If you are the owner of a small business, attending an event offers you a great opportunity to network with potential clients or even foster new relationships. Signing up to a business networking event can sometimes be a costly exercise. Therefore maximising the effectiveness of an event is crucial. The key is not have your business forgotten after an event. Use the following event marketing collateral to make your business stand out at an event.
Be the Centre of the Coffee Conversation
At an event, by far the most popular area for networking is the coffee area. With most small business events being run on a shoestring budget, event organisers are always looking for further sponsorship opportunities. One extra cost you can save the event organiser and offer your business an opportunity to stand out is sponsoring the coffee cups. A simple cost effective way to ensure your brand is the centre of the coffee conversation.
Gift People with Goodie Bags
A goodie bag is one of the most helpful pieces of marketing collateral your can provide for your fellow businesses at an event. Not only is a goodie bag a useful essential to store collected business cards, and brochures at an event, it is sure to put a smile on your potential customers if your goodie bag is filled with gifts.
Having your logo imprinted onto the bag is a walking advertisement to other businesses. Now your potential customers are promoting your business to other potential customers!
Stand out with Promotional Diaries and Notebooks
Most events, have speakers and presentations. More than likely, a lot of people will forget to bring a notepad or even pen to take down notes. Offering a free notepad and pen to your potential customers is a sure way to stand out. Not only are you getting another way to promote your brand, but after the event, when your potential customers are revising on notes they will be once again reminded of your brand.
4. Use Competitions, Giveaways and Social Media
One challenge small businesses find at an event is to attract potential customers to their stand. People know that when you approach a business at an event, you are walking into a business pitch. Instead of boring your potential customer with another pitch, lure them in with a competition to win a prize. To further maximise the potential of this competition, contact the organisers prior to the event and have them promote your competition. For example “simply tweet your top takeaway from the event using your brands hashtag in the tweet to win a holiday.”
5. Make sure you have the Essentials
Having all of the the above will give you the edge over your competitors and help you stand out at the event. But don’t forget the essentials. Not having the basic event marketing collateral essentials such as brochures, fliers and business cards are a chance not to be missed for your potential customer read more about your products and services after the event.
Dan Smullen is a marketing fanatic. Besides staying up to date with the latest marketing trends, he loves speciality coffee and playing irish music. You can find more of his marketing tips over at his company’s blog or on twitter here.