An Evening Of Elegance

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This promotion is from a retail gift store in Ames, Iowa, that had some very creative promotions. For this event they partnered with 10 other local businesses to host 'an evening of elegance'. The businesses that they worked with included a winery, a restaurant, a jewelry store, a florist, a day spa, and others. The number and type of stores could vary depending on your space and local businesses.

From their advertisement of the event: Enjoy live music, hors d'oeuvres from (partnered business), truffles from (partnered business). Win prizes throughout the party from (partnered businesses). Fantastic and free gift bags to the first 100 guests.  Learn about and support 11 local businesses while you celebrate the holiday.

The promotion was planned for an evening in the middle of the week (hours where 6:00 to 8:00 pm).

How to use this idea in your business...

For this type of promotion to work, all the businesses have to see a benefit. The host business naturally benefits because the event will draw people into their store, but the guest businesses also benefit. They are given a fun, low cost opportunity to get their goods and services in front of a group of potential customers.

The businesses involved were not direct competitors, but their target market was the same (middle and upper income women). As a result they all could see the advantage of working together.

An event like this is can be large or small. About 10 businesses where involved, but the event would work with only a couple of other businesses. It can be a stand along event, or it can be coupled with an existing event.

Do not worry about getting other businesses to work with you. There are plenty of businesses that would love to work with you. Naturally, the business owners that you know personally are easiest to ask; but don't forget to invite new businesses or businesses with an out of the way location. Remember, other businesses are just as anxious to find new customers as you are.