Growing your business ventures is all about getting out there so people recognize you and the quality that your business represents. One way of doing that is by making the most of online opportunities, but there’s nothing like face-to-face meetings to make connections with people. Your interns can help you with that – and hone their own business and marketing skills in the process.

Wherever you are, there are likely to be events where you can participate, share your expertise and promote your business at the same time. Your interns can research the happenings and openings in your local area. From industry fairs to community groups, there are opportunities for you to attend, network, and spread the word.

If you have a product or service you believe in, you should be able to speak passionately and authoritatively on it. We’re not talking hard sell here – quite the opposite. An unpaid speaking engagement that gives people useful information will raise your profile and make sure you and your business lodge in people’s memories.

Your interns can be part of that process. Identifying opportunities through local research is a good starting point. Your interns can liaise with event and venue managers, sorting out the scheduling and pre-engagement publicity. They can help to prepare promotional materials or any freebies you might want to distribute. They can also assist you with your presentation, field enquiries from people wanting to attend, and more besides.

You may want to set up your own public event. Your interns can play an important role here too, meeting and greeting and making sure everything goes smoothly. An intern who wants to exercise their customer interaction skills will find plenty of opportunities here, whether it’s a luncheon occasion or even just a talk in a community hall, followed by coffee and cookies.

Your interns can exemplify the high quality customer service your business offers at these meetings. The name of the game is also growing your contacts. Your interns can circulate among the guests and sign people up for future events, to receive information packs, or to go on the mailing list for your email tips, newsletter, or special offers.

A public speaking occasion is also a good place to carry out some market research. Most people will quite happily fill in a form about your product, service or sector. After the event, you may have a quantity of valuable market research data that your interns can help to analyze.

These are the sort of wide-ranging tasks that have a social flavor that most interns will enjoy, as well as learn from. Participating in event organizing, PR and market research in this way is always the basis of a good entry on a growing CV.  Think laterally when it comes to things your interns can do. Their presence can even be a launch pad to try something new, that you wouldn’t normally have done without them.  Interns really can boost your business, so make the most of them.