When you are involved in an online business, it can be difficult to connect with the real world. In fact, having no face-to-face contact with your customers is one area where offline businesses have an advantage. The big question is; what can you do about it?
There is an obvious answer: get out there and meet your public. And one of the best ways to start doing it is by holding real life events. It will give you the opportunity to get up close and personal with your customers, and find out a lot more about them; not to mention making more sales.
Today, we’re going to take a look at how you can use these events to lay deeper foundations for your business, and to start scaling it up. Let’s take a closer look.
Image Credit – https://flic.kr/p/ejzLFo
Form your plan
Like anything else in life, a good plan for your event will give you a greater chance of success. Your first step is to identify why you want to take your business into the real world. There are plenty of reasons for doing so. Perhaps you want to grow your network and meet other, complimentary businesses. Maybe you have a new product in development and need people to come and try it out and let you know what they think. Or, it could be for pure sales reasons and a way of getting your name out there.
Select your audience
One of the biggest reasons for holding events is to develop relationships in your local community. Again, this is a key advantage for offline businesses: they get to know their local customers and form strong bonds with them. The village shop is the classic example – and, of course, the local bar. But, when you’re online and serve an audience that stretches across the country and beyond, is there any point? Well, yes. People tend to like local businesses, and they will be interested in what you have to say, and what you do. It’s a chance for you to develop deeper relationships and set the foundations for scaling up your business.
Organise the event
Once you have an idea of the numbers you expect to come, you can start making concrete plans. You’ll need to choose a venue, and maybe a theme. It could be a flash sale if you sell products, for example, or a series of business talks, if you provide a business service. There is help available if you need it. There are plenty of companies out there who deal in conference, seminar, or even exhibition event management. Obviously, you don’t need anything too grand, unless it will appeal to your audience. Don’t forget that sometimes, even holding a small business event in your local bar can often yield successful results.
The bottom line
Once the event is taking place, make sure that you get the best possible results, to match your initial goals. It will be an expense to you – in money and time – so it is essential that you come away with something for your investment. That could be sign ups to your service, new leads, or sales – it’s up to you. But, never forget the reason you are holding the event in the first place, regardless of the level of fun you have!
Good luck – and why not send us through an invite?
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