Use Events to Market on the Internet

Having difficulty knowing what to offer people online? Worried that your prospects are too bombarded by sales pitches to pick yours out from the hundreds they get every day?

Try something different ? an event!

Events have a number of benefits over standard marketing approaches. Some of these benefits include:

  • Events are perceived as informational and are often more accepted than sales pitches.

  • Events generate a sense of urgency as they are scheduled on a certain date with a registration deadline.

  • By sending an event e-mail, you can reach people's inbox, a place they look at nearly every day. With a web site, people have to remember to visit.

  • Regularly changing events give people a reason to come back to your web site.

  • Regardless of whether the event is held online or offline, an event can offer a better opportunity to build relationships than e-mail, mail, phone or a web site visit.

Building your list

To market your events well, it is important that you regularly build a list of people interested in what you offer and the events you create.

Make sure your web site invites visitors to sign up for your newsletter and event schedule. Ensure each contact with a client or prospect ends with an invitation to join your mailing list.

You can easily manage your subscriber system, send broadcasts and create professional looking invitation, event schedules and newsletters using an affordable service like Constant Contact.

Tips for promoting an offline event

Here are some tips for promoting your offline event:

  • Be sure to tell people the benefits of attending.

  • Offer something interesting to get them to come out.

  • Include the address, time, contact info for more information and how to register (if required)

  • Provide a link to a map so they can easily find it.

  • Include a "refer a friend" link so they can pass the invitation on to others.

    Tips for promoting and holding an online event.

  • You can hold online web conferences or other events using a system like Voice Café. Voice Café lets you bring people together with audio, video and PowerPoint presentation capabilities.

  • If you are using a web conferencing system, try to get people to log in early and test the system. This will ensure they get the best experience from your event.

  • Find web sites and newsletters that reach your target market and post or advertise your event in them. A free place you can advertise events online is The Ryze Network. The Ryze Network is an online community of over 20,000 people that lets you participate in discussion groups, connect with others and list events.

    Event ideas

    Here are a few ideas for your events, whether they are online or offline.

    • Offer contests and door prizes

    • Have a guest speaker or a way that people can connect with experts

    • Offer "how to" demonstrations

    • Open houses and customer appreciation days

    • Free food is often a draw. Or unique food ? I used to go to an ethnic festival primarily to try the different foods, even though the food wasn't free.

    • Provide information and resources

    • Entertain ? Include hypnotists, magicians, clowns, singers, dancers, etc.

    • Inspire ? Offer inspiration speakers and stories

    • Let them network ? One unexpected benefit of my both my offline and online courses is that my students meet each other and often start doing business with each other or form strategic partnerships.

    So add some urgency to your marketing ? schedule and promote a memorable event!

    --

    Permission to publish this article on your own web site or in your newsletter is granted as long as the complete article is used and the final paragraph and link to our site is intact. Our affiliates have permission to change the final web site link to their text affiliate link.

    About The Author

    Garland Coulson, "The E-Business Tutor" is an acclaimed speaker, author and coach in the field of Internet marketing for small business and home business. For more information, visit The E-Business Tutor web site at www.ebusinesstutor.com or call toll-free in North America at 1-866-413-0951; gcoulson@ebusinesstutor.com

    In The News:


  • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Neuromarketing: Smart Marketing Or Jedi Mind Control Trick?

    In the international bestseller "Blink," Malcolm Gladwell explains why our... Read More

    10 steps to promote your business

    1) Word of mouth is the most cost-effective, powerful form... Read More

    Money Making Real Estate Marketing Ideas

    Real estate marketing is a lot simpler than most Realtors... Read More

    At the Speed of Light

    How many times has someone you've called said, "Why don't... Read More

    Non-Profit Success Requires Ongoing Marketing

    In a crowded marketplace of ideas, it is important for... Read More

    So You Want To Cut The Crap And Get Into The Money?

    So, you´ve been around for a while, and maybe even... Read More

    Big Ticket Marketing in 28 Minutes

    I read an article recently about how many mainstream retail... Read More

    How to Get a 100% Return on Your Marketing Investment Guaranteed!

    One of the most effective ways to market your products/services... Read More

    Who is Your Perfect Client

    When I started my coaching practice I believed that I... Read More

    How to Give Your Biz a Boost with a Summer Marketing Makeover

    Are you on track for hitting all your business goals... Read More

    Market Research ? How Good is the Data?

    "Make money for taking surveys"," Cash for your opinion", "Make... Read More

    Professional Marketing

    Have you looked for marketing advice on the internet recently?... Read More

    What IS the Difference Between Marketing and Sales?

    There seems to be a never ending argument among marketing... Read More

    Avoid These 5 Web Site Blunders!

    The Web is intended to help people find information quickly... Read More

    6 Article Marketing Smarts: How To Get More Reprints And Exposure

    Article marketing is the latest buzzword for marketers... Read More

    The Death of Product Packaging as We Know It.

    It used to be you that if you had a... Read More

    The Marketing Secret Every Child Knows

    Little Kids Ask Until They Get What They Want.Mom, Mom,... Read More

    Mobile Marketing a New Age Strategy

    More and more companies seem to be looking for new... Read More

    Fair Measures Corporation

    A case study in online "thinking outside the box" The... Read More

    Loan Officer Websites: Your Marketing Hub to Magnetize Realtors

    Too many loan officer websites look like congested intersections, information... Read More

    How to Market and Protect Your New Ideas

    The intellectual property transfer market is now estimated to be... Read More

    A Seven Letter Word That Helped a 3 Month Marketing Newbie to Online Success

    Who would have thought that a three month newbie and... Read More

    How To Get Your Prospect To Take Action

    There's really only one thing that separates Image advertising from... Read More

    Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage

    The biggest secret to success in business is to always... Read More

    How to Promote your business website using free online resources.

    There are many ways to promote your website for free... Read More

    Getting New Clients - When Only a Few is More Than Enough

    Many of the business owners I speak with are looking... Read More

    How To Get To The Top of The Marketing Food Chain

    Are you tired of living off handouts from big-name marketers,... Read More

    Simplicity In Marketing

    In a world that is spinning out of control; with... Read More

    You?re In Charge. Now What?

    For years now, you have been waiting patiently for that... Read More

    Arts Marketing : Suggestions for Students and Beginners

    Many artists create art but when it comes to marketing... Read More

    How A Tiny 10 Year Old Girl Can Throw A 20 Stone Man - 3 Key Lessons In The Gentle Art Of Business

    Half my immediate family trained in Judo and excelled in... Read More

    Doing it with Class!

    Doctors do it, hair dressers do it, and salespeople can... Read More

    Data Map Charting for Mobile Businesses

    As we study the demographic regional variations for small service... Read More