Local events are a goldmine for any business looking to boost visibility and achieve growth. Each community event is a chance to network, to be seen, and to build engagement among your local customer base. The photos taken can fill your website and social media with engaging and delightful imagery of smiling people and company t-shirts. Writing about each event is a wealth of local SEO. Not to mention the impact of doing good works and contributing to the local culture.
Get Involved
Any business, big or small, can get started in community involvement by finding local events to be a part of. Is there a local art festival, holiday parade, or even a seasonal carnival? Does the local high school throw a big event that everyone attends? Even becoming part of the Farmer’s Market can be an opportunity to invest in the community and reap the rewards.
Go Big or Go Home
Once you choose an event (or an entire schedule of events) make plans to be visible and magnanimous. Design a booth that can be quickly set up in any location. Perhaps you can become a local vendor of food and event goodies. You might host a game at the local carnival or festival or sell pies at the bake sale. Or perhaps you will design and run a float in the local parade.
Seek out opportunities to attend events as part of the act, not part of the audience. Send your team in company shirts and hats, and send your most enthusiastic and outgoing people. Hold a raffle with free giveaways, or throw swag into the crowd for whoever can catch it. Make sure you are visible and part of everyone’s good time.
Take Lots of Pictures and Video
Don’t let a great photo-op go to waste. Stock photos of smiling generic office people will never compare to the value of your team in company shirts, smiling and celebrating with members of the community.
Create opportunities for fun video clips with locals winning prizes and sharing their experiences with the camera. Snap tons of photos of the team and everyone around you. Then, use this awesome, energetic media to fuel endless social media posts, blogs, and your website content.
Network with Other Local Businesses
While you’re getting involved, don’t forget to network. Connect with other local businesses who are attending as vendors, participants, and hosts. Become part of any local business association that is involved in the events you have chosen and discover other brands that you can partner with to make an even bigger splash at future events.
Get to Know Your Community and Connect Online
Connect with community members. When locals engage with your booth or activity, offer them easy routes to connect in person and online. Start a fun and easy hashtag and tag them in quick phone photos during the event, alongside the event hashtag.
Provide a QR code that also makes it easy for everyone else to participate, adding their own posts and pictures to the online event that is parallel to the live event happening in person.
Become a Sponsor and a Host
Once you have mastered being a part of local community events, you may be ready to host or sponsor a few of your own. Start by becoming a sponsor, a known contributor to community groups, events, and festivals. Get your name on the marquee, the flyers, and the event pamphlets and provide resources that help locals with their community projects and cultural celebrations.
From there, you can start planning events as a known member of the community and inviting locals to join you with a full understanding of your audience. As a host, you can take an even more prominent role and become a respected community business leader in your region.
Master the Advantages of Local Events with Oracle Tree
If you are ready to turn local events into a golden opportunity to build your brand and become a part of your community, Oracle Tree is here to help. Contact us today to discover how we can transform your event participation into a multi-channel bonanza of engaging images and video, social media content, inbound marketing, business networking, and even hosting your own events as a community leader.
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