It’s time to create a stir. A bit of excitement. A little passion. Go ahead and hit your chest a bit. It’s time to make yourself known. It’s showtime!
Too often, store operators, after their grand opening, sit and wait for the phone to ring or for a customer to walk into the store. Slowly, over time, their store sales begin a long erosion. It’s time to be proactive and build excitement in your store to drive traffic. It’s time to create a store event.
Organizing events or promotional activities in your store is essential to continually create interest in what is happening in the store. Your store was the best when it opened, but now that other retail establishments have opened as well to minimize its thunder, it’s up to you to spice it up a bit. While these events can vary wildly depending on the type of retail, the premise is the same: Creating excitement and draw to visit your store location is critical!
Here are some starter ideas to get you started on your path to Show time!
Create a “call to action” with freebies: You can “eat, breathe and sleep” in your store every day, but your customers don’t feel the same way. Face this reality and create a sense of urgency for your customers. If you don’t take the initiative, who will? Pick a day and time and host a “First 50 Get Special Offer” sale. It’s important to make the offer compelling, so you have a crowd at your door before you open.
Attract pets for children: What is the best way to attract the mother who drives the van and her children? Schedule a pet in your store. If the kids want to see SpongeBob SquarePants®, they’ll beg Mom to take them to the store. The local sports team mascot, vendor mascots (think Twinkie-the-Kid®), and other cartoon characters can be an affordable draw to drive store traffic.
Live entertainment: If money weren’t an issue, booking U2 at your store would surely drive traffic. But, since you’re not Madison Square Garden, the local magician or high school jazz band may provide enough local appeal for your store. Over time, your store can be a nice place for aspiring artists who belong to the community. Depending on how you can promote this, these live acts can serve as not only an attraction for your store, but also an added benefit to your environment while customers shop.
Throw a party: Host an after-hours gathering for your employees and their friends/family that offers “club” specials to all attendees. This type of “club” pricing and shopping could be expanded to select local businesses, age groups, ie “senior night out”, or even an event promoting singles. Many customers flock to places that attract like-minded people, so “grouping” shoppers into groups allows you to create a buzz.
Book a celebrity: Much like the lure of club shopping, booking a famous local guest for an event in your store is a fantastic way to attract specific fan groups. Most stores may not be able to afford professional athletes or actors, but there are other local celebrities who can draw just as much attention to your store as a national celebrity. Many clients like the local flair and local TV newscasters or authors fit the bill.
Hold an open house: As suggested in my Retail Grand Opening Handbook, hosting a VIP party the night before your store opens is a powerful way to engage your community. Inviting prominent city officials and the press for your first anniversary is an even better idea. This is a great way to tell the community that your store survived its first year and that you’re celebrating with the people who made it happen. Engage the movers and shakers and ask them to broadcast your story through their constituencies.
Daily specials: Every store has a slow day of the week. His store has yet to open and has operating costs built in to date; You need to offset these costs with a sales driver. Pick the slowest day of the week, then run a one-day sale to move top-line sales. Driving the top line is the only way you can get close to breaking even for day-to-day operating costs.
Creating a “buzz” in the store is all about being proactive with your efforts. I’m amazed how operators won’t think of spending $250K or more to build a store but balk at the cost of a $200 pet to attract customers. Driving top-line sales requires some investment but more importantly, proactive engagement. If you want enthusiastic customers to come back again and again, you have to entertain them. Remember, it is Show time!