Store Opening
Posted in: Event Marketing
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A store opening requires good balancing skills. Often the retailer is new and has no existing marketing content. Even for existing brands who have pre-existing content and social media channels, it can be difficult to create the PR for a new store.
After all, what is so exciting about a new premises where competitive markets mean there’ll be a similar business nearby?
Why should a competitor’s customers go and see your new store?
Take a look at this next video of our brand ambassador Raquel Freestyle. Raquel performs for store openings and product launches with outstanding football trick skills to bring in the crowds.
YouTube Tag: @raquelfreestyle.
For some new store openings, hiring a celebrity such as Raquel Freestyle may not be viable.
Giveaways are traditionally newsworthy items for local media coverage or social media. You could offer an opening day discount. Or a free giveaway product. These will help attract awareness of your event.
You should also make sure all the relevant store details are on the promotion so customers can easily find you.
Add to this good online listings for those searching for that new store. We recommend Google My Business of course, but additionally there are about 20 other online directories where you can list your new store address and which crucially index into Google’s first-page search results.
Zoom in to the above tweet to see we achieved 61 retweets for our own brand (click on it to go to Twitter).
You can see just how much engagement we’re able to generate for our clients and publishers by the use of AIDA, principally from a good photograph.
Anytime you can include a photograph, you should do it. Tweets with visual content get 150% more retweets, 18% more clicks, and 89% more favourites*.
SMM use of influencers are another way to promote a new store opening and they have even better understanding of the powerful effect from a good photograph.
YouCom Media runs a mystery shopper program of over 500 individuals, many of whom write successful blogs and offer influencer services.
It seems obvious but your brand should become involved in the local community to where you’re having the store opening.
There will be lots of local charities and members clubs, all of whom would like to partner for some publicity and all would welcome news of a new business that for example offers their members some sort of local discount.
Write to the local council and perhaps try to secure the services of the local mayor (after all you are providing employment for local people).
Write an editorial for the local newspaper. Take our advertising in the local newspapers. Most importantly, ensure your business directory listings cover local search keywords.
The hashtag. This is useful for those of us who are getting a little older and need some memory assistance.
But jokes aside, we all need some memory help when we live in a world full of advertising noise. A Tweet with a hashtag is 55% more likely to be retweeted*.
Aim for an easy to use hashtag that is nice and short. Experiment with using humour.
A new bakers store opening for example could use #greatbuns or #hashbrowntag (we liked that one). Research to identify local hashtags that are trending now and see if yours can ‘surf that wave’.
Customised, relevant helium balloons are another great instant ‘awareness’ and ‘interest’ part of AIDA advertising when it comes to your store opening.
Brands can often treat their store opening like dipping a toe in the water but should instead view them as a diving board which could really launch a new store location.
A store opening can set the stage for not just your products or service but also the customer base that you’ll be able to build. You need something that can draw people’s attention for instant AIDA.
Someone like Raquel Freestyle attracts the younger audience to your brand despite many companies vying for their attention.
You should also think about placement before your store opening day to build that awareness.
The messaging you use will be of utmost importance and especially the colour and design used. Contact us for your next store event.
Follow the YouCom Media news posts to see the next developments.
Glossary:
A.I.D.A – Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action [Marketing model]
Data Source:
* Alexandra Sheehan
Some images sourced from Pixabay incl. alexas_fotos & AirAdPromotions
Required reference:
YouCom Media News, Jan 2022, London, ‘Store Opening.’
