Promoting your business with an Open House is a resourceful way to drive traffic to your location. An Open House takes planning and time so be sure to start early. Here is a simple checklist to help you start planning for your next open house.
- CUSTOMER LIST: Managing and maintaining a customer list is a great tool for success. You can do this as easily as leaving a sign- up sheet at your counter to give customers the option of being contacted for special sales, events and promotions. Don’t forget those email addresses.
- SET THE DATE: Be sure you set a date early so the word gets out. Using the same date every year is helpful so your customers can plan to attend. Everyone loves Santa! Book a Santa for the evening of your event to help create the excitement of Christmas.
- DECORATE: Decorate your entire store with bold holiday decorations. Turn on the Christmas music and get those Christmas scented diffusers out to help set the mood. Have a big sign in your store front window with all the great fun, food and prizes that you plan on having.
- PRIZES: Consider placing a table near the front of your store that you can fill with beautifully wrapped presents. You could have another sign-up sheet on this table for mailing list names and where your customers can sign up for the drawing. These can be small packages with ornaments or fun gourmet treats.
- FEATURE: During your event you can have a gift wrapping station, this will set you apart from other retailers. A holiday menu such as punch, candies, pastries and dips is easy enough to put together and your customers would enjoy them.
- STAFFING: Staffing is important for this event appoint someone from your team to take pictures. You can post these pictures in your store to help promote for the next year.
- MARKETING: Use local papers to promote your event. Take posters to common public areas such as grocery stores to put up to create excitement outside your store.