Business Event ideas

One of the best ways to build awareness of your brand, engage your existing customers and attract new business is through event marketing. But figuring out what kinds of events to host and how to organize them can be daunting.

The trick to planning and pulling off successful marketing events is to make sure they grow organically out of your business. You don't want to tack an event onto your brand without giving any consideration to what your brand means, who your customers are and why you're hosting the event in the first place.

Once you have an idea what type of events will resonate with your customer base, think about implementing one of these 10 ideas that can be fun and profitable for your small business:

1. Learning Events. People love to learn new things, and who better to teach them than professionals in your field? Think about what your business represents and the skills that you, your employees and your contacts have. Any of these can make for powerful and memorable events. For instance, software companies can host training sessions that show customers how to use their products. Wineries can host food-and-wine pairing dinners. Be creative, and think about what knowledge, skills and understanding might benefit your client base.

2. Interactive Events. People love to interact with products and get to know a company's employees, and events give them a chance to do that. For this event, set up hands-on stations where they can see how things work or give them a chance to see your services in action. A video editing company, for instance, might offer customers the opportunity to edit clips onsite, letting them see how the process works and why it's so valuable to them.

3. Travel Events. Arranging to take your customers on a trip—even if it's a nearby destination—gets them out of their daily routine and gives them the chance to explore your products and services in a unique setting. Think about booking a weekend trip at a bed and breakfast or retreat center, and then organize your days around product demonstrations, customer interactions and activities.