Encourage Customer Visits With In-Store Events3 min read
If you are the proud owner of a brick and mortar boutique, department store or even a restaurant, you want to make sure that you are always doing everything possible to ensure maximum traffic flow to and through your establishment – and of course, hopefully with each resulting in a purchase. Word of Mouth and having a great brand, great selection are all wonderful assets to your business and its livelihood, but they are only part of a total package that serves to entice the largest number of customers to drop in. And if you are faced with the need to do more, in terms of laying out revenues to increase store profitability, you certainly want to make sure that any such efforts are going to pay off with increased store traffic and the resulting generation of sales. Not all marketing and promotional incentives are equal, in terms of their effectiveness, and they should certainly not break the bank, either. What follows are a few simple ways to increase the traffic to your store, while generating sales at the same time.
Hold a Promotional Sale Party: Promotional sales are unlike regular sales or markdowns, as they imply a sense of urgency that tends to be highly effective, in terms of quickly luring customers in. Place some of your more difficult items to move on sale. And while sales are typically referring to temporary price reductions, remember that markdowns are designated to never return to their original prices. By adding “promotional,” you thereby have a formula that is bound to draw in shoppers. Take advantage of such an event to introduce new inventory, gather customer information via sales associates on their iPhones or possibly through a drawing for free merchandise.
In-Store Events are Fun!
The public loves being invited to a special gathering, as it helps them to feel like they have special entitlement and inclusion in a VIP club. Using client information and other helpful databases (hopefully stored on your POS system,) mail out special invitations to everyone to your event. You might also include an invitation along with every purchase, in the bag of departing customers. Get the word out. Add news of your store event to the home page of your web site, so it’s the first thing visitors will see. You could even require that guests pre-register for special incentives, while you might also consider leaving the event open to the general public, also.
In-Store Events for Restaurants
Restaurants can host a wine tasting event, or possibly invite the public for a special cooking class by the chef. The item your students would learn to prepare could either be one of your least frequently served menu entrees, or possibly another dish that is similar but not the same as what you serve in your restaurant. There could be a sommelier to present a breakdown on choosing wine and other interesting details. Give attendees a gift card as they leave, which may be presented for food, desert or appetizers on a return visit.
An In-Store Women’s Clothing Boutique Event
Throw a fun trunk show, featuring one of the most prolific and popular fashion designers of the lines you carry to preside over it. You might also include makeup and hair professionals to give talks and demonstrations. Hold a drawing where, at the event, you give the person whose ticket is drawn a complete makeover, redressing them your clothing line. Invite everyone you can, and tell your guest speakers to do the same. Have some kind of small reward to hand to each guest, upon leaving.
Take advantage of the special ways in which your unique business can create a special event, and invite those whose business you know is possible. Tell them to tell others, and blast it on social media, email, special cards and your web site. Increased traffic always means increased sales. Give them a grand time, and they will be back, too!
