Are You Forgetting The Most Crucial Style Of Marketing?

Business used to be something that was always done face to face. When you wanted to make a deal, sell a product or come to an agreement, then you had to look another person in the eye and communicate with them directly. Sadly this is something that many businesses seem to think is somehow out of date, even obsolete. Thanks to email, instant messaging and other technological advances, there have never been more ways to communicate without ever needing to actually speak to another human being. This obviously has its benefits, it allows you to communicate with people all across the globe, and you get the chance to more carefully decide what it is that you want to say, rather than being put on the spot. But it's hard to deny that something often gets lost in these kinds of techniques. Whether it's investors or customers, people still respond very strongly to a business that can communicate with them directly. That's why marketing your business face to face is one of the most important things that you can do. With that in mind, here are a few ways that you can use this fantastic, and often ignored, marketing method.

Trade shows

Trade shows are probably the most common situation where you'll find yourself needing to market your business to people face to face. Exhibition stands that show off your product and give you the opportunity to talk to potential customers can be some of the most effective methods of bringing in customers. Of course, strong branding, banners and flags are only going to get you so far. Once people have found their way to your exhibition stand, then you're going to need to be the mouthpiece of your business. Let your passion shine through and show them what it is that really sets your business and your product apart from the competition. Remember, they're probably going to go to a lot of different stands throughout the show, so make sure that yours leaves a lasting impression.

Networking events

Networking is one of those things that everyone knows is important, but a lot of people really don't like to actually have to do. There's a pretty good reason for this: it can be pretty awkward. There's no denying it, talking directly to people can be tricky, even more so when you're trying to engage them with your business. Just remember, when you're networking, don't try and give anyone the hard sell. You're trying to find the right people to connect with your business and sometimes people just aren't going to be that interested. Being able to accept that and move on is going to make any networking event much more bearable for you.

Point of sale

If you conduct business in a physical space, rather than purely online, then you have no excuse not to try and engage customers more strongly with your business at the point of sale. Ask them if there was anything that they wanted but couldn't find, discover what their experience with your business has been like, and even just engage with them as a human being. By communicating directly with customers then you're going to create an incredibly positive association in their mind whenever they think of your business. They might not even realize that it's happened, but the next time they think of a product that they need, your business is likely to be one of the first that springs to mind.

Now, none of this is to say that doing business face to face is ever easy. The truth is that, especially in an increasingly digital world, it can be a serious challenge. However, it's just too important for you to ignore. You need to take the time to try and develop this incredibly valuable skill as much as you can.