Glad I Am On the List: Launch Parties

Within the last month, I have had the privilege of being at two distinct launch parties for companies in our community. Businesses need to create "buzz" and a launch party can do that. Fabulous people, good swag / giveaways and a venue which lends itself to what you want to share. In both cases, local venues - O'Malley's on Main (Seal Beach) for KARtv.com and Tantalum (Long Beach) for RidetheDeal.com were used.

Both of these businesses have a very interesting value proposition. Yes, I mean that business jargon "Unique Value Proposition" or UVP. Simply, there is a quality about the business, which sets it apart from others in the market.

RidetheDeal.com has a great take on an already fatigued market - the deep discount Groupon / Living Social deal. Rather than a huge, behomoth corporation sucking revenue out of the merchants and community (like the aforementioned businesses), RidetheDeal.com, like Patch.com actually has a vested interest in creating local jobs, helping the business community and perhaps most importantly, investing back into the community through local non-profits from their side of the deal. Merchants and customers can get behind a concept that embraces not only what they want and where they want to go (nearby), but also re-invests in what they value - their charities.

Communicating that message and the "good news" is where the launch party comes in. Get your staff, movers & shakers, community activists (as appropriate), a restaurant which is desirable, some friends, a photographer, some giveaways and a few potential clients and suddenly 200+ people are all talking (or even blogging) about your event.

That kind of marketing access and communications is what lots of us want in the business world. So when was the last time you threw a party, or got invited to one? After all there are three types of people in the world: those who create events, those who attend events and those who are simply not invited.

Make sure you are on the list, or be the one inviting!