10 Offline Event Marketing Ideas to Build a Strong Brand

With social media taking over the marketing world, how do you build a strong brand offline? Check out these 10 event marketing ideas you can carry out today.

“Extra, extra, read all about it!”

Long gone are the days when you could find everything you needed to know in the humble newspaper. We live in a world where you can find an abundance of knowledge with a few taps.

In fact, over 51% of smartphone users said they use their phones to discover new companies and products.

But this wealth of online information can pose a challenge for businesses. Instead of competing against a handful of local companies, your competition is the entire world.

There are times you need to step offline and use real-life marketing techniques to increase your brand’s exposure.

But how can you build a strong brand offline? Read on for 10 event marketing ideas.

Offline Event Marketing Ideas
Is offline marketing worth the effort?

If you’re only online, you may come across as a faceless machine. But if you don’t touch the online network that gives you exposure to the entire world, you’ll be limiting your customer base.

Most businesses will succeed when they use BOTH online and offline marketing strategies. You’ve probably got your online strategy sorted. But what about offline?

1. The Traditional Business Card

Even though we live in a digital world, business cards are still essential to any business to inform potential customers about your business.

You’ll not find a company without them. In fact, 27 million business cards are printed each day!

That’s just under 10,000,000,000 billion business cards printed annually.

Business cards are a quick and efficient way to introduce someone to your company and the services you provide.

Your business card should direct them to your physical location and your online presence and should be kept simple. Overcrowding your business card will confuse your prospect and he or she will toss it out.

Less is more, don’t clutter your business card with all of your business information and services.

A good design balance can be achieved with minimal and basic information and design. 

The Long Beach SBDC business card example is easy to read with just their basic information that includes their name, title, location, contact number, and web address. 

Each business card should include the following information.

• Name (Personal and business)
• Job Title
• Work Email
• Phone Number 
• Website 
• Social Media Sites

Hand them out wherever you go and leave them in strategic locations. You never know who will pick one up and need your professional help.

2. Flyers that Fly

Like business cards, flyers are one of the best local marketing ideas around.

But they can give a lot more information than a business card.

You can use flyers for advertising your business in general or if you’re promoting a special event.

But first impressions are key. So make sure it’s designed to entice your prospect with an offer they can’t refuse.

Perhaps your offer can be a buy one get one free or a 10% discount when they bring in the flyer to buy your product or service. 

Like business cards, leave them anywhere and everywhere. At promo fairs, at other businesses, parks, washrooms…anywhere and everywhere!

In the video below Carmen Sognonvi goes over 3 important tips to get your flyers looking right and to generate leads to your business.

When creating your flyer think about who you’ll be targeting. What are their behaviors? Where do they hang out at?

What kind of movies do they like? Comedy, Romance, Action, Drama, Horror? Where do they go to get informed? What do they like to eat? What do they do for a living?

Ask yourself these questions to start brainstorming ideas to craft your message and get the people that you want to attract with your flyer.

3. Walking Advertisements

Create walking advertisements by giving out promo t-shirts.

Using t-shirts for marketing is one of the most fashionable ways to promote your business and ideas that do the work for you.

How so?

After you’ve handed out your attention-grabbing t-shirt, the person wearing it will walk around and advertise for you for free!

If it’s a great quality t-shirt we can bet that the person will wear it every week without you having to ask him or her to wear it.

All you have to do is sit back and relax.

But make sure the t-shirt actually looks stylish and not a cheap throw-away tee, otherwise, they won’t wear it!

The most popular color t-shirt is Black and the second most popular color is White, so make sure your logo or design can work well with these colors.

But if you really want to catch someone’s attention a Red color t-shirt with a simple white color logo can really stand out if the most popular colors are white and black. 

We’ve reviewed 5 of the best-quality t-shirts that people love to wear. These t-shirts are super comfortable and stylish so make sure you pick the right tee that your customers will love to wear.

4. Successful Signs

You can also do offline marketing through signage.

You might not be able to pay for a huge billboard, but banners, flags, and sidewalk signs all have the same effect.

The key is to grab attention. Be bold, funny, and FORGET ABOUT BEING BLAND!

People will most likely remember a funny or bold sign that will get their attention. 

The most successful signs will make people do a double take. Use bright or contrasting colors if you can that will pop out.

Place your signs where they have the highest visibility possible or where there is a lot of traffic and preferably a busy intersection where there are red lights. 

