the Local Chamber of Commerce
Some communities will host an event to showcase their own small businesses. Find out if your chamber of commerce knows of any of these happenings and make sure to get in on the action. There is sometimes a small fee associated with the event, but if it leads to sales, the fee will be returned to you through profits.
Attend Charity Events
Charity events are the perfect way to get your product out to the community. Find out about future charities and offer a gift basket or gift certificate. Get your name involved in the charity event to not only promote your product but to show that you care about your community. People are more likely to visit a shop that has demonstrated a sense of community. Charity events are a great way to show your compassion.
Volunteer
When you volunteer in the community, you are further showing that you care about the area where you do business. Purchase branded shirts and adopt a highway or park with your employees. Meet once a month to clean up the area while wearing your promotional shirts. Others who see you will begin to recognize your brand and remember that you help out within your own community.
Events are a great opportunity to make those face-to-face connections with prospective customers. Especially if you operate a small business, take advantage of these events and greet your local community.