If you want to promote your business and create buzz around it, branded events are a good option. Events are a way to interact with people and let your potential customers get to know you. Remember that most people shop these days based on word of mouth recommendations from peers. At promotional events, you get the chance to make an impact and stay on top of people’s minds, so they spread the word about you.
What Types of Events are Good for Promotions?
Giveaways: Hosting giveaways through social media or other traditional channels is a good way to promote your brand. It gives you a chance to collect information about your target market. It also gives you the chance to generate buzz around your business. Giveaway products can be anything ranging from branded t-shirts, pens or mouse pads, to electronics like cell phones, iPads or Kindles that you can have a raffle for.
Here you can find interesting and creative giveaway ideas.
Offering Services as a Speaker:
Businesses across town are usually looking for guest speakers. Some businesses want to train some departments on the niche area that your business may specialize in. Others may offer educational sessions. Yet other businesses are having seminars or retreats where they need speakers. Contact associations, non profits and businesses in your community to find out whether they need speakers. Such public speaking events are excellent (and free!) opportunities to advertise your services to target markets.
Trade Show Displays:
Trade shows are excellent places to network with B2B customers, end users or wholesalers. Get a booth in a good location by requesting a floor plan for the trade show in advance. A row-end booth in the middle aisles of a room is a good spot which will get quite a lot of footfall. When setting up your event booth, be sure to make the décor as professional as possible. Think about investing in pull up banners for either side of your table, and a branded skirt for the table as well. One of the banners should contain general information about your company and the other should be about the niche your business specializes in.
Pull up banners are bigger than flyers, you can use them for some time and they are not too expensive (according to Print2day you can order them from $130 to $160).
However, remember that a booth in a trade show can be expensive. It can cost a few thousand dollars, so only join a trade show when you think you’re ready. The first year is not a good idea to participate in one. In the first year of your business, you should check out a trade show, walk around and do your research. Find out if the target group you’re aiming at is represented well among the trade show attendees. You can also question the other businesses at the event to find out if their investment was worthwhile.
Branded events can, more often than not, get you closer to your target customers than expensive advertisements. If you can, host weekly charity tournaments or contests in your community to make more people aware of what you do. The costs can be minimal, and you get the chance to directly interact with potential customers and form relationships. Get planning your promotional event today and experience the benefits!
