Getting ready to launch a new business is exciting and slightly stressful. Owners want the entire affair to go perfectly and for the event to be memorable. Make the day count and give customers something to rave about. Check out these tips for preparing your business for a grand opening. A healthy start means a successful business.
Set a Budget
Grand openings can get expensive, but you want to avoid spending too much money on the event. It’s the start of your business, so you don’t have profits to use for extravagant details. Keep your business in good financial standing by establishing a budget for the grand opening.
Make all expenses realistic. Spend money on the most important items and cut back on the things you can handle yourself. Consider paying for things such as entertainment and catering, but be mindful about spending on decorations, advertisements, and giveaway prizes. If your budget doesn’t allow for everything you visualize, prioritize these items and consider alternatives for the others.
Get the Word Out
Tell the community a new business is in town can be enough to garner some excitement. You don’t need to leave the advertisement with the professionals. Place a huge sign in front of the business letting customers know you’re opening soon.
Add a countdown to the company’s website and social media profiles. On the countdown, give viewers glimpses and hints about features to come. Make posts in the weeks leading up to the event, and on the week of the grand opening, you can reveal exciting details every day to ensure you capture attention.
Ask people in the community what features they want to see. They’ll be excited and prepared to be there for the big day. Promote a big giveaway and a contest. Both events can bring in a substantial crowd.
Prep the Property
Now that everyone is excited, you don’t want to disappoint them. Make sure the property is presentable. The previous owners may have neglected some maintenance areas. Before designing and constructing the layout, take care of the interior and exterior.
Start by sprucing up your parking lot’s curb appeal. This area needs to shine so that customers know what to expect once they walk through the doors. Layout the store and place signs and employees at every station in case customers have questions. Train your employees thoroughly leading up to the grand opening to ensure they can confidently answer any questions.
Arrange for Entertainment
Having a main attraction puts your business on another level. Include a caterer because everyone loves free food. The entertainment doesn’t need to be a huge musical guest—instead, choose something that relates to your business.
For example, if you plan to open a cosmetics business, start looking for social media influencers to make an appearance. Reach out and discuss a partnership. Start this process early to lock things in quickly. Placing their name on a flyer and on the website will get customers excited for a chance to take a picture and meet someone they admire.
Be prepared to put what you just learned into action for your business’s grand opening.