Retail Store and Marketing

Sales Promotion and increase traffic to your retail store? Would you like to increase sales? Get yourself out into the community you serve, today!

Maybe you grabbed your local paper or saw a sign advertising an event going on within your town. Should you attend? Will it help your business?

First you need to evaluate your business and have a clear business plan. What are your motives? What do you hope to get out of the event?

* Increase Traffic
* Increase Sales
* Promote a new service or product
* Promoting a Grand Opening

Which local events can help you:

*Kids Fest,
*Local Car Shows,

*Craft Fairs,
*Parades,

*Food Kitchens,
*Diaper Drives,
*Food Drives,
*Pet Food Drives,
*Dog Shows,
*Boys & Girl Clubs,
*YMCA events,
*Senior Center Events,
*Local Fairs
*Farmers Markets

*Vendor Fairs

Try to select themes related to your business or services offered.

We've participated in Kids Festivals that were held the weekend before Mother's Day, so we usually incorporated what we were promoting plus an activity for the kids to give to their moms for Mother's Day. What has always gone over exceptionally well, was terra cotta pot decorating and transferring a flower into the pot, after it was decorated, for mom. The kids felt accomplished, both moms and kids had to hang around the table, and the kids were able to offer their mom a present. Definitely a win-win situation.

Which local events wont help you:

*Anything associated with religion
*Anything associated with politics

Unless your business focuses on these items, you don't want to alienate any potential customers or current customers

These events are available to attend in any town or city. You can always drop by an event before becoming involved to see if it feels right for your business. Then sign up for a later event. Most event promoters are very happy to have a diverse offering of local businesses.

Always offer potential customers something, so they remember to go back to your website or location to purchase items. While, the pens, stress relief balls, rulers, erasers, calculators, pen lights are nice; they really are boring.

Talk to your employees, get their feedback. Ask them what they think of when thinking of your business. This can be a little risky but honestly, I have received my best ideas from fellow employees. They offer a new perspective, a different generational thinking process, that can always be used to your benefit.