Page 61 - #45 English

providing free advertising, which will be international travel. Anything you think the A final thought on bringing in
a good reflection upon them as well. public might be interested in, and that you speakers to do presentations in
If you are holding a walk or a run to can find a credible speaker to talk about. your store:
fund a good cause, then those wanting to If your presenters see the possibility Ideally, you would not only like to
participate should be instructed to sign- to benefit personally from giving a pre- attract people who have never been to
up and solicit sponsors to contribute a sentation, they will be much more likely your business before, but you’d also like
certain amount of money for completing to want to make a presentation for free. to make some extra income. So, you would
the event, or perhaps for every mile they For example, someone who specializes in be wise to appeal to your speaker before
walk or run. booking travel tours is likely to get excited their presentation. Ask them to thank
If you start or finish your benefit about putting on a presentation about your business for holding this event when
run or walk at your store, then you can traveling to Hong Kong. they begin their presentation, and also ask
also provide free coffee to those who are An evening or weekend day when them to encourage those who are attend-
participating and attending as spectators. you’re not typically busy is the perfect ing to show their appreciation by making
This is a great way to expose them to your time to schedule your speakers. Of course a purchase while they are there.
products. you’ll need to promote your event so you’ll The public likes to support busi-
And, for this type of event, by having have a decent turnout. Hanging a poster nesses that are locally owned, and who
some custom T-shirts printed for partici- in your front door and establishing some are committed to improving the local
pants to wear, you can bring even more tabletop signs a week or two before your community. Be an active supporter of
attention to your business. speaker’s presentation, will inform your your community, and watch your business
Wearable promotions like T-shirts existing customers about your upcoming blossom!
will not only expose your business’s name special event. And, once again, you should
and awareness of your “good-deed” on the contact your local newspaper, radio and
day of the event, but long after your event, television stations to see if they will make
as participants wear your T-shirt out in mention of your event as a public service.
public in the future. If your speaker is renowned, or the
topic being discussed is “hot,” then you
Hosting Public Service Meetings, may want to contact the local media about
Educational Seminars, Etc. sending someone out to cover the event,
Another way to attract people to because it may be news worthy. Having
your business, and prove you are an active your local television channel or newspa-
supporter of your community, is to solicit per out to cover your event, and being
speakers to conduct a presentation at your seen in the local news, can be worth its
store. weight in gold from a publicity standpoint!
If there are hot issues in your com- On the flipside, you’ll want to be
munity, (or in general), and the public careful if you are considering having a Ed Arvidson is President of E&C Con-
could benefit from more information, you speaker take on a highly controversial sulting (www.coffeebizconsultant.com)
should try to solicit a speaker to give a free subject. Even if they plan to be unbiased and the industry’s first online coffee
presentation to provide more information. and address both sides of an issue, you run business school (www.coffeebusinesss-
Presentations don’t have to be limited a risk that some of those who attend may chool.com). He has been providing
to political issues. Topics can range from not end up associating your event with consulting services to Specialty Coffee
personal health to using social media to being a positive experience. Business owners for over 20 years.