Many clients I meet with are launching new businesses. It is important for them to attract attention and make their presence known in order to gain their first customers.
My husband and I opened our pizza restaurant in a busy shopping center in a small town. Our future customers watched with interest as the 7,000-square-foot addition to the shopping center was constructed and divided into four retail units. They peeked through the windows to watch the progress of the interior and tried to estimate how much longer it would be until our restaurant opened for business.
Despite all this attention, we still wanted to make a big splash, so we invested in a marketing blitz. Here are some of the strategies we used.
Join the Chamber of Commerce
Local Chambers of Commerce provide valuable support and connections for small business owners. We attended Chamber meetings and met many local business owners in the months leading up to our opening.
Chamber members are often very supportive of fellow members, and many of them became regular customers of our restaurant.
Hold a Grand Opening Celebration
We worked with our franchise team and the Chamber of Commerce to plan a grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting event.
We advertised on the local radio station, and the Chamber president, town manager, and a local radio reporter attended the event. The reporter interviewed us, and the interview aired on the radio for several days. We also shared samples of our pepperoni pizza and breadsticks with attendees.
Place Yard Signs Around Town
We purchased inexpensive yard signs and placed them throughout town in the yards of friends and in front of businesses that gave us permission. Yard signs are highly visible to passing drivers and helped increase awareness of our upcoming opening.
Send Out Coupons
Our franchise provided legal-sized coupon sheets that we were required to distribute monthly. About a week before our grand opening, we had thousands of coupon sheets inserted into the local newspaper.
This strategy helped introduce our restaurant to potential customers before we officially opened our doors.
Advertise Locally
Local radio advertising is an affordable way to attract attention from new customers. We began running ads several weeks before our grand opening.
We also placed advertisements in high school basketball programs and local hotel guest information booklets to increase visibility within the community.
Engage the Local Community
We intentionally used local businesses for as much of our build-out as possible, including carpentry, plumbing, and HVAC services. We used a local print shop for our yard signs and employee manuals, purchased office supplies from a nearby stationery store, bought insurance from a local agent, and hired a local accountant to prepare our taxes.
As a result, many of those businesses visited our restaurant when we opened, and many became loyal customers.
We opened our business in 2000—before social media marketing existed in the way it does today. If I were opening a new business now, I would also include these strategies.
Establish an Online Presence Early
Create a website, establish your Google Business profile, and set up your social media platforms before opening day.
I would begin publicizing the business several weeks before the planned opening. Short videos and reels could be used to show the progress of preparing the restaurant, introduce employees, and preview menu items. These types of posts help build anticipation and excitement.
Share News with Friends and Business Contacts
Use email, newsletters, social media, and even traditional mail to announce your new business to friends, family, and professional contacts.
I would include photos of the restaurant, food, and staff, along with links to the website and menu. Coupons and special offers can also help encourage first visits.
Use Content Marketing to Build Interest
YouTube videos and blogs can help educate potential customers about your business, answer frequently asked questions, and share tips or behind-the-scenes content.
A historic building in our town is currently being renovated to resemble its appearance from 50 years ago. The owners are documenting the renovation process on YouTube and sharing stories about the building’s history. Local residents have also shared memories connected to the business. One of those videos has received more than 69,000 views.
This type of storytelling helps people feel emotionally connected to a business before it even opens.
Build Relationships with Complementary Businesses
Partner with businesses that serve the same customer base but do not compete directly with your company.
For example, if you own a lawn care business, you might build referral relationships with power washers, HVAC companies, carpet cleaners, plumbers, or handyman services. All of these businesses serve homeowners and small businesses, making them valuable referral partners.
It is important to promote your business widely in the weeks leading up to your opening. You want excitement and curiosity to build so that when you finally open your doors, customers are eager to walk through them.
What creative ideas have you seen businesses use to promote a grand opening?
Susan's Reflections 
You must be logged in to post a comment.