Face-to-face marketing is when you’re talking to your prospective audience in person. It could be a meeting, an exhibition, a training event, a presentation or when you are networking.
With us all relying more and more on digital channels – especially because of covid – we might have forgotten about the importance of face to face, or lost our confidence to go out and talk to real people again.
It’s such an important part of your communications. Your branding, tone of voice and messaging tells people who you are but by getting out and meeting people they can ‘experience’ your brand first hand!
‘People buy from people’ is very true. I’d include ‘People buy, use, support, donate, recommend and want to work with people’ too.
Our designer Megan represented us at local networking group NetworkIn for over 12 months and I asked her what she thought the biggest benefits were from that face-to-face interaction. She said ‘I can explain what we do much better in person than on email, for example. You can make sure that your tone comes over as you intended it to and get immediate feedback about what people what to know more about. It also means that you can build relationships and because people get to know you it makes you more approachable.’
Our good friend Carole Salmon is Community Fundraiser at Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity and really well known in our area for her incredible networking and storytelling skills. She’s committed to getting out and seeing people which I’m sure makes all her supporters feel valued and has helped Carole raise funds that has made life-changing differences to patients and their families. Her consistent and genuine approach can make even the most reluctant participant into a fundraiser!
Some top tips – you’ll need to be really clear who you want to meet to decide which are right for you:
- Can that email be a meeting? Is it time to go and see your main supporters, beneficiaries, customers, clients or suppliers?
- What local or industry events are coming up? Should you be exhibiting or even just going along to meet people?
- Can you be a guest speaker talking about something you want to be know for? An excellent way to raise your profile.
- Accept the next networking invitation that you receive – I know you get them!
- Are you a member of a local association or national trade body? See what events they have in your area and go along.
- Remember your team too. After a lot more working from home recently do you need a get together or night out to build stronger internal relationships too?
I’m excited to be back from maternity leave now and polishing off my networking skills. Hope to see you out there somewhere very soon!
