The holiday season is upon us, so why not take advantage of this celebratory time of the year by hosting a festive holiday event at your small business? It could be just what you need to bring customers to your store and generate additional sales before the end of the year. And the proof is certainly in the figgy pudding: According to the Event Marketing Institute, nearly 3 in 4 consumers will have a more positive impression of your brand after they attend an in-store event.
So what are you waiting for?
Even if you don’t normally have foot traffic in your business, you can host a holiday open house to show potential customers or clients what your business has to offer. Without further ado, here are 5 tips for getting the most out of your in-store holiday event:
Get the Word Out Prior to Your Event
Providing just a day or two of notice to your customers is certainly not sufficient when promoting your in-store event, particularly during this hectic time of the year. So get the word out a couple of weeks in advance and take advantage of each of your promotional channels, including social media and e-mail.
Also, make sure you print out invitations that you can hand out or place in your customers’ bags when they visit your store prior to the event. And don’t be shy about displaying promotional signage throughout your store before the event. You local chamber of commerce may even help you publicize your event.
Create the Best Shopping Experience Possible
When you host your in-store event, you want to focus on the impact it will have on your customers. And you can get the most out of your event by delighting all of your customers’ senses. To do so, you can:
- Exhibit products that customers can handle (touch)
- Design creative displays that can be placed in your store’s windows and throughout your store (sight)
- Play holiday music that will get your customers in the holiday spirit (sound)
- Partner with a local bakery by offering tasty holiday cookies to your customers (taste)
- Light a few seasonal scented candles that are sure to bring back fond holiday memories for your customers (smell)
Offer a Prize or Two for Customers Who Visit Your Store
Entice customers to visit your store by offering a holiday-themed door prize or two. One of your door prizes can be a gift certificate to your business or company swag. When you ask them to register for the prize drawing, collect their contact information so that you can add them to your marketing email list.
And don’t forget to ask them for their zip code! Having that nugget of information can help you determine where your customers live, which can help you decide where you want to advertise in the future.
Team Up With Local Businesses
As mentioned, you can partner with another local business, such as a bakery or restaurant, and offer your customers tasty treats they are sure to remember. Not only will you be helping to promote another local business, but your customers will remember that you have impeccable taste. Keep in mind that not every small business has the wherewithal to hold their own event, so promoting their products or services fits perfectly with the spirit of the season.
Regardless of whether you offer delectable treats, it’s important to foster relationships with like-minded local businesses because you can cross-promote each other’s products or services. This may provide access to a different demographic of customers, which can ultimately lead to more sales.
Promote Your Products or Services Throughout and After Your Event
During your in-store event, make the rounds and introduce yourself to your customers. Share your story and ask them if you can help them find what they are looking for. This is also the perfect time to ask for a little free marketing. Request that your customers share photos of the event on social media and tag your business while doing so. Better yet, create photo ops and they’ll be likely to do it without you asking.
Then, in the days following the event, you can share photos on your social channels to showcase how much fun everyone had at the event. In addition, take the time to email thank you notes to everyone who attended. Include a discount code for your product or services. This is a fantastic way to show your gratitude, and your customers will appreciate that you took the time to thank them individually and helped them save a little money at the same time.
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