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Events!
Customers love 'em! When done right a fun event will not
only impress your existing customers, it will bring you
new customers! Are they always easy? Will each one be a
huge success? Do you need to have one every week? The answer
to all three is no! But the most important question to ask
is are they worth it? And that answer is YES! Some events
may be a headache, others a breeze - but overall to reach
the customer you must have fun events!
Here are some
suggestions for fun events that will draw customers to your
store. These suggestions are in no particular order.
Have Redemption Card Tournaments – The Redemption
card game is a great and simple basis for an event. Have
local players get together just for friendly competition or
set up something tournament style and offer prizes or
trophies for the winners. This can also be incorporated into
national tournaments that already exist.
Develop a Local Youth Pastors Network – Work with
local youth pastors to make your store a central location
for them to meet and share ideas. This will help you promote
your store to them as well as getting them to work together
with you on events. Have regular meetings and possibly make
this a special lunch. Use Youth Pastor Perks boxes from
Provident to have giveaways during these meetings.
Have VBS Workshops – Typically done in February,
these meetings are for churches to preview all of the
upcoming VBS themes and starter kits. At a certain sales
level, the companies will send representatives to do the
workshops for you. Offer discounts or specials for purchases
made there. Also encourage churches to order early as many
products are of limited quantity and run out early at the
warehouses.
Start a Life Of Faith Girls Club – Built around the
Life of Faith dolls and book series, this is a get together
for girls ages 6 – 12. Treat it almost as a dress up tea
party and use the books as devotions for your meetings. This
may help to sell dolls and accessories that typically are
high dollar items.
Bring In Concerts/Events To Your Area – Sponsor your
own or partner with a local promoter. Bringing in a
well-known group or tour could be a big money maker if done
right. Even if it is just helping out a local promoter, this
can be a way to get your name out to thousands of people at
once. These types of events can, however, be a lot of work.
Other events could be Veggie premieres, dramas or plays, or
even doing some sort of local Christian festival or battle
of the bands.
Have a Christian Fashion Show – Partner with a local
formal shop to show modest prom fashions and at the same
time, feature some of your Christian apparel. Combine this
with a “True Love Waits” or “Silver Ring Thing” type rally
with speakers and/or music artists. Either charge for
admission or use this as a promotional opportunity.
Have College Nights – College students claim that
they don’t have any money until they have a really good
reason to spend some. Give them a special event before or
after normal closing hours in which they receive extra
discounts or exclusive items and deals. Typically students
like music, so making a theme around music may be good.
Watch the dove awards, Listen to pre-release music, play
games, etc.
Have New Release Parties – Whether music or books,
some releases are so big and so exciting, you can have an
event around a particular release. Do a release at midnight
or have a crazy price for two hours on the day of release.
Go all out and decorate a section of the store. If many
things are coming out on the same day, do a huge combo
release party.
Have Artist & Author Appearances/Autograph Signings –
Take advantage of any famous personality that is in your
area. This works especially well when in conjunction with
another appearance that the person has in your area. If
someone is doing a radio tour or concert or even an
appearance at another store nearby, ask them to come to your
store too. Advertise this heavily and you may attract
hundreds of fans. Sale price the items and try to get some
special promotional piece that your customers wouldn’t
already have.
Have Choral Workshops – Most churches do something
for holiday programs. Some even do programs throughout the
year. Establishing your store as the place to go for their
cantatas and general music is essential. If you can serve a
church well in this area, they can become very loyal and you
get them out of the habit of buying this product direct or
through the Internet. At least consider Christmas if no
other time. Some companies may even send reps depending on
the size of your event.
Have Private Sales – Sales reserved after hours just
for your top customers. Send out special invitations and
make huge deals for that night only. Your best customers
will appreciate being appreciated. As an option, have some
free food there as well.
Have Midnight Madness Sales – Especially popular
during the holiday shopping season, late night shopping or
midnight madness sales can be an opportunity for you to be
open when your competition is not. There needs to be a
special theme or sale going on or else you are just adding
to your store hours without much benefit. Make a big deal
out of it and advertise well.
Have Karaoke Nights And/Or Live Music - Any event
that you have adds excitement and value to your store. An
event with live performances of any kind draws in the
customer and also encourages them to stay. Lingering
customers typically purchase more as they browse more. Also,
for the younger crowd, an interactive event such as karaoke
will cause them to continue to return to you because your
store is fun. Many companies sell Christian karaoke cd's and
some even occasionally offer free karaoke machines with
qualifying purchases.
Have Scrapbook Crop Nights - If there is anyone who
works at your store who is proficient in scrapbooking, put
on some instructional workshops or just have a time for your
customers to get together and "crop". Paper swaps, idea
exchanges, and scrapbook "yard sales" are all attractive to
these buyers. There are even many idea books and
instructional shows and videos to get you going. |
