Opening your new store or website is much more than just unlocking the doors and hoping customers will come pouring in. You need to have a well-thought-out marketing strategy to generate buzz and excitement, attract your first customers, and set yourself up for repeat business and growth. Using these powerful opening marketing strategies can ensure that your grand opening is one to remember, with successful sales and a solid customer base on the way to future success.
Theme Parties
Choosing a theme for your grand opening is a great way to draw attention and attract the right kind of crowd. Whether it’s a themed party like an 80s throwback or a brunch for moms and kids, a theme-based grand opening can help you create a more memorable event that will keep your brand top of mind with potential customers.
Offer a Pre-Launch Promotion
Running a promotion before your official launch is an excellent way to grow your audience and promote your grand opening. Offering an exclusive event or a discount to your early followers and subscribers is a way to reward them for betting on you and showing support. This also gives you a large list to contact when you’re ready to go live, so that you can invite them to the big day and launch with a bang.
Send a Press Release
Any time you have a noteworthy milestone, such as your grand opening, it’s worth sending a press release to local media outlets. They’ll be looking for interesting stories and this could give you free publicity in print and on TV.
Organize a Scavenger Hunt
A fun and interactive way to host a grand opening is to organize a scavenger hunt. You can either host the hunt within your location or partner with nearby businesses to spread the hunt over a larger geographic area. Then, have people assemble at a given time and turn them loose to follow the clues leading back to your business to see who won.
Host a Charity Grand Opening
Having your grand opening benefit a local charity can be a great way to attract socially conscious consumers. Choose a charity that is meaningful to you or someone on your team and include the partnership in all of your grand opening marketing materials. People will be more interested in attending because they’ll know that they’re helping out a good cause.
Pass Out Promotional Products
Creating custom-printed products to distribute during your grand opening is an inexpensive yet effective marketing strategy. Whether it’s an apron, tote bag, or water bottle, passing out these items will help drive people into your business and build a long-lasting brand image in their minds. Make sure to use these promotional products after your grand opening as well, so that you can continue building and strengthening the brand image. You can even use them to support your other marketing efforts, such as advertising on social media or in local listings and directories.