Far too often, business owners think of advertising when they are trying to market their business to certain demographics. If your goal is simply to put your message in front of a broad range of people for a very brief moment as they are flipping through the pages of a magazine, watching TV, or during their daily commute, then by all means, keep at it; I'm not here to bash advertising as a whole. If you want a specific demographic to receive your message and act on it, then you need to put it in front of them directly.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about using promotional events and special events as a way to put your company and/or product directly in front of your target market. Through event sponsorships, you can ensure that people in your specific target market see you, your company, and your product, as well as instill in them a sense of gratitude to you for providing them with the event that they have enjoyed, while also creating automatic rapport with them. How does this create rapport? Most people attend events because something that attracted them to the event. This could be the event venue, a charity cause they support, or the desire to "see and be seen". Now because you are sponsoring something that they enjoy or support, you have just created rapport, because there is something that you obviously have in common with them.

There are countless events out there seeking corporate sponsors. How do you find them? Pick up any periodicals that appeal to your target market, and take a look through them; many events will be advertised there. Another valuable resource is the internet; try searching for events in your city, and see how many there are. Even your local newspaper probably has an upcoming event calendar. I think you'll be surprised to find that there are event sponsorship opportunities out there to fit just about any budget, or reach any target market.

For instance, let's say you're opening a spanish-language bookstore to meet the needs of the rapidly growing hispanic population. Instead of putting an ad in spanish magazines or newspapers, really get in front of yout target market! Sponsor a local hispanic art show or music event. Most people who appreciate art and music also appreciate books, and this gives you an opportunity to tell them about your new bookstore directly, rather than hope they'll notice your ad in a magazine or paper.

Another option would be to have a specific type of promotional event set up for your target market featuring your company as the main sponsor, essentially the host. There are a few companies out there that can coordinate all aspects of the event planning and logistics, as well as market the event to attract your target market. One that does this nationally, and is very versatile, is Material Events. They can work with you to create custom promotional events on just about any size budget or to reach any market.

There are many ways to promote your company or product, so get creative and don't be afraid to try new things!