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Using Event to Effectively Market Your Business
by Caterina Rando

The best way to build a relationship with a potential client and turn them into a loyal customer is to meet them face to face. Choose a place where people can meet some of your current, happy clients. Instead of going out on 30 sales presentations or having 30 no cost consultations, get potential clients together in a room and do a song and dance that will make them two step over to you and sign up for what you are offering.

Open House
Some people need to know you well before they will talk business. Invite these people you want to cultivate to your office for a little something to nosh on and a few beverages. (Invite your current clients also, as a thank you.) Provide time for people to drop in, nosh, chat a while, take a look around then leave. Give everyone a small something with your slogan to commemorate their visit to your office- a mug, a glass paperweight, something related to the theme of your business.

Information Events
Invite people to hear information valuable to their business and their lives. Serve food and drink anyway, people always enjoy and appreciate something to nosh on. refreshments add an informal atmosphere to an event and shows people how great you and your business are and why they need to begin working with you immediately.

For example successful informational evenings I have seen have include a chiropractor that did a short talk on peak performance, a caterer who held a cooking class, a hotel luncheon hosted by a telecommunications company with a speaker on business growth and a short discussion on the services of the telecommunications company.

For these events to succeed they must be value added, not infomercials for a particular business. Make sure you do take the time to do some promotion.

Special Guests
Once or twice a year you host an event and invite a speaker to share the latest trends in your industry and how these trends can impact your clients and potential clients. Financial services, real estate, and technology companies do this successfully to develop clients. Remember to be establish yourself as an expert, not your special guest.

Workshops
Workshops are a great way to boost your short-term income while creating long-term clients. A workshop gives people the opportunity to be your customer for just a day. This is an easy buying decision to make. In a few hours, you can build rapport with potential clients and make it easier for them to become a regular client. When you give a workshop, ensure that you establish yourself and your company as an expert. As with all events provide more value than was expected.

Collaborate with Other Complimentary Service Providers
Team up with someone who is in a different business who is also interested in doing a workshop to boost their business. Successful collaborations I have seen include a financial planner and a psychologist who discuss the practical and psychological issues to consider, a nutritionist and a personal trainer who discuss diet and exercise, a workplace safety consultant with an ergonomic consultant who discuss safety and ease of movement on the job. Collaboration on a program is less costly and allows each of you to draw on the potential client base of the other. Additionally it will be more fun and probably less work. If the event is successful, repeat it on a regular basis.

Maximize The Effects of Your Event

Get some publicity for your event. This can create buzz about you and your business. Even if people do not attend, getting the word out is beneficial. Invite more people than you can accommodate since there will always be no shows, ten to one is not out of line.

Use your events to make contact with people. Follow up invitations you send with a phone call to reconnect, build rapport, and find out if they are ready to do some business.

Ask your clients to bring others. Whenever possible provide clients and their guests with complimentary attendance. This will cultivate both relationships for everyone's benefit.

At the event, ask the attendees questions about you and your business and listen to their feedback. You will learn about their perception of you and how you can better serve them.

Include events in your marketing efforts. Assess the results of each event and incorporate what you learn to improve the event the next time.

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