Marketing Strategies to Success
By Cindy Bonior
CEO, Fremont Chamber of Commerce
Even as the confines of COVID begin to fade, the road to recovery lies ahead and for most, it will be a long haul. Now’s the time to employ all resources available to your business. Here are some robust marketing strategies to smooth and shorten that road up to lead you back to pre-COVID success.
Networking Events
Now that that we’re able to enjoy some face-to-face time…show your face! It’s no secret that people like to do business with people they know and the best way to do that is to be out and about in the community shaking hands or bumping elbows, whichever makes you comfortable. It won’t be long until we begin hosting our traditional indoor events again such as the State of the City, Women in Business Expo, or Seminars, but until that time, ribbon cuttings are beginning to happen and with the weather turning warmer, so are outdoor mixers. Get out there, it will be great to see friends you have missed the last year.
Community Events with Marketing Opportunities
Community events provide opportunities for smart businesspeople to prospect in the community. The be all and end all of opportunities is Business Marketplace in the Fremont Festival of the Arts, September 25th and 26th. One of the largest festivals west of the Mississippi, the Fremont Festival of the Arts provides access to a huge community audience and lends itself to demonstrations and lead collecting. Not only is the audience local, but folks from all over the Bay Area and beyond attend creating an opportunity to extend your reach outside the city limits. And for the first time ever, Business Marketplace participants will be able to sell products and services to attendees at the 2021 festival…now that’s an amazing opportunity!
Fremont Street Eats, which began July 9th, also offers an opportunity for outreach to the community and allows for you to sell products or services. It’s free for members to participate; it can’t get any more affordable than that!
Targeted Marketing Events
Our newest targeted marketing event is Dine Out in Fremont. For the entire month of September, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Fremont will conduct a specific and targeted restaurant promotion. Diners will be tempted by the delicious offerings of Fremont restaurants and be rewarded for their support with periodic drawings for prizes followed by a grand prize at the end of the month. Let's work together to get people back in our restaurants! More information will be released soon, so keep an eye out for how your restaurant can take advantage of this new promotional event. And, for those who love food, we can’t wait to entice you to enjoy a great meal out with the opportunity to win prizes .
Sponsorship
Sponsorship is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. Sponsorships allow you to reach targeted niche markets and can help your business meet multiple marketing goals at once. Sponsorships are, without a doubt, among the best methods to build and enhance brand awareness, shape consumer attitude by presenting a positive image, generate leads, and differentiate yourself from competition. Savvy businesses will use sponsorship to create media awareness and use the opportunity to establish itself as a good corporate citizen and community supporter.
Choosing the appropriate venue/event and strategically activating your sponsorship are keys to a successful sponsorship. The venue/event should engage the audience you are targeting, provide the opportunity to interact with your target audience or represent and/or support your business values and/or mission. Be sure to be fully involved in the event and take advantage of all benefits and promote that your sponsorship.
Many Chamber events are outstanding opportunities for sponsors: some offer access to business leaders, potential customers, or vendors; some offer access to community members who are potential clients; and some are designed to support and connect members with specific causes. Sponsorship in Chamber events can prove to be an outstanding and fruitful investment in your marketing plan. We encourage you to look at the number and variety of sponsorship opportunities available and employ them in your marketing plan.
Advertising
Advertising is a staple in any marketing plan. There are many online platforms that are affordable and reach a broad audience. The Chamber has a couple of options that are targeted specifically to the Fremont community. With an average number of unique visits of 96,000 per month, the Chamber’s website, fremontbusiness.com, is a great way to reach an audience of potential customers who visit the site to specifically look for local businesses to patronize. Fremont Business Brief, the Chamber’s weekly e-newsletter offers similar benefits, a targeted audience at an extremely affordable rate.
Don’t overlook the power of print publications. Fremont Business Now, the Chamber’s printed newsletter, published semi-annually, offers advertising at an affordable rate. And, members many submit articles for publishing to educate and demonstrate their business expertise. The Chamber’s annual membership directory is a great resource for both locals and visitors. Copies of the directory are in guest rooms of several hotels in Fremont and are mailed out to a very large mailing list. Many people use it as a buyer’s guide when looking for products and services. Advertising is available in both these publications with special rates for members.
Don’t forget, the Ad Bank that was established to help fund advertising during COVID still has funds available. Contact us to use the Ad Bank and your next ad could run for free!
Get Involved
Volunteering in an organization provides organic networking opportunities all the while supporting a cause or organization in which you believe. Consider serving on the Chamber Board of Directors, a working committee or volunteer to work at a Chamber event or as an Ambassador. It can be lots of fun and you’ll meet lots of great people and potential customers. And, there are many charitable non-profits that are Chamber members; let us know your interests and we’ll help you find an organization that needs your volunteer support.
Free But Pack a Huge Punch
Not all marketing tools come with a price tag. There are several benefits available to members that do not cost a thing.
With its robust activity, the Chamber web site possesses many marketing tools. Help us to enhance your presence and profile in the web site business directory by providing us with pictures, a logo, a video, and a business description. Your potential customers will have a positive impression before they even contact you. Members can also post coupons, job postings, events and announcements on the Chamber web site. It takes minutes to post and there is no charge. And while online, request that we help you push out your social media posts; we will be happy to share and report for you; again, it’s free.
As an expert in your field, you have important information. Show off your expertise by answering a question in a concise three-minute video. Nothing builds more confidence in a potential customer than to see you as a master in your field. And the cost? It’s free!
Chamber membership delivers an abundance of opportunities for businesses to kick start their marketing plan and shorten the road to recovery. Don’t use just one of these opportunities, use a few, use them all and push your business into the next level of success.
