• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

10 Ideas to make your Grand Opening more than just a sale

By Becky McCray

Business sign for a grand opening includes zumba and cake.

Zumba and cake at the Grand Opening? Count me in! Photo by jbcurio on Flickr, sign in Amherstburg, Ontario.

 

Our friend Leslie McLellan shared a question from one of her Lake Arrowhead Village locals who will be opening a new gift shop.

“We would like to have a Grand Opening weekend event special at the end of April. Other than having special sales, we’re at a loss for what to do. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?”

Do we have suggestions? Of course we do! In a small town, it’s a little easier to get people’s attention than in the big city, so you don’t have to compete to be on the tv news here. It also makes sense to respect the character of your town, include connections to the local community in any way you can.

Here’s my starter list:

  • Local artists performing or displaying?
  • Special displays with the history of the village?
  • Refreshments? Especially from up-and-coming local food vendors?
  • Food truck rally?
  • Pop-ups inside the store with selections curated by well-known locals or visitors?
  • Online/offline crossover with interactive tablet displays?
  • Online/offline with special coupons online to redeem in-store?
  • Online/offline with live streaming, live tweeting from the event?
  • Tastings? Samplings?
  • Celebration of year-round residents? Celebration of seasonal residents?
  • Contests? Drawings? Prizes?
  • Outlandish window displays? Living window displays?
  • Personalization and customization specials?
  • Honor or feature local guides or services?
  • Cross-promote with other merchants? Let the specials, fun, performances, displays spill over to other stores?

That’s just the getting started list. What can you add? What makes a Grand Opening really grand?

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

 

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
  • Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020

March 9, 2015 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. Jessica says

    March 9, 2015 at 8:29 am

    Love all the suggestions. Grand openings are such a great opportunity to show your pride, community involvement and uniqueness. Should be thoughtful. Thanks for the read!

    • Becky McCray says

      March 10, 2015 at 1:57 pm

      Jessica, that’s a good word for it, thoughtful. But sometimes, you just need some outside ideas to get your thoughts moving. Thanks for dropping in!

  2. Tracy Brown says

    March 9, 2015 at 10:00 am

    I like these ideas, Becky! People could also combine the first and last bullets: student musicians from a local music school could play at the grand opening event. Win-win for both merchants!

    • Becky McCray says

      March 10, 2015 at 1:58 pm

      I love combining ideas! That’s where things get really creative. Thanks, Tracy!

  3. Leslie McLellan says

    March 13, 2015 at 9:12 am

    I shared these with the business and they are thrilled and moving ahead full steam with their planning. Thanks so much for the great ideas Becky!

    • Becky McCray says

      March 13, 2015 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks, Leslie! This was a good question to kick off some creative thinking.

Trackbacks

  1. How to promote special events in a small town says:
    March 16, 2015 at 6:11 am

    […] example, we came up with lots of ideas to make a Grand Opening even more grand. But how do you let people know it’s going to […]

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in