Strategic Co-Hosting

One of the secrets to growing your business is to get new customers in the door. Hosting an event at your location can be a great way to increase your exposure to potential customers and show what your business offers. Events can range from a large-scale charity gala, to small-scale targeted events like an open mic night for writers at your coffee shop or having Santa Claus come to your children’s retail shop during the holiday season.

There seems to be quite a bit of interest right now in marketing partnerships. It is about time. Businesses can set up and implement very successful partnerships, but the process is long-term. Partnerships do not generally produce significant results quickly.

A great way to gain new customers is to host an event at your business.

What A Marketing Event Partnership Is

A marketing event partnership involves two or more professionals, companies or salespeople who have common prospects, similar marketing needs, and possibly complementary services. These entities join forces for mutual marketing and sales, usually within a specific market sector or for specific prospects. This does not mean they lose their individual identity. More than likely, each will continue to market and sell outside the partnership.

Your Partners Help Define Your Reputation And Position

When you enter a marketing partnership, whom you choose to join forces with directly impacts your sphere of influence, marketing potential and reputation. Each partner's reputation "rubs off" on the other. In addition, your marketing reach is enhanced-or limited-by the other side's.

Partnership event Marketing activities may involve:

Creating joint marketing materials

Joint direct mail, e-mail or advertising campaigns

Joint sales calls

Referring of prospects

Possibly even combining services, talents and assets to create new services

An example of a potential event marketing partnership would be an accountant, estate attorney, financial planner, and insurance agent. By combining forces, these professionals can, at least in theory, coordinate and help guide an individual's affairs without the potential of conflict, jealousy, or competition. And, again, each individual professional benefit from wider exposure, more referrals, and marketing that is more efficient.

Associations enter into a strategic alliance or partnership with other associations or for-profit entities for many reasons. Typically, the objective is to exchange or publish information, hold joint meetings and/or trade shows, offer education and training programs, sell products and services, promulgate industry standards, and/or monitor policy issues.

Virtually every professional and company has opportunities to create marketing partnerships. Although the most visible partnerships involve large, publicly traded companies, partnerships offer tremendous potential for even the smallest of companies or single practitioners.

Partner with other businesses. Partnering with a non-competing business with a similar clientele can benefit both businesses. Each company markets the event to their own customers, which can create new customers for the other business. Brennan said that this strategy has been very successful for them, and many of their partners' customers have since become regular visitors to the tavern.

Remember to gather contact information and follow up. One of the keys to turning a large event turnout into increased business is to gather contact information and keep in touch with the attendees afterwards. You can add them to your newsletter, send a Friend Request on Facebook or call them to personally invite them to an upcoming sale. Just be sure to stay on the conservative side of the fine line between spamming people and communicating.

For joint marketing and event co-hosting opportunities please call 561-899-9310.