Why Supporting Events is Important to Your Business
Let us face it. Attending events—from lunch meetings to conferences to networking functions—is the best way to expand your network, establish authentic connections, and create lasting first impressions. Emails, phone conversations, and sending messages can only get you so far. If there’s one thing this pandemic taught us, in-person interactions are invaluable. Connecting with others builds community and establishes your credibility as a business, a brand, or an organization.
Supporting events organized and hosted by other organizations create opportunities for meeting future business clients, colleagues, and even business partners. You just never know who you are going to meet and forge a connection with. It opens the door to future collaborations with other like-minded businesses and organizations, allowing you to expand your network and position your brand in front of a different audience.
In addition, attending these events allow you to reestablish existing business relationships. Your preexisting relationships are more likely to refer you to others since they already know and trust your work.
In a survey conducted by Bizzabo, a management, marketing, and interaction platform for event professionals, attending and supporting events hosted by other businesses and organizations have a tremendous impact on the success of your business.
- 97% of respondents within the media industry believe in-person events can have a major impact on achieving a company’s primary business goals (Bizzabo, 2019)
- 96% of respondents in the commercial and professional services industry believe events provide valuable opportunities for attendees to form in-person connections in an increasingly digital world (Bizzabo, 2019)
- 78% of in-person attendees prefer to network with other in-person attendees (Bizzabo, 2021)
One of the best examples of the benefits of supporting events is the emergence of the pop-up markets. During the pandemic, when lockdown restrictions started loosening up and outdoor events were permitted, businesses and event coordinators turned to creating outdoor pop-up events to help local businesses promote their products and services.
Last week, Café Aficionado, a local coffee shop in Northridge, was featured by ABC 7 for organizing pop-up events to help other businesses when they were struggling during the closures and the pandemic. The Café increased their audience, even drawing coverage from local influencers and media outlets. Businesses and attendees to their events have continued to collaborate with them and with each other. A few even transitioned into a brick-and-mortar business because of these pop-ups.
Their pop-up events resulted in creating a community of local businesses and organizations who support each other. And it is not just them. Local San Fernando Valley community event organizers, the 818 Pop-up Shop, the San Fernando Outdoor Market, the 818 Night Market, We Can Be Heroes and My Valley Pass—just to name a few—have all been successful in collaborating and strengthening community by supporting each other’s events.
Apart from promoting your brand, your company, or your organization, you gain a lot by attending and supporting events organized by other businesses and organizations. Introductions to community leaders, connecting with other businesses, and collaboration opportunities are just some of the perks.
To see events in the community, visit our monthly community calendar at Community Calendar – cowe.com. You can also check out your local chamber of commerce for events in your neighborhood.
