Grass Roots Marketing Is Alive and Well and Working

I participated in Podcamp Toronto this weekend, and I was thinking about how to share my experience with you in a way that would benefit you most.  So I won’t post the slides from my presentation, and I’m not going to write about how attending and presenting at conferences is one of the best ways a small business owner can network with peers and keep up with the latest techniques and trends in your market.  Well I will, but later.  First, I wanted to share an observation that will make you some more money.  Sound good?

Grass roots marketing; sponsoring local events and organizations and participating in your community in a sincere and genuine way, is great business.  Businesses from General Motors to your local mom and pop get this, and if you’re not doing these things you need to get it too.  I’ll use Podcamp Toronto as an example, but you can apply it to any community, with any number of local events and conferences right where you live.

People do business with other people they know and trust.  People recommend businesses for the same reason.  Being there before the sale, doesn’t mean shouting your message at people so when they are in the position of needing your services, they remember you.  Participating in events, whether local, regional, or national is a great way to be there before the sale.  Conferences are a great place to meet people in your industry, but have you attended any for your customer’s industry?  If it is outside your area of expertise, have you considered sponsoring such an event?

In only four years, Podcamp Toronto has grown from a couple hundred attendees the first year to just under 1000 this year. Phenomenal growth yes, but the size of an event that you would expect to be on GM’s radar? It is on GM’s radar.  Chevrolet was not only a Gold Sponsor of the event, but Christopher Barger, the Director of Global Communications Technology for General Motors, came to make a presentation.  Chris and George, the PR guy for General Motors of Canada were at the event, participating in sessions and engaging in conversations.  If a large corporation like GM, understands that there is a huge benefit to having their guys engaging with peers and sharing knowledge, small business like us, better realize these benefits too.

Of course there were a number of national and local Toronto businesses who also sponsored the event. Most events and conferences have different levels of sponsorship so that you can find something that fits.  I get bootstrapping.  You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money to do this.  Sometimes, you don’t have to spend any.  You could be an event volunteer or your business could provide products or services to the event for free.  By choosing an organization in your community or a business group that you can relate to, you will naturally connect with the people you meet.  You will engage and participate and enjoy it.  You will get to know people, and they will get to know you.  And that’s a lucky thing, because people do business with other people they know and trust.

If your company has ever sponsored an event or volunteered, what were your experiences?

photo credits: InspirationDC ,karen_blanchard@sbcglobal.net