How to Use Local Events to Market Your Small Business

The relationship between small businesses and their community members can be mutually supportive. While small business owners often rely on loyal local customers for growth and success, many customers also value supporting local businesses. In fact, a recent study revealed that 82% of Canadians believe micro and small businesses in their communities deserve support, and 76% feel local businesses are more important in their communities than online-only retailers.

This highlights why it can be valuable for small business owners to strengthen their local connections in meaningful ways to reach a supportive audience. One way to do is by getting involved in local events, such as fairs, festivals, charity fundraisers, or farmers’ markets. These gatherings can provide small businesses with the opportunity to meet both current and potential customers face-to-face, showcase their products or services, and form lasting impressions that go beyond a single transaction.

READ MORE: The Role of Community Engagement in Small Business Success

Below, we outline ways small business owners can optimize their presence at local events to effectively market their business to consumers, help generate brand recognition, strengthen community involvement, and build a loyal customer base. We include:

• Why small businesses should choose local events that target their specific audience
• How small businesses can enhance their booth at a local event with printed materials
• The benefits of small businesses offering an event-specific discount at a local event
• Why hosting a workshop at a local event can be beneficial for small businesses in attracting customers
• The importance of sharing that your small business will attend an event

CHOOSE LOCAL EVENTS THAT TARGET YOUR SPECIFIC AUDIENCE

To effectively market your small business, it is first important to carefully select the local events you want to attend. While gaining exposure can be a plus, it is crucial to consider the time and money that go into preparing for these events. If you have a small budget, it may be more beneficial to curate a smaller list of local events where you can dedicate more resources.

To help determine which local events to attend, you may want to consider those that:

• Attract your target audience
• Are located near your store for optimal exposure and to increase the odds of those who live in the area stopping by
• Cater to a niche group for more quality attention, helping to boost conversion
• Are well-organized and have a strong local reputation to help add trust to your brand

SET UP A BOOTH OR TABLE WITH BRANDED PRINT MATERIALS

Local events are an excellent opportunity to display banners, posters, lawn signs, flyers, or other print materials that showcase your small business. Since these gatherings are a great time to reach potential new consumers who haven’t heard of your business, having items that show off your brand and what you have to offer can be a great way to add a professional, quality touch.

To effectively market your small business at local events, it is important to maintain brand consistency, which can help build credibility and recognition. Print materials should include your brand colours, font, logo, tagline, relevant imagery, and key points about your products/services so interested customers can learn more.

Check out our online print shop to see how we can help!

Providing information cards, brochures, or business cards that attendees can take with them to learn more about your small business is a great way to help keep your business top of mind when they step away from your booth. Additionally, offering promotional products (e.g., tote bags, pens, water bottles) can also be beneficial, as whenever they use or wear them, they promote your business to others and remind themselves that your business exists.

READ MORE: How to Use Promotional Products to Benefit Your Small Business

PROVIDE AN EVENT-SPECIFIC DISCOUNT

You may have various reasons for wanting to attend a local event, such as increasing exposure or strengthening community relationships to help build trust with locals. However, if one of your goals is to encourage event attendees to visit your store and make a purchase, offering an event-specific discount can be a great strategy.

The discount will depend on your small business. For instance, if you own a pilates studio, you could have event attendees sign up for a mailing list that will grant them a discount on their first class. This can be beneficial, as it provides a means of staying in touch with marketing messages while offering them an incentive to visit your business. Another example is offering a limited-time coupon for a purchase at your store to those who stop by your booth, helping to create urgency and potential repeat purchases.

HOST A WORKSHOP RELATED TO YOUR BUSINESS

Hosting a workshop can be an excellent way to connect directly with members of your community and generate interest in your products/services. For example, if you are in the food industry, organizing a cooking/baking demonstration or a “how-to” workshop can help you demonstrate your expertise and establish your business as a trusted member of the community.

Additionally, hosting a workshop can help create a positive first impression to potential customers, which can go a long way. By interacting with potential customers, you can provide a personal experience that they will remember.

PROMOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE

Letting your community know that you’ll be attending a local event is key, and sharing this news on your social media platforms is a great way to start. Additionally, check if the event has its own Instagram account or if your town or city is promoting the event online, as you may be able to promote your business there as part of the event’s promotional material. You can also reach out to your existing customers by sending them an email invitation to the event, or you could create organic content that highlights your plans to attend, using relevant hashtags to help expand your reach.

Generating interest before the event can be an effective strategy for capturing attention when the local event rolls around.

HOW THE UPS STORE CAN HELP WITH YOUR LOCAL EVENT

Preparing for an upcoming local event? The UPS Store offers Small Business Solutions tailored to your needs. From high-quality online and in-store printing to packaging and shipping, document finishing, shredding, and more, our team can help you elevate your small business. Find a location near you to get started.