LIVE EVENTS ARE a perfect opportunity for customers to meet and mingle with the sellers of goods/services and other consumers of the products.  The customers get a chance to make a connection with the product that cannot be experienced by watching a TV commercial or any other way.  If you intend to use this method of marketing you can consider the following options:

A customer is able to determine if a product is right for them if they see, touch and feel it.  A live event allows the customers to learn more about the products and all of its benefits and features.  As you demonstrate the product, ensure that you show all the aspects and features.  If there are people in the audience who have experienced the product before, you can invite them to give an account of their experience.  You should have prepared sales sheets that have details of the product and how the customer can be able to place an order.  The sales sheet should not be too detailed as to burden the customer with reading it.  It’s usually a one-page sheet of paper that the customer can read easily.

You can do this if you are opening your first business or if you are opening additional branches of an existing business.  You can invite people from the community for a tour of your business.  Your employees can be a good source of ideas on what you can offer on such an event as they will likely be from the area.  Each kind of business has its own unique offers that you can use during this event. If you have a web-based business, consider using an email blast campaign as part of your virtual grand opening.

This is most appropriate with services such as accounting.  In such an event, you make an invitation to your prospective customers and educate them on what you do and how the services can be of benefit to them.  You can equip them with free tips they can use in their businesses.  As they disperse, distribute your business cards among them.  You can include a token that will remind them they attended your seminar.

These are specific to a given industry.  Participants are given the chance to rent a booth that they will use to showcase their products and/or services.  These events attract a wide range of potential customers as there are typically multitudes of companies in attendance.  The main drawback of this kind of event is that, obviously, there are competitors who are vying on your customers as much as you are after theirs.  The risk of losing a few customers may not outweigh the opportunity of interacting with your customers and cementing the bond between you.  There is no way you can shield your customers from advances from your competitors; your only chance is to have products and services that satisfy them fully.  This is the reason why it’s important to know the needs of your customers intimately so that you can tailor your products to suit these needs perfectly. The marketplace, regardless of which one, is about competition. The only real way to keep your customers is to out-perform your competition.