Valentine’s Day provides you with the perfect opportunity to generate some extra traffic and increase sales during the winter months.

Create a promotion that will entice customers to stop by and shop at your store. Consider promoting your event using a “we love our customers” theme. This could be a weekend long event or you could stretch it out for the entire week leading up to Valentine’s Day! Plan a fun giveaway or special discount to thank your customers.

Promote your event by creating a beautiful window display using colors most often associated with the season. Reds, pinks, and purples will grab your customer’s attention and remind them it’s time to find that perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Use lighted branches and heart wire lights to further accent your displays. Make sure you have plenty of small love themed box signs for customers to pick up as a grab and go item.

Increase your average dollar by placing last minute gift ideas at your cash wrap. Place add-on items at the registers such as bottle tags, magnets, notepads, or mini frames.

Serve gourmet chocolates and sparkling cider to further enhance the atmosphere. Consider offering a bounce back coupon that encourages customers to come back and visit later in the year. And don’t forget, this is great time to start collecting e-mail addresses!  Having an event early in the year will give you a great head start on adding to or starting a marketing database.