Congratulations on opening a new location of your retail store! Whether this is your first store opening or your 15th, you are no doubt always on the lookout for new ideas to make your grand opening party extra special. When it comes to throwing a great grand opening event, the most important thing is that you find a unique way to give your target market a memorable experience, and that you make sure that all of your guests leave with a good first impression. Here are some tips to help you get started on making your grand opening especially memorable.
Think Big!
If you really want your grand opening to be memorable, start out by brainstorming as many unique ideas as you possibly can. Don’t be afraid to think up things that are too big or too expensive. At this stage, the sky’s the limit, so just make sure you get your creativity flowing. Some questions to consider while you brainstorm:
- What is unique about your business? What distinguishes it from its competitors in the area?
- When people have complimented you on your business in the past, what good things do they most often mention? Considering these things will help you discover new ways to advertise and play up your business appeal.
- What do people associate with your business? This could give you fun ideas for theme parties. For example, if you are opening an ice cream parlor for the summer season, you could have a beach themed party. Go all out and get some beach decorations and toys to set the scene of the beach party atmosphere.
- Be sure to leave room in your budget for the “wow factor.” Your party should include something that really sets it apart from the rest. This might include free gifts, a celebrity appearance, or an open bar or food truck.
- Don’t limit yourself to in-house events. Think about other things you can do around town to promote your business during the week of your grand opening. For example, if your business is going to open around the Christmas season, have a photo booth at your local supermarket with Christmas props and maybe even hire someone to play Santa, especially if children will be attending.
Set Your Expectations
Once you have some creative ideas to get you thinking, you should start to realistically consider what kind of event you can host and who you will like to have attend. Some questions to keep in mind:
- What will the focus of your event be? A BBQ? A concert? An outdoor movie?
- Who is your target audience? Who generally buys your product? How many people like this live in your area? What type of event would appeal to them?
- How many guests can you reasonably expect? You don’t want to throw a huge party and have no one show up, but you also don’t want to organize an event without enough capacity for your guest list. Make sure you will have enough food and drinks, enough parking, enough merchandise, etc.
- What will your budget be? Some recommend a budget of 20% of your first year advertising budget, or at least $6,000, but this really depends on the size of your business and your plans for your event. Don’t spend too much on an event you can’t really afford and leave yourself nothing for advertising during the remainder of the year!
Get the Word Out
Start advertising for your upcoming event around town with local advertising efforts. Distribute flyers, hire sign twirlers, order and arrange some eSigns.com vinyl signs around town. Put ads in local papers and on local TV networks. This should all factor into your total event budget, so plan carefully how you will use your money. Would it be worth more to produce a high quality video you can put online than to go out for that radio spot? Plan according to your demographic.
You should also consider inviting some high profile guests like local celebrities or politicians. See if you can get someone to speak or perform at your event. This can become some advertising in and of itself.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
In most cases, you will want to wait at least two weeks past your actual opening date to have your grand opening event. This will give you plenty of time to iron out the kinks in your regular operations and to get a better sense of your space and its potential. Throwing a really great and memorable event takes time and patience, but don’t be afraid to take risks! The most memorable events will be the ones that offer something especially fun, goofy, or enlightening to its target market.