Making Special Events Part Of Your Store Routine

No time for special events in your store? No budget to support some? Think again! Independent stores thrive when they support their community with events that bring traffic into their stores. Not only does it help their business financially when done successfully, but it also adds excitement and energy to their store’s reputation.

Independent stores have the opportunity to make their own rules, and when doing this, adding special events to their “to-do” list is a fun way  to keep some constant “buzz” around their stores. Whether it’s a weekly story time for a children’s store or a routine event every first Friday of the month, having special events as part of your routine will give your customers a reason to come to your store besides just shopping. Of course, the goal is to get them to shop more, but it’s also a way to build respect and loyalty to your store that will make them want to come back to you when they do need something – whether you have event or not to bring them in.  

Some routine special event ideas include:

Happy Hour Shopping “Deals & Drinks” – Rather than discounted drinks at a bar, offer discounted shopping during a certain time each Friday evening or at least one Friday each month. Be creative in how you can spice this up in your promotions and add excitement to the evening. Serving refreshments makes this shopping event more than just a reason to shop, but also a reason to socialize. Light appetizers adds even more reason for people to stop in. Work within your budget to see how you can make this work for your store.

 Partnering Up With A Charity – Make it a habit to host a charity event at your store space that introduces a new crowd to your store (the charity should have their own mailing list). Not only will you be offering your store space for a valuable cause, but you can gain new customers, offer incentives during the event and more. Get creative to see how this may work for you! Another perk? You can likely write off any expenses involved in this event at the end of the year!

Story Time For Kids – Cater to kids? Whether you are an apparel store, toy store or offer a little bit of everything, having a routine story time for kids is a great way to gain loyalty for your business. Moms will love bringing their little ones to your store for fun, and you will love that they may shop while there! It’s a win – win with very little overhead! You simply need a few books and an area for the kids to sit down. How easy is that? Of course, a great storyteller helps, too.

Make sure when promoting your store events that you give your local media enough time to share the news of your store happenings. Many media outlets offer special event calendars, which is a great way to spread the word about what you are up to. In addition, inviting the media  to an event can also help gain some press for you, in return.

Remember to stay consistent when planning routine events so that your customers can count on you for them. In addition, don’t forget to learn from both your mistakes and successes along the way. And finally –  enjoy the fun that special events can bring to your retail store!