Generating Excitement for a Grand Opening
Most businesses expect a large amount of customers during their grand opening. The goal is to generate sufficient interest in the business prior to its opening so that once the doors open, people flock in. There are a lot of techniques that businesses use to generate interest, including marketing and advertising campaigns. Usually, during the weeks and months leading up to a grand opening, a business will take out ads in a newspaper talking about what they will offer to the public. Emails may be sent to potential customers, and large signs or feather banner flags may be created outside of the business’s location to attract attention.
Businesses that have a brand that is inherently attractive to children should think of their grand opening as a family affair. If a business can generate excitement about its opening among children, then it is all but sure that parents will follow. Some of the things that a business can do to attract children to its grand opening include the following:
Face Painting: For children who are under 10 years of age, there are very few things that are as cool as going to a restaurant, a grocery store, or a department store and getting their face painted for free. This one step alone is enough to generate unprecedented excitement.
Temporary Tattoos: Temporary tattoos are only second to face painting when it comes to generating excitement among children. Temporary tattoos can be purchased online or at different craft stores.
Balloon Art: Balloon art is popular among kids and adults as well. A good balloon artist is going to be able to sculpt balloons into things like swords, hats, masks, and other items that children love.
Games with Prizes: There are a lot of simple and inexpensive games that businesses can display during their grand opening that will attract the attention of both children and adults. One option is the bean bag toss. Different prizes could be awarded for hitting different parts of a board with a beanbag. This game provides an excellent opportunity for brand recognition because a business can purchase beanbags that are already personalized with their company’s logo or icon.
Photo Booth: Hiring a Photo Booth is inexpensive and creates a lot of excitement. Even in this world of digital photographs, children still love the idea of having photographs of them and their family that they can hold in their hand. Photographs can also be framed with the business logo and phone number, creating yet another branding opportunity.
