Grand Opening Marketing Ideas for Your Small Business

When done right, grand openings can be big attention-getters and can properly introduce your business to the community. A successful grand opening event can effectively launch your company and positively impact your bottom line.

But it takes hard work, preparation and strategic promotions to make a grand opening work.  Here are some marketing activities and ideas to help you make that happen:

Local PR

Write and distribute a press release to the local media to announce your new business and the grand opening event.  Can you put a unique spin on your business and grand opening to get the attention of the press? What will be happening at your launch that will make it an event to remember?

If a celebrity appearance, flash mob, a parade or something really unique is part of your event, let your local radio and TV stations know. A remote broadcast could happen!

In addition to a press release, send media alerts to local reporters inviting them to come to the grand opening. Let them know the day’s schedule of events and which key people (owners, managers, chefs, celebrities, etc.) they can interview. Have media kits including copies of your press release, brochures, bios, etc. available for distribution.

Your Online Presence 

It’s a given that your business’ new website should be up and running well in advance of the grand opening with all the event details posted on the homepage.

Set up your business’ social media pages in advance of your grand opening to build the online buzz early. Develop a hashtag campaign on Twitter and Instagram to draw some attention to your event.  If you have Facebook followers, create an event and use FB’s paid advertising to promote it to a targeted local audience.  Remember to engage and interact with your social followers too.

Are there adjacent businesses, business partners or social media influencers who can promote your event to their followers? Connect with them early on to build mutually beneficial relationships.

Flyers, Postcards etc.

Even in this digital age, printed promotional materials are still a smart way to promote your event. Custom designed grand opening flyers can help you brand and advertise your new business the right way. In advance of your event, post flyers locally, hand them out or leave them behind at local businesses and residences.

Haven’t build up your local email list yet? Send oversize grand opening postcard mailers to businesses and residents in your zip code without purchasing a mailing list. The United States Post Office’s Every Door Direct Mail program lets you send a mailer to any targeted geographical area at postage prices as low as .18 cents per piece. In addition to geographic location, you can target audiences by age and income too.

Promoting your grand opening is a huge opportunity but it's a big undertaking. If it seems like more than you can take on with the launching of your new business, consider hiring a professional!

Repurpose Your Publicity

Congratulations! You or your business has just been featured or quoted in an article in an industry publication or regional newspaper.  Having a third party publish information on your business, products or services can give you the kind of credibility that no advertisement can.

Now it's time to consider how you can maximize your publicity or leverage it as a useful sales and marketing tool. Here are a few ways to extend the buzz and the life of your press coverage:

1. Post on Social Media- Share a link to the article on both your Facebook  Page and Personal Profile, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks.

2.  Showcase it in your Newsletter or Blog- Repurpose your recent press by posting a media coverage roundup in your newsletter and/or blog.  Roundups typically revisit positive PR by outlining and linking to recent pieces of coverage.

3.  Include a Link on your Website- Include a list with links of all your news coverage (radio interview, web articles, print, etc.) on a Press Page on your website.

4. Leverage it as a Sales Tool- Print copies or create PDF's of the article for inclusion in your marketing collateral or proposals to prospects and clients.

What other ways have you repurposed your publicity? Leave a comment below!

Free PR Tools and Tips to Grow Your Business

Publicity is an easy way to expand your business' visibility and drive sales.  For budget-conscious small business owners, here are some free tools and useful tips that can help you implement successful public relations campaigns in no time!

Google Alerts

Google Alerts can be a powerful tool to stay on top of your business' online presence.  Set up Google Alerts to monitor your business, competition, or any industry topic that's important to you.  Google will send you an email when there's any mention of your query in an online news, blogs, discussions, etc. 

HARO

If you want to share your expertise while getting free PR, check out HARO. Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connects journalists with sources or experts for their stories.  Sign up (for free) to receive a daily email with  queries from reporters from all types of media.  Respond promptly to any applicable requests for a possible interview or direct quote. It's an easy way to get PR exposure for your brand or business. 

Twitter

Follow relevant journalists, reporters or bloggers on Twitter.  Put them in a list so you can easily filter them in your Twitter stream.  Check their posts to find out what they're researching or working on.  Alert reporters by sending them a @ message with a link to more information. Or send a Tweet to follow up on emails you've already sent to a particular reporter.  To spread your news, politely ask journalists or key influencers to retweet(RT) your news.

