Grand Opening Strategies to Boost Your Brand Awareness No ratings yet.

A grand opening goes far beyond the event of a cutting of a ribbon; it is the starting point that propels your branding campaign into the stratosphere and leaves an indelible mark on the minds of your patrons. Nevertheless, to perform a grand opening that has relevance, some planning, creativity and sophisticated audience manipulation strategy is necessarily applicable. Whether one is opening a nice boutique where fashionistas are anticipated to flock or an elegant café to feed the business equivalent of the same or even an IT firm where technological savants are expected to troop in in their business suits, the launching process of this starting point requires the subtle marriage of art and science. Here are practical steps that will help you ensure that your brand gets the visibility it deserves and that your grand opening becomes the hot topic of the decade.

1. Choose an Engaging Theme as the First Impression

If a grand opening refers only to a specific occasion, your business turns this into a spectacle. Developing a good and engaging theme bestows on your event its persona which is appealing to the most essential stakeholders. These may vary from the elegant appearance of the great red carpet-updated theme to the celebratory carnival theme. The right choice of theme lets your guests remember your event and feel that they have attended something extraordinary.

For instance, a bookworm bookstore opening might be a ‘Literary Wonderland’ complete with shabby chic furniture and fifties-inspired clothing-clad staff. The last thing is that the more you make the environment realistic, which affects the deep level, the better to use the custom grand opening flyers for announcing your book launch to call people’s attention to the theme and the kind of environment you want them to get to at the event.

2. Capitalise on Local Stakeholders and Press to Create Hype

Advertising on social networks and inviting certain bloggers and local media accounts to the grand opening of a store is rather effective. These individuals already have an audience that carefully follows them waiting for recommendations, which makes their coverage very useful. Approach those with an interest of your brand and endorse them for an exclusive first look at your newly developed product tour or other related item.

Sending out very personalized invitations to the media houses should also be done with the offering of privileges such as previews, free gifts, or photos. You issue press releases to local newspapers, radio stations, and online magazines to get your brand’s message out there.

3. Engage Your Class Through the Use of Practice Activities

It is rare to get an impressive statement from a static event. Be sure to include engagement activities to enhance the two-way communication between you and guests during the grand opening events. Practical things like live shows, do-it-yourself stations, and photobooth brings an engaging atmosphere, which keeps the attendees active as well as make them interact with your brand.

For instance, during the launch of a new bakery, patrons could engage themselves in a ‘make your own cupcake’ event while on the other hand trainers from a new fitness studio could show patrons snippets of the exercises they offer. These call-to-action experiences compel the guests to engage with your brand’s value proposition and produce shareable content.

4. Take Advantage of the Exclusive Selling Proposition

What fuels passion more than restricted access? Advertising that one is opening the store by implementing sales promotions, discounts, or any other restricted offers also encourages immediate patronage during the reception. To come to the event, visitors will, in turn, be excited by these promotions throughout the pre-event marketing campaigns, with a sort of pressure to come.

Suggested promotion strategies include providing more seating as well as deploying incentives to reach habitual attendees as soon as possible. For instance, a retail business could only provide the first 50 customers with discounts for their products while a restaurant could provide the first customers of the day with their favorite dish. The element of scarcity influences people to act; to show up and get things accomplished.

5. Build Anticipation Through Strategic Marketing Campaigns

It is therefore clear that the essence of any grand opening starts several weeks if not months in advance. An elaborate pre-launch marketing strategy is the best way to make your community anticipate your big day. Use online and offline marketing tools to pass the message.

• Social Media Teasers: Tease your followers with backstage pictures, videos, countdowns, and announcements of a coming show on your social media accounts.
• Email Invitations: Design entice ‘with pictures that should contain relevant information on the event plus other self-serving incentives.
• Local Advertising: Use promotions like flyers, and nearby firms, or utilize other print and electronic media for grabs of community notice.
• Event Listings: Include your grand opening as part of the listing in the events calendar or in local community website lists for increased exposure.

Stylish and emotional design within the framework of the campaign will make the target audience attend events.

6. AVIS: Add Live Performances to Attract Crowds

Entertainment on your part will make your grand opening magical, memorable, and even mythical. That’s why hiring live performers for the event – whether a band, magician, dancer, or someone who would paint on the streets – will always attract the attention of the audience.

For instance, a family oriented business might put on face painters, balloon artists or even clowns to captivate young audiences if the business is a boutique and expensive-oriented it might hire a string quartet. The right entertainment not only contributes towards creating a better atmosphere but people also spend more time around and take a moment to share with friends and family.

7. Tap into the Memorable Moments for Viral Marketing

When we live in a society where posting on social media platforms is a norm, we must create juicy moments to market naturally. Create great photo opportunities for the guests, for example, the decorative background that looks perfect for a selfie, neon letters or a blooming arch.

Audience engagement branded hashtags and geotags guarantee that attendees share their pictures on social media platforms making them advocates of your brand. In addition to awarding participants for their efforts, giving a social media badge to the one submitting the best post increases your visibility.

8. Get Connected by Telling Your Brand Story

One of the best ways to make listeners follow your brand is to tell them a story about it when providing a grand opening. Consumers relate to the tales told more than the products being presented. Spending just five to ten minutes to explain your vision, values, and the path you walk, to the people you value, is invaluable.

Use images by having nice signs, videos, or speeches that can explain where you are coming from and what you do. Let your audience get to know your team, hear about your passion, and be able to see the benefits you bring to the table.

9. Record and Communicate Awareness of Different Aspects of Events for Increasing Lifespan

Everyone can attest to the fact that the energy does not die down when the event is over. Having your grand opening well documented and photographed, filmed and recorded through customers’ testimonials makes the buzz last. Post the event on your website, social media accounts, and sign up newsletters to keep using your audience after the occasion.

The last and often overlooked standard is post-event content, which apart from its usage as advertising for following sales events, helps to build up credibility based on past success.

10. Get the Community as Partners for a Long Term

When a grand opening is effective, it does not only make an impact on people privileged to be inside the establishment but it has an impact on society as well. Engage with local businesses, charities, or schools in order to make the launch seem local and include everybody to some extent. Thus, associating with a local cause or organizing charity drives is good for the image of your brand.

For example, you can support a fixed percentage of grand opening revenue to a popular nonprofit organization within the community, or you may include the leaders of the community to cut the ribbon. A symbiotic method of development brings the brand to life within a community because it makes people appreciate it as a resident asset.

Final Thoughts

A well-planned and executed grand opening event can set the tone for your brand image and make a very strong and positive impact on the consumers and aficionados who attend the event besides creating waves of publicity that go beyond the event proper. With creativity in enhancing audience engagement, implementing marketing goals, and using relevant communities, your grand opening can be one unique event that creates a suitable means of building a strong bond with your audience.

Do not forget that your launch is not only the start, but it is also the beginning of future activity.

Jon Crain

Jon Crain has written hundreds of website design and marketing article blog posts.
He is the sole owner of Pittsburgh SEO Services LLC which is a small business in Pittsburgh PA that specializes in affordable wordpress websites and digital marketing campaigns. Jon Crain has a marketing degree specializing in digital marketing and holds multiple internet marketing certifications. Jon Crain has over 25 years of experience along with managing hundreds of website projects and marketing campaigns. He also has won a variety of awards over the years from Tribune Review, Post Gazette and other publications.