Doing business the old fashioned way - face to face

As you're all aware (I hope!!) by now, we're holding the Ryde Business & Sustainability Expo next Wednesday, 5 August. Several of our members are exhibitors. Over the two years we've held the Expo so far, our exhibitors have reported good leads and have turned some of those leads into customers and clients. At the very least, they have expanded their marketing database by 350+ leads each year.

I LOVE electronic marketing. I'm the email queen. But meeting new potential RBF members face to face is important - we can gain mutual trust by chatting and observing each other. From last year's Expo we gained a number of new members and they have all renewed their membership this year.

The Expo is a powerful tool. If you're an exhibitor, you MUST make the most of the opportunity by encouraging your existing clients to come along. They could meet other contacts there who will fulfil some of their business' other needs - and will have you to thank for the introduction. The Expo isn't a case of "if we build it, people will come". It relies on exhibitors being marketing managers for the Expo as part of their own business' marketing strategy.

RBF markets the expo to around 500 contacts plus newspaper advertising, Expo Edge to several thousand. Marketing the Expo can be as simple as including a banner in your email signature. So, if you're an exhibitor, have you marketed your presence there?