Getting close to your business’ opening? Awesome! Feeling excited but a bit overwhelmed about it? Totally normal. We’ve put together a list of ideas to consider to help you and your team feel confident going into the big day.
First off, make sure your company info is accessible.
Launch a website and get a logo.
Your website will often be first stopping point for people who have heard your company name, heard about your opening and want to learn more. Your logo will give a visual identity to your brand and help people recognize you.
Create social media accounts.
Determine what social platforms are most relevant for your brand/company. Creating accounts for your business is very easy.
Get professional photos and videos of your business and your staff.
Publish these on your website and social media accounts to draw people to your new business and build excitement.
Make sure your business is on Google Maps.
In our tech-focused society, many people rely on a GPS to get around. Make sure people can find you!
An Opening Done Well
In 2016, the Kowalski's on Grand Avenue in St. Paul (one of Wilkus Architects' projects) had an outstanding grand re-opening. Some key features of the event included:
Ribbon cutting
Appearance of St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman
Unique, live food carvings
Food samples
Plan, plan, plan.
Here are some things to consider in getting your launch plans together:
What's your budget?
What activities will occur?
How will you decorate?
How will you engage attendees?
Market your grand opening!
Consider having your grand opening event 1-2 weeks after opening your space, or doing an initial "soft opening." This will help you get a feel of how the grand opening will go and if there's a need to make any adjustments or additions.
Pre-EVENT:
Design posters / flyers.
Place these in popular places around the area to increase awareness of the event. In terms of marketing, this is a bargain.
Write a press release.
Send your press release to local media outlets and reach out directly to business reporters likely to cover your opening.
Send out direct mailings.
If you have the budget for it, you can find direct mailing lists for purchase that could help increase event attendance. Target people you think could become potential clients/customers in the future.
Create a Facebook event.
This is a great way to get free advertising. Plus, a lot of people these days use the events tool to find things to do!
Think about potential partnerships.
If there is a local cause that aligns with your business, think about a way to involve these groups in the event. This would attract a bigger crowd (those who may be familiar with that company but not yours) and reinforce your company values.
Invite neighborhood businesses.
Get off on the right foot with the other business nearby. This could set the stage for future collaborations!
DAY OF EVENT:
Post about it!
Share the Facebook event. Encourage people to invite friends and family.
Share live updates on social media. Show people what's going on and they may choose to come if it looks like a good time!
Create an event hashtag and encourage people to use it when sharing their own posts and photos. To encourage these kind of posts, consider creating a contest. For example, offer a prize drawing if people post using the hashtag.
Share information about parking options. Parking can be stressful, especially if your business is located in the city and has limited parking. Share posts about parking options to ease that stress and make it more likely for people to come.
Set out a sidewalk chalkboard sign.
This could catch passersby who might not know about your opening and lure them in!
Do a raffle drawing.
This will get people interested in your product or service, and if you ask for their information on the intake slip, you can also build your email list and reach out to them about future events.
Week following event:
Continue to engage.
You may have new people following along with your company after having attended your event. Keep them engaged and wanting to come back for future events.
Share photos from your grand opening! People in the photos may tag themselves and share them on their own feeds. This is a chance for even more exposure.
