The opening of a store is an exciting and challenging time. It’s when you actually find out whether you have chosen the right merchandise, location and personnel for the store. Opening day is a culmination of marketing for right customers, advertising to let them know about the store and attracting sellers with good merchandise to fill the store. Here are 10 Tips For a Successful Resale Grand Opening
1. Create a Buzz
Your store opening should be enjoyable, memorable and make potential customers aware of your business, even if they didn’t attend the opening event. You want community members to know about your business, where it’s located and what you have to sell. Your store should be different enough to stand out from similar businesses.
2. Create Excitement
Make an event that has elements that customers like. For instance, give them a chance to win prizes or give away free gifts. Have a fashion show or demonstrate products. Hire a comedian or a magician to bring entertainment creating a fun filled event at the store opening. Serve refreshments. Ask family and friends as well and ask employees to invite their friends to come to the store opening. Have contingent plans for too few or too large of a crowd including parking and overflow in the building. Capture customer contact information to follow up with attendees.
3. Create a Memorable Customer Experience
Make a strong first impression. The event should appeal to all the customer senses. Sight – through visually stimulating displays, hearing – appropriate music, touch – permitted through handling the merchandise, smell – pleasant light scent throughout the store and taste – through the food served at the event.
4. Have Ample Staff
Have a greeter at the front door to welcome guests as they enter the store. Make sure the staff is familiar with the inventory, pricing and store hours. You should stay free to answer questions and meet customers.
5. Schedule a Practice a Staff Walk-thru
Document and assign staff to specific locations to insure that the entire store is covered. Consider having an employee on stand-by to direct traffic if needed. Assign staff restroom maintenance duties once every half hour. Define the duties for the grand opening because the event might require different activities than normal. The duties checklist documents what each person should be doing.
6. Invite Community Leaders
Some of the community leaders you should invite include local business owners, the press and politicians. Give them an opportunity to get to know you and your business. Any or all of the invitees might be future allies in community decisions that affect your business.
7. Advertise the Grand Opening
Create an advertising budget to communicate the grand opening. The marketing effort is a charm offense. You want to reach potential customers’ attention by advertising in newspaper, radio, social media, online and word of mouth. Flyers, direct mail and store signing offer additional ways to draw the attention of potential customers. Have an informative phone message with grand opening details. The wording and images in all forms of advertising should match each other. Make sure all your advertising delivers a consistent message.
8. Store Décor
Make displays throughout the store that tell a story. If you buy used counter top cases, showcases, sign holders and shelving check that all fixturing is in good repair. Store fixtures either adds to or detracts from your store appearance. Balloons and flowers should enhance and highlight your merchandise. Good lighting contributes to a warm atmosphere in your store as well as permits customers to clearly see the goods that you have for sale.
9. Provide Music
The type of music that plays in your grand opening depends on the type of merchandise, the customers and your taste. If you want young customers your music choice should reflect youthful music taste. The same applies to playing music which attracts atistic customers or fisherman. Match music to potential customers.
10. Have Ample Parking
The parking lot should be well lit and marked to provide easy customer access. Consider having an additional parking in just case it is needed.
Use these tips as you plan your grand opening. Enjoy the celebration as you grow your resale consignment business.