Running Your Own Events
For some companies, event-based marketing means creating an event rather than just showing up at one.
Carla Rodriguez, marketing coordinator for Claremont, Calif.’s Hartman-Baldwin Design/Build, says home shows aren’t the right fit for her company. But that’s not to say HartmanBaldwin shies away from events. Rather, the company runs four of its own: a remodeling survival guide workshop; a mid-project showcase; a finished-project reception; and a tour of historic properties the company has remodeled.
The survival guide workshop and mid-project showcase are open to the public and serve the dual roles of education and lead generation. The finished-project reception, attended by a select list of prospects, clients, and partners, is a more intimate affair where prospects are ideally sold on the company and clients made loyal.
“The trouble we’ve found,” Rodriguez says, “is that people don’t know what design/build is. So our challenge is to educate them, as well as to promote our services.”
Brilliantly conceived, these events do just that, providing tangible benefits while simultaneously creating environments that endear attendees to the company.
Poulin launched a similar program a few years back called “A Remodeling Night Out.” Once a year he dresses up his Poulin Design Remodeling showroom and invites prospects as well as current and past clients, about 200 in all, for a catered dinner.
Like the HartmanBaldwin events, Poulin’s dinner promotes positive feelings about his company in a setting that is both casual and amenable to business.
“Last year, we got 63 new leads,” Poulin says, “And it’s a good way to get past customers excited about their next project.”