By Cindy Bonior
CEO, Fremont Chamber of Commerce
Even as the confines of COVID begin to fade, the road to recovery lies ahead and for most, it will be a long haul. Now’s the time to employ all resources available to your business. Here are some robust marketing strategies to smooth and shorten that road up to lead you back to pre-COVID success.
Networking Events
Now that that we’re able to enjoy some face-to-face time…show your face! It’s no secret that people like to do business with people they know and the best way to do that is to be out and about in the community shaking hands or bumping elbows, whichever makes you comfortable. It won’t be long until we begin hosting our traditional indoor events again such as the State of the City, Women in Business Expo, or Seminars, but until that time, ribbon cuttings are beginning to happen and with the weather turning warmer, so are outdoor mixers. Get out there, it will be great to see friends you have missed the last year.
Community Events with Marketing Opportunities
Community events provide opportunities for smart businesspeople to prospect in the community. The be all and end all of opportunities is Business Marketplace in the Fremont Festival of the Arts, September 25th and 26th. One of the largest festivals west of the Mississippi, the Fremont Festival of the Arts provides access to a huge community audience and lends itself to demonstrations and lead collecting. Not only is the audience local, but folks from all over the Bay Area and beyond attend creating an opportunity to extend your reach outside the city limits. And for the first time ever, Business Marketplace participants will be able to sell products and services to attendees at the 2021 festival…now that’s an amazing opportunity!
Fremont Street Eats, which began July 9th, also offers an opportunity for outreach to the community and allows for you to sell products or services. It’s free for members to participate; it can’t get any more affordable than that!
Targeted Marketing Events
Our newest targeted marketing event is Dine Out in Fremont. For the entire month of September, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Fremont will conduct a specific and targeted restaurant promotion. Diners will be tempted by the delicious offerings of Fremont restaurants and be rewarded for their support with periodic drawings for prizes followed by a grand prize at the end of the month. Let's work together to get people back in our restaurants! More information will be released soon, so keep an eye out for how your restaurant can take advantage of this new promotional event. And, for those who love food, we can’t wait to entice you to enjoy a great meal out with the opportunity to win prizes .
Sponsorship
Sponsorship is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. Sponsorships allow you to reach targeted niche markets and can help your business meet multiple marketing goals at once. Sponsorships are, without a doubt, among the best methods to build and enhance brand awareness, shape consumer attitude by presenting a positive image, generate leads, and differentiate yourself from competition. Savvy businesses will use sponsorship to create media awareness and use the opportunity to establish itself as a good corporate citizen and community supporter.
Choosing the appropriate venue/event and strategically activating your sponsorship are keys to a successful sponsorship. The venue/event should engage the audience you are targeting, provide the opportunity to interact with your target audience or represent and/or support your business values and/or mission. Be sure to be fully involved in the event and take advantage of all benefits and promote that your sponsorship.
Many Chamber events are outstanding opportunities for sponsors: some offer access to business leaders, potential customers, or vendors; some offer access to community members who are potential clients; and some are designed to support and connect members with specific causes. Sponsorship in Chamber events can prove to be an outstanding and fruitful investment in your marketing plan. We encourage you to look at the number and variety of sponsorship opportunities available and employ them in your marketing plan.
Advertising
Advertising is a staple in any marketing plan. There are many online platforms that are affordable and reach a broad audience. The Chamber has a couple of options that are targeted specifically to the Fremont community. With an average number of unique visits of 96,000 per month, the Chamber’s website, fremontbusiness.com, is a great way to reach an audience of potential customers who visit the site to specifically look for local businesses to patronize. Fremont Business Brief, the Chamber’s weekly e-newsletter offers similar benefits, a targeted audience at an extremely affordable rate.
Don’t overlook the power of print publications. Fremont Business Now, the Chamber’s printed newsletter, published semi-annually, offers advertising at an affordable rate. And, members many submit articles for publishing to educate and demonstrate their business expertise. The Chamber’s annual membership directory is a great resource for both locals and visitors. Copies of the directory are in guest rooms of several hotels in Fremont and are mailed out to a very large mailing list. Many people use it as a buyer’s guide when looking for products and services. Advertising is available in both these publications with special rates for members.
Don’t forget, the Ad Bank that was established to help fund advertising during COVID still has funds available. Contact us to use the Ad Bank and your next ad could run for free!
Get Involved
Volunteering in an organization provides organic networking opportunities all the while supporting a cause or organization in which you believe. Consider serving on the Chamber Board of Directors, a working committee or volunteer to work at a Chamber event or as an Ambassador. It can be lots of fun and you’ll meet lots of great people and potential customers. And, there are many charitable non-profits that are Chamber members; let us know your interests and we’ll help you find an organization that needs your volunteer support.
Free But Pack a Huge Punch
Not all marketing tools come with a price tag. There are several benefits available to members that do not cost a thing.
With its robust activity, the Chamber web site possesses many marketing tools. Help us to enhance your presence and profile in the web site business directory by providing us with pictures, a logo, a video, and a business description. Your potential customers will have a positive impression before they even contact you. Members can also post coupons, job postings, events and announcements on the Chamber web site. It takes minutes to post and there is no charge. And while online, request that we help you push out your social media posts; we will be happy to share and report for you; again, it’s free.
As an expert in your field, you have important information. Show off your expertise by answering a question in a concise three-minute video. Nothing builds more confidence in a potential customer than to see you as a master in your field. And the cost? It’s free!
Chamber membership delivers an abundance of opportunities for businesses to kick start their marketing plan and shorten the road to recovery. Don’t use just one of these opportunities, use a few, use them all and push your business into the next level of success.
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