You may be lucky to have a business which you can generate all your clients/income from the comfort of your own desk. Using the likes of social media, your website, emails or direct mailings you may never have to engage on a face to face level with clients or prospective clients.

But what if that’s not your business? What if your clients want to get to know you and interact with you and your brand?

The answer is, you have to get out there!

Here’s some suggestions on ways to ‘show and tell’ your target audience all they need to know about your business.

• Networking – pick your networking events wisely, only go to events where your target audience go – whilst it can be good to connect with people from a whole range of businesses, if they are not your target market don’t waste your time (and money) going. If you don’t feel comfortable attending networking events attend a networking course to get some pointers on how to strike up a conversation and tips on how to boost your confidence in this area. The aim of attending networking events is to build relationships, it’s not about getting a sale from your first conversation! Explain what you do, but more importantly how your business helps people or other businesses. It’s all about communicating the benefits, developing a rapport and establishing yourself and your business as a trusted advisor/supplier.

• Trade shows and exhibitions – you may just want to attend as a visitor and see it as a networking event as outlined above. However, if you’re an exhibitor this enables you to ‘showcase’ what you have to offer in front of your target market. If you’re selling a product have samples on your stand for people to look at/use. If this isn’t possible, try doing video presentations which will help people see what you can do and how it can help them. Free samples, where possible, always go down well at these events. The aim is to make people aware of what you do, perhaps updating them on new products/services you’ve just launched. Help them connect with your business so they go away with a positive experience.

• Promoting a service at a trade show or exhibition – where you don’t have anything physical to demonstrate, i.e. you’re selling your time and expertise, the emphasis at the event is slightly different. You need to create a reason for people to attend your stand, i.e. a free consultancy session; updates on a new regulatory issue which is affecting them; or perhaps a competition/prize draw. Your display materials should demonstrate your knowledge and experience which reinforces your reputation as being a trusted advisor.

• Presentations and seminars – contact relevant organisations who have members/delegates who you’d like to have as customers and offer to do a topical presentations to them. Base your talk around an issue or forthcoming change which people in your sector are having to face. Use the session to give them the relevant information and if there is a problem to solve suggest ways in which they could go about this. Don’t do an outright sales pitch, unless this is purpose of the presentation. You want people to feel that they have gained knowledge as a result of your talk and that they want to contact you to find out more, or for you to help them with the problem. You can of course organise your own seminars and invite your clients, prospects and business contacts to attend.

• Open days – if you don’t want to go out into the marketplace to show your wares, bring the market place to you! Open days at your own premises give you more control in terms of when and how the activity is organised. Invite clients, prospective clients and business contacts, but you may have less potential clients attending when compared with trade exhibitions etc. Suggestions for a DIY open day style events may be a machinery or product demonstration, a free tax/legal/marketing clinic, or perhaps just a social event to welcome people to your new office or celebrate an anniversary etc. There are many things you can do, so get your heads together to come up with something that would be suitable for your business!

In this age of digital communications people still want to connect and build rapport from personal relationships. The best way to achieve this is to use a mix of marketing activities such as emails, mailings and social media. However, also look at ways of engaging with them on a face to face level, because that is where you will start to add value to your relationships, helping to retain existing clients and attract new ones.