Get them talking: How live events can create buzz for your small business
Participating in live events can dramatically shift your small business’s trajectory since it condenses months of traditional networking and marketing into a single weekend. Trade shows, pop ups, fairs, expos, and exhibitions allow you to connect face-to-face with your target market, potential partner retailers, and distributors. They also enable you to do a bit of market research as you can scope out what the competition is currently up to. Best of all, these events let more people know about your business, especially if you give attendees unforgettable experiences to talk about or share on social media.
Although many companies are allocating most of their marketing budget for social media and traditional advertisements, studies show that word-of-mouth marketing is still one of the most effective strategies to grow your business. In fact, a Nielsen survey has found that 92 percent of people trust word-of-mouth referrals more than any other type of advertising.
These days, word-of-mouth can mean anything from a glowing recommendation from a friend to a 20-second unsponsored TikTok post from a niche influencer, so take advantage of live events to harness the power of organic marketing. Here’s how live events can create buzz for your small business, as well as strategies on how to get people talking about your brand.
Why Live Events Work so Well
Going from nearly zero customers to a jampacked shop due to word-of-mouth marketing can be such an exhilarating experience for any new business owner. Just imagine, one happy customer can’t stop raving about your products, and the next thing you know, the whole neighbourhood is flocking to your store. Participating in live events allows you to have the same experience, but multiplied several times over since you get to have in-person interactions with dozens of people per day.
According to recent data, the average trade show attracts between 8,000 to 15,000 attendees, while market pop ups can attract up to 1,000 people on a bustling weekend. Even if you interact with only a fraction of all visitors or attendees, if you give them something positive to talk about, you’ll likely go organically viral overnight.
Another reason why expos and fairs can be good for word-of-mouth marketing is because these events are created in such a way that people can’t help but talk about them or share them online. Corporate event planning experts integrate experiences like interactive product demos, branded photoboots, and live entertainment, which provide a cheerful and fun vibe. Some live events even have VIP lounges where attendees can enjoy refreshments while taking a breather from booth visits.
Small Events, Big Results
Participating in a major trade fair or expo is a surefire way to create some buzz for your small business. However, you need to consider your goals, target audience fit, budget, team capacity, and return on investment strategy before signing up for a trade show booth or a spot at a pop up market.
For instance, let’s say your business is related to beauty or wellness and you want to promote your brand globally. For international exposure, you’ll want to participate in an established trade fair like Beautyworld Dubai since it’s where you can mingle with industry experts and beauty influencers from around the world. However, if you’re just starting out and working with a modest marketing budget, think about planning a small live event to promote your business.
If you want to have the live event inside your shop, you can have a launch party to show off a new item, or conduct a workshop so you can teach a skill related to your product. If you’d rather have it in a community centre or other local spaces, consider collaborating with other business owners so you can have a weekend pop up. Create a visually striking, Instagrammable photo wall or chill out lounge so attendees can take and post photos and videos with your brand in the background. You can also encourage on-the-spot sharing by having a raffle wherein participants get an extra ticket by tagging your business and a friend online. Offer exclusive perks by giving attendees event-only discount codes or samples of new products, then send everyone home with high-value swag bags.
Maintaining constant online activity has its perks when you’re trying to reach customers, but having face-to-face interactions at live events is better for organic word-of-mouth marketing. Participate in exhibitions or fairs, or plan a small-scale event to get the word out about your brand, and see how it builds hype and stirs up interest within your community and beyond.
