Here are some great ways to promote and market your business

Networking Events
Networking Events take place the second Tuesday of each month and alternate between Networking After 5 and Networking Breakfast formats. There are six Networking After 5 dates and five Networking Breakfasts each year. Attendance is not mandatory, however it is encouraged as a benefit to create awareness for your business. The cost to attend is only $15.00, plus HST (member price) and $25.00 plus HST for ‘future-members’.
For your registration, you receive:
• Shared display table for your marketing materials
• A chance for a 30 second promotion on the mic
(maximum 10 member speakers selected via business card draw)
• Contact list of attendees e-mailed day after event
• Hors d’oeuvres/cash bar for After 5 events; hot meal for Breakfast events
At your first networking event, as a new member, you are assured of 30 seconds at the mic to promote your business. We recommend bringing lots of business cards for networking.
Networking After 5/ Networking Breakfast Sponsorships
The Ajax-Pickering Board of trade offers very cost-efficient sponsorship opportunities:
Series Sponsors (4 sponsors per series)
The Series Sponsorship cost for the Networking After 5 series is $550; and for the Networking Breakfast series only $450. These opportunities are generally fully booked up in late autumn. Benefits of Series Sponsorship include:
• Guaranteed promotion time of 2 minutes on the mic at each sponsored event
• Logo recognition on event signage, flyers and the Board website
• Dedicated table to display your business information
• One complimentary admission
 
Event Sponsor (Up to 4 spots available per Networking event).
You choose which event you wish to sponsor. Cost is $100 and benefits include:
• Guaranteed promotion time of 2 minutes on the mic
• Logo recognition on event signage, flyers and the Board website
• Dedicated table to display your business information
• One complimentary admission
 
Signature Event Sponsorships
 
The Board offers a busy calendar of 6 signature events each year: President’s Inaugural Dinner, Mayors’ Address, Regional Chair’s Address, Business Links Golf Tournament, Business Excellence Awards, and the Annual General Meeting/ Christmas lunch.
Event sponsorship opportunities are available for these events and other special events as they are arranged. The range of sponsorship generally begins at the $500 level. As a sponsor you are entitled to:
• Two complimentary event seats
• Logo recognition on promotional signage, website and program
• Recognition from the podium
• Opportunity to provide material to each guest at the event

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
 
Hard-Copy Business Directory
• Our award winning hard-copy directory is mailed out with our summer Bulletin by Mail.
• Display ads can be purchased (various sizes and pricing).
• Ads go on sale a few months before the directory goes out.
 
Bulletin… by Mail
• Our Bulletin… by Mail goes out 5 times per year to approximately 600 members.
• Your flyer or 2/3" print ad can be included for just $150 + HST.
• The cost to include a flyer insert in our expanded summer Bulletin… by Mail which includes the hard-copy directory is $250. This mailing reaches 2,000 businesses in the Ajax-Pickering area.
 
E-Bulletin
• Our e-Bulletin is a free benefit of membership and includes member news and promotions, Board event news, Board committee announcements, information on new members as they join and Board event details.
• You can publish a 200 px by 200 px full colour ad in our ebulletin for $25 per week if you purchase 4 weeks at $100.  If you'd only like to publish your ad for one week, the cost is $50. If you'd like to increase the add size, we can do so vertically but not horizontally. For example, you can have a 200 px by 400 px ad for $50 perweek when you purchase 4 weeks at $200.
• This publication is sent weekly via e-mail to the main contact for member companies, as well as community partners. It currently reaches a list of 1,000 contacts.
• This communication tool includes a Member Annoucements section where you can include your sales, special events or member-to-member discounts. The Board will include these for approximately two weeks as time and space permit. Contact bulletin@apboardoftrade.com for guidelines on publishing your announcements.  This section is a free benefit of membership. To be included in this section, please email a paragraph (80-100 words of text) to bulletin@apboardoftrade.com. Although we don't allow large titles, different fonts, bullet lists or graphics in this section, you can link to a website or pdf for additional information.
• Send us news of any award or recognition you receive to be included in the e-bulletin.
 
Web Site Advertising
• The Board has one exclusive advertising space available on its website.
• The cost is $300 for 3 months or $125 for one month. There is a $20 administration cost anytime the ad is changed during the scheduled term it is located on the website.