Launch Parties and Networking Events

Your launch party and ongoing network­ing events are very important because they build the energy and excitement amongst the local businesses. It is also a great way to stay connected with many of your ac­counts and a great resource for obtaining new leads.

Keys to a Successful Event

1. Location - These are best at high-end restau­rants, but they will need space to hold a lot of people. Most launch parties now can pull in 100 people and on­going quarterly events can run from 50 – 100 people. The location must be appealing to your target audience. Other, non-restaurant, locations that have been successful are Event Spaces and high-end Auto Dealerships.
2. Appetizers & Drinks  - Typically the host of the event loves having the business owners and leaders in the local community come into their space. For that, they are willing to provide appetizers and drinks. Let them know you will confirm a head count a few days before the event so they can plan accordingly but this cost is on them. If that is a challenge, then offer trade out for ad space or an article to cover that cost. In some states, drinks can not be given for free. In this case, you can communicate that drink specials will be avail­able by the restaurant… so you don’t have to cover that cost.
3. Door Prizes - You want to ideally only allow your advertisers to be the ones offering door prizes. Ideally, they are $100 in value or greater and you know these before you start sending out invitations. You want to promote them in your invitation and help to further promote your clients. 

You will want a bowl at your sign-in table when people arrive to drop their business cards in for the door prizes. This is a key source for new leads.  You can also allow those customers giving away the door prizes the opportunity to draw the winner for their prize and, if time allows, give them a few minutes to talk about their business.

4. Frequency - Following your launch party, you should continue running these events every 3-4 months.
5. Invitation List - These events are for your current customers, target customers and influential community members. The emails for contacts at your target customers can often be found through a directory provided by the Chamber of Commerce when you become a member.
6. Schedule - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings are the best. In most locations, running them from 5:00 – 7:00 are best as well. This enables people to leave work a bit early if they like and stop on their way home without interfering with other plans for the evening.

We recommend using Constant Contact, MailChimp, punchbowl or a similar email communication platform for easily creating your invitations and managing your email contact lists. We also recommend sending your invites as follows:

1st Invite – 2 weeks prior

2nd Invite – 1 week prior

Final Reminder – 2 days prior

Strategy

Nov/December - Get out the teasers, build the hype. 

• Holiday gifts/swag for clients with your new logo. 
• Newsletter discussing the upcoming new look/brand. 
• Social Media posts to get readers excited about the new look/brand. (Coming from corporate soon!) 

January: 

• First issue hits! Individual conversations with clients. 
• Publisher Letter - Discuss the new branding in your letter. 
• First round of invites go out late January (Depending on event date.) 
• Set up Eventbrite. 

Feb/March: 

• Host your event 
• Work your follow up from the event. 

Creative Party Ideas

• CL branded step and repeat for photos 
• CL VIP bags for clients and other swag 
• Loop of current clients premium listings showing at the party on a screen. 
• Blow up new covers and display them on an easel. 
• Have a local bakery make you a CL logo cake. 

• Have partners donate giveaways and bring them up to draw winners and give them a shout out.

  
  

Other Event Ideas

• Host a Women’s brunch and invite your female business owners and other prominent women in the area. 
• Host a Men’s event for male clients, possibly at a cigar bar or bourbon tasting/auto dealer/charity poker night.
• Host small lunches/networking events for certain groups of your advertisers, such as everyone in home services and real estate. 
• Host VIP shopping nights at jewelers or boutiques or possibly small events at local medspas or salons with current and potential advertisers.