As an entrepreneur, your goal is to see your business thrive and of course to make more money. One of the key ways to boost sales, is to increase foot traffic inside your store. When you increase the visits to your store, you also have the opportunity to increase the number of customers who are referred to your store as well as those who will become loyal shoppers. With small budgets and limited manpower, advertising can be tough. One tried and true way to reward your customers and of course attract more, is to host a community event at your store.
There are a few things to keep in mind when planning and throwing a successful event at your business:
- Make it about appreciation. Happy customers equal more money. You’ll want to make sure your event is focused on your customers. Show your customers that you’re thankful for their business and want them to keep coming back by hosting an event they can truly enjoy.
- Take advantage of slower days and times. The best time to have an event at your store is during dayparts that are notoriously slow. This way, you not only prevent a detrimental amount of traffic, but you also maximize on the potential for additional sales.
- Give your customers a reason to come back. If your goal is to show the value in your customers’ loyalty, you should reward them for it. Handing out coupons or promoting new products or services give you the opportunity to increase the likelihood that shoppers will come back to your store.
- Take the opportunity to give back. A great way to show you care about the community your store is in is to host a charity or fundraising event. People appreciate businesses that truly care about the communities they operate in and are far more likely to be loyal customers of a store that has taken initiative to benefit others or the environment. Consider finding a local organization, church, or even school that could benefit from such an event and still boost your store’s traffic and sales.
- Planning is everything. You want to wow your current and potential customers with your event. Make sure that you’ve properly prepared your store and made sure that you have everything you need to host an event they’ll be glad they attended. Set dates throughout the year for your events so you have plenty of time to prepare and make arrangements.
- Interact with your customers. While the event is happening, the best thing you and your employees can do is mingle with the current and potential customers. You should take advantage of this time to talk with customers to not only get them excited about your business and products, but to learn about what they want. This is a great opportunity to gain insight into what you can do to provide the best possible experience for the shoppers in your community.