GrandOpeningHelp.com

In the 20^th century, people are now connecting through social networks. Facebook, being the leader in industry, is connecting people, colleagues, reuniting classmates and business associates using the Internet. Let’s use this social network to announce to people who have a personal interest, business relationship or similar interests that your business is having a grand opening. Considering many businesses are started by people who are leaving one industry to reinvent themselves in another, the wealth of resources, connection and personal relations built over these years of business interaction are severed instantly once the individual boxes up their office cubical. Many of these connections would like you to succeed in your new business venture and would be willing spread the word through their network of your grand opening.

Make it an Activity

Facebook allows users to post what they are doing right now! Let people know that you are stocking shelves for the grand opening, booking grand opening entertainment, creating a press release, talking to local news agencies and businesses about the grand opening.  Keep the post current and build to the grand opening date.   Making announcement days before is less effective because the social networking is not fully developed. Allow the anticipation to build.  Pretty soon, friends will be contact you and asking “Are you ready for your big grand opening?”

Start the Networking

Facebook.com, is the most popular, free social networking environment, and is one of the easiest to find and acquire contacts or in social networking terms, friends.  First, create an account making sure you use your real name, unlike Internet forums or bulletin boards, where fake names are common.  The power behind Facebook is its ability to connect people by schools, companies, interests, hobbies and relies on you to recognizing individuals by name.

Second, enter your personal information.  Personal information is the key to complete social networking.  The more information supplied in these areas allows you and others to seek out individuals with the same desires and interests.  For example, if you are leaving the aviation field and opening up a hobby shop, include in your personal information that your hobby is fling.  Facebook will link you automatically to other individuals (friends) who share the same interest.  This link to new “friends” will allow you to build a social network that you can announce your grand opening celebrations.

Connect with past classmates and colleagues in the same manner.  Once you fill-out the school information, Facebook will search its database of schools and classmates in your graduating year.  Many of these people will quickly seek you out and want to know what is happening in your life.  Inform them about your grand opening and invite them to come see you at the grand opening.

Expand Social Networking through the Company

Encourage employees to create a Facebook page.  Once created, ask them to make an announcement in their network of friends about the grand opening.  The goal is to use the network to spread the word about the grand opening.  Pictures can be uploaded; announcement can be posted along with a shout out of how the progress and development of the grand opening is going.  Lastly, make sure you follow up with pictures of people who come from the network of friends.  People who can’t attend that day will be interesting in seeing the pictures and will participate in the grand opening through your pictures.

Don’t put the Camera Away

Keep the digital camera ready after the grand opening, you may find many network friends will show up late in the week and you can capture the moment and share it with the network of friends who help make your grand opening a success.  It will take a little work and time to build the social network of friends, but that work will make your grand opening and business stronger.

Network with Dale on his Facebook

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A re-grand opening or a some say “a grand re-opening” is a clever way to create a buzz about your business. Over time, the everyday wear and tear along with changing times starts to rundown and date an establishment. What better way to eject employee enthusiasm, improve company image, bring pride back to a community, and increase business by investing back into your company.

Many owners remodel their store, but fail to capitalize on a marketing tool of the re-grand opening.  A re-grand opening will attract new, existing, and indifferent customers to your company along with stimulating employee morale and revitalize the community about the business.

Re-grand opening marketing is the same process as a grand opening, but the business has an advantage that community leaders and the general public are aware of its existence.  Inform community leaders that the company is investing into the community and making a long term commitment to be active in the business community.  A re-grand opening is not just an opening of a business, but a political statement as well as a business investment.

Educate the Community and Customer,
Removing the Reluctance to Change

Communities are reluctant and don’t accept change quickly.  People are creatures of habit and changing a beloved store can weaken customer faith and loyalty in management. Knowing this, it’s critical that you stress how the changes will improve customer service and enhance the shopping experience.

Educate the customer by:

• Artist rendering of the new facility
• Highlight improved features and efficiencies
• Show how expansion improves customer service
• Show an increase in job skills, placement, and improvement to employee working conditions

A re-grand opening effects store layout, customer service, parking, and employees. So it is critical that you educate customers and community during the re-model. Educate and inform as you go. This will help reduce the customer’s frustration while the remodel is happening.

Provide the customer with the following:

• Place endcap signs informing customer of product placement
• Provide maps to better guide confused customers
• Have store associates designated to assist customers
• Keep employees up-to-date on improvements so they can help with customers questions

Get the Media Involved

Work with local newspapers and television on informing their readers and viewers how the store changes will add value to the community, increase employment, add tax dollars to the community, along with showing the value of the business staying in the community.

Use a Professional Marketing Company

Professional Marketing Companies can help you produce a successful re-grand opening by:

• Developing media ads – TV, radio and newspaper
• Web development and email correspondence
• Hiring of promotional entertainment
• Develop press releases
• Contracting in-store personalities – TV, radio, and athletes

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