How to Do a Grand Opening

Advertise your grand opening to attract business.

No matter what type of business you are opening, creating an event to get customers to your location is essential in generating attention. When planning a grand opening, it is important to have an event where everyone is included and feels welcome so they remember their experience and come back in the future. A grand opening should be an exciting and noteworthy event if you want to build a reputation within the community.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Budget
• Music
• Food
• Activities

1. Determine how much you want to spend at the grand opening of your business. Since the opening will generate attention and traffic to your location, it should be a large part of the initial marketing plan established for your business.

2. Plan a few month ahead for your opening. In order to make the most of your grand opening, begin the planning stages well in advance to give you time to advertise the event through the community or local media. If you want notable figures to make an appearance, you will most likely need to provide them with a few months notice so they can check their schedule.

3. Organize the grand opening and delegate tasks to specific individuals. For example, if you have a family-friendly store have one individual in charge of activities for children, such as bouncer houses or kid-friendly activities. Designate individuals to coordinate food, music and décor so that everything gets done in a timely manner.

4. Create a soft opening a week prior to the grand opening and invite friends and family of the employees. This will give you a mock opportunity to work out any last minute details or kinks in the event to ensure everything goes as planned during the actual grand opening.

5. Incorporate your business message into the grand opening. If you're opening a spa, have a small station set up for people to get a free hair consultation or neck massage. For restaurants, offer free samples of food or drink to get customers to return during business hours.

References

• Franchise Know How: Grand Opening Success Tips from Some of America's Top Franchisors
• Entrepreneur.com: Opening Ceremonies