Almost every city in every state has some sort of event that take place in their community. The events that take place are most often dependent on the area in which you live, local attractions and customary practices. Some towns have yearly festivals, car shows or other events that attract a number of local people.

When you first begin your local marketing campaign, it’s a good idea to do some research and search for events for the area you live in as well as other surrounding communities. Make sure you choose the events that will be attended by the people whom you feel may be looking for the products or services offered by your business.

Once you find the events that seem to be the right match for you, you will need to contact the event organizers and find out what opportunities exist at these events. Many events will have opportunities where you can sponsor them by donating money so that you can advertise your business during the event. Another possibility is that the event may have vendor space for rent where you can set up and sell products or give information to event-goers while the event is taking place.

When you find events that interest you, it’s always a good idea to talk to other business owners in your area and see if they have ever participated in the event. It doesn’t hurt to get feedback from them as to whether or not the event proved to be worthwhile for their business.

If you decide you will be renting vendor space at any event, make sure you prepare everything well in advance. Whatever your goal may be, take ample fliers, business cards, brochures and other information about your business with you. You want to make sure you have everything you need in order to give prospects all the information they need. If you are selling products, it’s also a great idea to have free samples for prospects. People love free stuff!

Don’t forget to take enough of your products so you can have them on display for those that are shopping around. Take time to set up a nice display area that is neat and organized. You also need to make sure your products are priced correctly.

If you happen to live in or close to a tourist town, you will also find there are usually many special events on a year-round basis that take place. This is an excellent resource because you can market to some of the locals and there will also be visitors from other areas as well. Many of these special events will have sponsoring opportunities and vendor space for rent.

Last but not least, flea markets are another way to market your business. Some indoor flea markets are year-round but the outdoor spaces you will find are most often limited to the warmer months. Many people visit flea markets all over the place so that’s a great way to target locals as well as individuals from nearby towns.