For small business owners looking to increase their outreach in a fun and interesting way, a pop-up store may be the answer. Whether it’s a mobile-style approach in a trendy area (think food trucks, minus the food), a kiosk or a booth at a well-attended event, these pop-ups could provide a boost.
Megan Totka writes about this in a recent story for smallbiztrends.com. “These pop-up shops are low cost, high exposure, and very fashionable ways of reaching your audience without the use of traditional advertisement,” writes Totka. Here’s more on how to leverage a pop-up shop for your business.
Allow hands-on experiences.
Pop-up shops can make it easy for customers to try out products, an experience they’ll never get from shopping online. To continue the food-truck comparison, think of it as offering samples.
As Totka writes, “If you’d like to give your audience a physical experience with your product, you can use a pop-up shop as a temporary showcase for past and future clients. This will allow your customers to try out your merchandise, and make a memorable impact, in a way that e-commerce may not allow.”
Get conceptual.
Though pop-ups are temporary, small business owners will need to spend enough time to plan them out to maximize their effects.
As Fox Business notes, “Since pop-up shops only have a limited time to generate a customer base, you need an extra effort to help your store stand out. After all, a pop-up shop is an event, so you should make people excited for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. This does not mean you have to turn your shop into an amusement park. Simply choose a central and unified concept, such as holiday crafts or environmental sustainability. This will keep you focused when planning decorations, inventory and marketing.”
Branding.
The more turf a small business covers, the more people will know about it.
As Totka writes, “Brand awareness can be elusive, particularly for small businesses. If you want to get your company name out there, you may have to expand your presence beyond your permanent locations. By establishing a pop-up shop (or several of them), you can dramatically increase the reach of your brand, particularly if you allow walk-ins to sample your product. This exposure can do wonders for your audience reach, especially if you utilize social media and other online mediums to promote the pop-up event.”
Maximize the holidays.
Holiday seasons may be the ideal time to launch a pop-up store, and not just during the Christmas rush. Along with this comes pop-up competition, so creative thinking is in order, and even the spirit of teamwork. Courtney Subramanian writes about this in a story for Fortune.
“By creating a seasonal experience, companies can provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for customers,” writes Subramanian. “Seasonal shops are also an opportunity for retailers to collaborate with other businesses. For example, an online jewelry store could partner with a florist or a chocolatier and brand the whole experience as a Mother’s Day shop, giving consumers more of a discovery experience while inside. The store-within-a-store model is another type of pop-up that’s becoming more common. Allowing smaller businesses to test market their items by setting up a stand or an area within a larger store may attract new business for the bigger retailer.”