Add your website or a QR code to direct customers to your online services or products if they don’t have time to stop by your store.

5. Tis the Season

Another creative marketing idea is to send out seasonal cards.

Sending seasonal cards used to be a common thing for businesses, but now it’s a rarity.

Surprise your clients with a thank you card or holiday card that will remind them of you throughout the holiday season.

On the card, you can invite them to a specific event. Or simply remind them of the services you provide and a thank you for their business.

Greeting cards are a small touch that most businesses do not take advantage of to make a stronger connection with their customers.

A seasonal card is like the cherry on top.

This personal touch may help them to be more inclined to choose your company over competitors the next time they need your services.

6. Influencer Collaboration

Another creative marketing idea is hiring a brand ambassador.

Of course, they work online using social media platforms. But an “influencer” can do many things offline too.

They are hired to promote and talk about your product or service to their followers on social media.

Look for influencers that have a large online following typically ranging from 10,000 to 100,000+ followers.

Ask them to come by your restaurant for a month of free meals, shop at your boutique, get free tires if you have a tire shop, or in exchange for your services to get their existing audience’s attention to your business.

In the video below, Neil Patel goes over the basics of finding the right influencers that can help promote your business to a wider audience.

You can offer them free products or services or pay them for posting on their social media pages that have good engagement.

They can wear your swag, and talk positively about your business and your services. They can also use their influence to advertise any special events you are organizing.

You can reach out to them on Instagram, Facebook, or Youtube by looking for related hashtags, videos related to your industry or tweets that match what you looking for.

7. Promo Trade Shows

Head to a trade show to build brand awareness, meet with other vendors, clients, and network with suppliers.

Although it’s more of an investment than other options, it’s worth the knowledge and information you’ll get about your industry.

You can use trade shows to market and advertise your company in several ways.

For instance, you can give away freebies, create competitions, speak at workshops, and make presentations about your products and services that will position you as an authority in your space.

Make your brand stand out. Use customized tablecloths with your branded logo, vendor tents, backdrop displays for sponsors, and guest pictures or specialized trade show displays.

Even if you’re not big enough to set up your own booth, you have to attend industry trade shows to know what your competition is doing and not doing.

If you can’t afford a booth like your biggest competitor, you can simply hand out business cards and flyers.

8. Get Involved with the Community

Sponsoring a community event is not only a feel-good technique, but it is also a great promotional event idea.

Local events in the community often need a sponsor. If you sponsor them, your name can be branded all over the event.

You can brand your logo on vendor tents, standing banners, signs, flyers, and more.

You can contact your local chamber of commerce to see if they can point you in the right direction or if they can find your business a sponsorship opportunity.

You can also get in touch with your local colleges, high schools, restaurants, or any other complementary businesses that can use your products or services for a barter type of sponsorship.

Explore every opportunity that you think will make the biggest impact in your community.   

9. Pop-up Here and There

If your customers aren’t coming to you, you need to go to them.

You can do this by using the “pop-up” technique. Pop up a tent or booth somewhere random (with permission) and promote your company from there.

With a Branded Canopy Tent and a 6-foot table you can set up shop anywhere, you are permitted.

Choose your spot wisely. For instance, in a place with heavy foot traffic.

Use something that will entice curious customers, like free food, drinks, or cute and attractive models presenting your products.

Festivals, concerts, and fairs can attract hundreds of thousands of potential customers. But it makes sense to be at events that match your brand’s theme.

For example, the perfect event for a comic book store could advertise would be Comic-con.

Look for tradeshows or fairs in your city or wherever they may be to see what events match what you are looking for.

10. Create a Unique Experience

Another creative event promotion idea is to create an experience for your audience.

This seems to be an up-and-coming trend in the world of advertising.

For instance, the people in London Waterloo Station got a thrill on their commute.

Many were excited to see the Ghostbusters Marshmallow Man emerging through the floor.

And attendees of the 2018 FIFA World Cup enjoyed a virtual reality experience with Coca-Cola.

Of course, if you’re a small business, these ideas can come with a large budget. But the point is to be imaginative and thrill your potential customers with something unique. 

The Skies the Limit
As you can see, there are many offline event marketing ideas to try. Don’t limit yourself to social media. Bring your brand to life, and enjoy the success!

Need help bringing your marketing ideas to life? Get in touch by emailing us at info@laprintanddesign.com were happy to help you get started with your promotional and branding materials!