Connect with Reporters

Build a relationship with journalists by engaging with them on social media. Show them you're interested in what they write or publish by commenting or sharing their posts, article links, etc.  Know the topics, industries or geographic areas that each reporter covers.

Build a Plan

Plan our your publicity ideas and pitches for the year.  Look at the holidays, seasons, events and trends that drive your business and create pitches using them.  

Developing and executing your own PR takes time and considerable effort, but the exposure it brings your business will be worthwhile. 

Six Innovative Ways to Promote Your Next Event

Looking for some new marketing ideas to give your next seminar, trade show or other corporate event a big boost? Here are some promotional activities that we implement for grand openings, but they can be applied to any event to help turn it into a smart money-making promotion for your business:

1. Be Community-Minded

Is there a way that your event can be tied in with a greater cause? Can your grand opening or event help the local community in some way?  If it can, you're bound to get more attention and publicity!

2. Traffic Generating Incentives

Coupons are always a smart marketing tool.  In conjunction with the event, promote a product or service that prospects will respond to and make it time sensitive to encourage a speedy response.

3. Marketing

Beginning a month prior to the event, send timely emails, fliers and personal invitations and use social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) to spread the word.  Create a video for YouTube that acts as a teaser ad for the event.  Don't forget to include your special offer or incentive.

4. Use the Media

For big events, think about media partnerships with local radio stations, TV stations, newspapers and cable companies. In exchange for exclusive rights to promote your event on site, you can try to obtain on air promotions or advertising at no cost to you.

5. Advertising and Public Relations

If your budget allows, advertise in your local daily and weekly newspapers and on the radio for one to two weeks leading up to your event. Write a great press announcement and get it out to all the local trade and community outlets.

6. Form Partnerships    

Team up with related or neighboring businesses so that you all can contribute to and benefit from the buzz of your event.  Who can you create reciprocal marketing partnerships with for this event and ongoing? 

For more event promotion advice, contact Jocelyn Murray at 203.377.9980.    

Your Online Media Kit: What to Include and Why

If your company is launching a public relations campaign or pursuing any type of media coverage, a media kit is an easy, efficient way to introduce people to your business.


A media kit is simply an information packet about your business and products/services that is used to let the media and prospects know who you are. Consider developing an online media kit as a page on your web site that might include such items as: 


·        Company mission statement - What's the purpose of your organization?


·        Company profile/overview- Provide a description of your company, some background information and contact information.


·        Bios of key management personnel- Introduce the owner and executives of the organization.


·        Product or service fact sheet- Supply a concise overview of your products or services. For lengthier explanations, include links to PDFs or web pages that contain further details.


·       Copies of recent press coverage- Post links to recent mentions, interviews or other media coverage. Keep this updated and add to it as your business has more visibility in the news.


·        Press releases-  Show recent press releases as a introduction to the latest news and growth of your organization.


·        Testimonials- Share what your customers or partners are saying about your products, services or business.


Be sure that all components of your media list can be printed or downloaded (PDF format is preferable).  Keep your media kit updated and current so it can accurately showcase your business.

The Marketing Power of Public Speaking for Small Businesses

As a small business, everyone's trying to jump on the social media bandwagon and maximize their online presence. While's it's a smart move, don't forget the value of "in person" connections and presentations. What better way to reach your prospects and customers than to present your knowledge and expertise to them? Giving lectures, talks, seminars and presenting at industry trade shows sounds intimidating but it's one of the more effective ways to build your credibility and market your business.

Choose a topic related to your business or industry that you know your own customers would be interested in learning more about. Provide tips, tricks, "top ten" lists and other useful information on the topic. Position yourself as the expert but avoid turning your presentation into a sales pitch for your product or services.

Now that you know your topic and the benefits it will offer your potential audience, contact your local Chamber of Commerce, industry associations, professional and business groups. These groups are generally open to hearing free speakers who present quality content. Try to assess which groups make up your primary target market and go after them first!

After you've given a confident and informative lecture, always take time to answer questions and network with the people who attend. Connecting with them personally can lead to referrals, news business or simply great feedback.