There is no end to the ways in which a business owner can promote their business in this day and age. From using copy to optimize your website for search engines, social media marketing to content creation, there are more marketing options than ever before for your business. If you’re in business and you aren’t marketing – then what exactly are you doing? A huge part of running a business is getting the name of the business out there and known to a target audience. If you’re working hard on your day job, it won’t matter much if customers don’t know who you are and what you sell! You can’t make money if customers don’t know you – that’s basic!
One thing to keep in mind though – is that there are two worlds of marketing. SEO and social media will help you get known on the internet, but what about in the real world? Well, networking, commercials and events are good! Using a mixture of methods is key here, so diversify and market your company across the internet and physical world to maximize the exposure of your company and brand to a target audience.
We mentioned events above, and there might not be a better way to market your brand than hosting an event for your business. If you want to host a business event but don’t know where to start, look no further!
To start off with hosting an event – it’s best to simply see how other people deal with hosting. Head to networking events and business events that aren’t just based in your local event. Exposure to events is a great way to gain the knowledge needed to host an event. Meeting with other business owners and talking it out also helps you get an insight into just what it takes to host an event.
If you want assistance with hosting an event – there are plenty of event planners and agencies that can help you deliver on your ideas and plans. If your budget is tight, you might want to avoid this step – but if the budget is that tight, is hosting an event really the best thing to do? No matter what, events can still be successful with a tight budget, though.
The best way to succeed with hosting a business is to plan and set goals. You do need a goal from the event so you can measure its success! Do you want more customers? A bigger list of leads? Higher sales? Choose a goal so you can see if your event was worth hosting in the first place. As for planning, you need to first identify the type of event you want to host – is it a coffee meeting, an exhibition, a test event, a conference or a talk? Identify the type of event that will suit your business and audience best. It also pays to choose a good date to host the event on – booking an event on a weekend or public holiday – or even on the same day as a competing event might lead to disaster.
Planning an event also involves deciding on just who to invite. You need to establish a guest list and bring in some names! Influencers and big names in the industry are a good idea. Look at how comic conventions work – famous artists, actors, and writers are bought in, but what is the point of the event? To sell comics and merchandise. Think of how best you can apply that school of thought to your event. It also makes sense to send your invites out months before the event.
If your budget is that tight, you might be open to the consideration of collaborating with another business to host a better event, jointly. This means that there should be twice the budget, twice the amount of businesses marketing and twice the success – hopefully. If you are slightly unsure about hosting an event, sharing the load with another business might be a good idea.
How do you market the event? The same way you market your business! Tease the event on your website and social media channels and keep the attendees updated. This is especially important just in case you need to deliver some critical information. Marketing also needs to happen at the event – your brand needs to be noticed. Equip the venue with flags, table covers from Dynamic Gift, banners and more. If your brand isn’t showing, the event might not be as successful as you had hoped. Also, keep your social media channels actually updated through the course of the event – you can’t just go off the radar. That goes for your physical appearances. You and your staff need to be on hand for the event to be sure that it all goes to plan and any questions can be answered.
Setting out a budget is key to hosting an event. Make an event budget and be sure to stick to it. If you can’t afford things, do not buy them. You are at a stage where you can’t yet measure the success of an event, thus splurging cash out is a bad idea! If your event is a success you can spend more on your next event. Don’t overextend at this stage.
Once the event is over, your work isn’t. You need to make sure that your business follows up on attendees who left contact information behind. This is lead generation and you are following up on a lead. Adding a personal touch to your outgoing correspondence is a nice way to not be overly corporate in your follow up. These leads are the best way to measure success in terms of the event and if sales or contacts are up to your targets, it might be that this event worked out for you!
Hosting an event is a fun thing to do – it’s also stressful. Remember that you are doing it for a reason and be sure not to show signs of unhappiness or stress on the day of the event!
Featured Image
