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With the focus on online advertising—websites, Google Adwords, Facebook ads and more—in today’s technology-driven marketplace, many small-business owners, including pet sitters and dog walkers, give little thought to finding opportunities for face time with prospective clients. But, this is a mistake for pet sitters and dog walkers looking to grow their businesses.

Pet sitting is a very personal service, so never underestimate the value of face-to-face marketing.

One way to personally interact with potential clients and potential referral sources is by participating in a local fair, festival or tradeshow. Securing booth space at a local event for your pet-sitting service can provide an opportunity for you to reach hundreds of pet owners, as well as other local business owners, in a single day.

Why participate?

• You’ll have the opportunity to promote your services.
• Participation may help you establish community ties and build your referral network.
• You can meet potential new clients in person, and also see current clients that you may not often have a chance to see.
• Participating in community events helps position yourself as a local pet expert.
• You’ll also help raise awareness of the professional pet-sitting industry.

Possible opportunities include:

• Business trade shows
• Pet fairs
• Pet-related seminars
• Conferences
• Travel expos
• Bridal & wedding fairs
• Local festivals

With a little research, you’ll likely find that opportunities abound in your local community, but that doesn’t mean you should sign up for every event. As you explore possibly events, be sure to consider the date, location and cost, as well as the event’s target audience and other exhibitors.

Make the most of your booth space

Once you confirm booth space, be sure to make it work for you to ensure you get a return on your investment.

To get the maximum  benefit from your event participation, it’s important to prepare to attract and inform your target audience.

The following tips can help you get the maximum benefit from your event participation:

Choosing your location:

• Select booths near bathrooms, food and beverage stands, at the end of rows or close to special attractions.
• Book early to increase your odds of receiving a prime booth space location.

Creating open space:

• Put your table at the back of your booth space.
• In many cases, it is better to stand to the side of your table, not in front of or behind your booth during the event.

Using a backdrop:

• An eye-catching backdrop prevents people from looking through your booth.
• Display pictures of pets that can be easily seen from the aisle.
• Be sure your business name and logo are prominently displayed.

Setting up your booth/table:

• If table covers are not supplied by the event organizer, be sure to bring your own.
• Table skirting should be cleaned and ironed.
• Table skirting provides a great way to hide boxes and extra supplies under your booth.

Providing materials:

• Keep materials on your table neat and organized.
• Promotional pieces should be consistent and reflect your business brand.
• A variety of materials and giveaways will make your booth look interesting and full of information.
• Make sure you have enough business cards to distribute throughout the event.

Incorporating eye-catchers:

• Movement and color will attract an audience to your booth.
• Incorporate balloons, continuous-loop video or pet displays in a central location within your booth space.
• If the venue allows, consider bring a pet with you. Be sure that you have a collar/leash, crate and adequate food and water for the entire day. If the event is outdoors, make sure the weather/temperature will not pose a threat to your pet.

Offering promotional items:

You should always have items or materials to distribute to booth visitors. Suggestions include:

• Dog treats
• Balloons
• Pens
• Bookmarks
• Brochures
• Fliers
• Coupons
• Pet tips sheets

Additional tips:

Costs vary for booth spaces at events. In some cases, the space may be free, but others may have a heftier price tag, depending upon the event type and attendance. If you find a great event opportunity that is outside of your budget, consider sharing booth space (and costs) with another local professional pet sitter, or with a related industry professional, such as a groomer, trainer or pet store.

When participating in events, it’s always a good idea to wear a t-shirt or clothing that promotes your pet-sitting or dog-walking business. If staff sitters will be helping at the event also, have everyone wear the same company shirt, etc.

In addition to having giveaways at your table, you’ll also want to have a way to collect the contact information of individuals who stop by your booth. An easy way to do this is to hold a drawing. You may do a drawing for a gift certificate for a free pet-sitting visit(s), or you may want to do a drawing for a pet-themed gift basket (which will be an attention-getter at your table as well!)

If you host a drawing at your booth, be sure to have booth visitors complete entry forms with name and contact information, including mailing address, phone number and e-mail. If the drawing is for a gift certificate, be sure to send it within 48 hours after the event. If the drawing is for a gift basket, you may choose to do the drawing at the end of the event. If you do this, be sure to decide (and let visitors know) if they must be present to win. At some events, the organizers may be willing to announce your winner on stage or over an intercom system.

Be sure to follow up with each booth visitor who submitted an entry form thanking him or her for visiting your booth and consider offering a special coupon for your pet-sitting services.

Measure your success.

After participating in any event, it is important to determine if you felt your participation was successful or not. This will help you better prepare and plan for participation in future events.

Some points to consider:

• The event attendance
• Visitors to your booth
• New client contacts made
• New business partner contacts made
• Any media mentions
• Your overall satisfaction with the event

Keep in mind, most events may not garner you new clients right away, but event participation and community involvement increase awareness of your pet-sitting service. By collecting contact information from booth visitors, you also have an opportunity to keep in touch and nurture relationships with potential clients and business contacts.

Do you participate in local fairs, festivals or trade shows? What has been your experience? Let us know in the comments below.