How To Make Your Pop-Up Shop A Roaring Success
- Written by NewsServices.com
With online shopping becoming increasingly popular, how can brands with physical stores compete and remain relevant? There's no doubt that e-commerce is eating into a large chunk of retail consumers, with the e-commerce market gaining 6.7% growth in sales over just five years. This year, it's expected that the global e-commerce market will hit $5.55 trillion, with surveys and studies indicating that the figure will only grow over the next few years.
What becomes of brick-and-mortar shops, then? In such a cutthroat marketplace, being agile in exploring growth opportunities and offline marketing is the best approach. Think of what your customers want to experience. There's no denying that shopping offline remains a forceful preference, particularly now that the world is slowly shifting into the new normal. People are more than excited to return to doing what they used to do pre-pandemic, including in-store shopping.
The pop-up shop trend
Whether you're already an established physical business, a digital one, or a startup with plenty of potentials, you should remain aggressive when thinking of ways to engage your customers. Marketers agree that nothing beats face-to-face interaction and establishing an on-the-ground presence.
If you're from Sydney and the risks of putting up a conventional retail store scare you, you can always look into setting up a pop-up shop for your brand, which you can get started by looking for the perfect retail space for rent in Sydney.
A pop-up shop gives you a tangible area to exhibit your business and individually engage with customers without investing in a long-term venue. The benefits of having a pop-up event are extensive, including gaining insightful information, opening doors to new markets, increasing revenue, and creating media attention. According to a survey by Storefront, 80% of global brands who started a pop-up shop in 2019 claimed it was a huge success, and 58% of those brands are likely to host another pop-up tactic again.
Tips for making your pop-up shop a roaring success
Pop-up stores are particularly effective for online-only businesses wishing to expand their consumer base and test out new distribution avenues for boosting sales and brand recognition. A pop-up retail experience can also assist a brand in determining whether securing a long-term physical retail location is the best approach for its brand.
Ready to give it a good try? Here are some tips you can use to make your pop-up shop a roaring success:
- 1. Pick a theme or concept
You'll have to compete with other brands for customers if you set your pop-up shop in front of a mall or other crowded locations. By attracting attention and offering an unforgettable experience, you can be sure that customers will take notice of you. This might happen through the proper execution of an attention-grabbing concept.
Brainstorm with your team and choose a strong concept or theme based on factors like industry trends or the current season. For instance, a beach or poolside theme would be perfect if it's almost summer. If you're selling clothes, shoes, and stylish accessories, a 'runway-inspired' concept will surely catch anyone's interest. You can also consider bringing in pop-up specialists or retail architects to help devise the perfect plan for your chosen concept.
- 2. Search for the perfect location
A pop-up shop's success relies significantly on its location. It's crucial you pick a spot that can help you achieve your brand recognition or sales increase goals. When choosing a location, it needs to be strategic, depending on the services or products you're offering and your target audience.
You can look for a vacant shop that you can rent on a short-term basis while still determining if a physical store is the best direction for your business. Shopping malls also offer kiosks and stalls ideal for temporary retail opportunities. If you think you're ready to take it to the next level, larger spaces and venues are available to accommodate a range of products and ideas you may have for the shop.
- 3. Hype up your shop
When your store is up and running, think of what promotional materials to hand out so that customers can reach your brand in the future. Stock up on business cards and encourage shoppers to scan your QR code that directs to your website or social media page. Such tactics effectively merge your digital and physical engagement.
Prepare a thoughtful plan for how you'll spread the word well in advance of the pop-up opening and keep it in the back of your mind once it's operational. You could do that by sending out a newsletter, updating your website, posting on social media, handing out flyers, pitching to the media, or working with a PR firm. The goal is to generate and maintain buzz throughout the pop-up, not only at the beginning.
Aside from using hashtags during your launch, think of other promotional ideas to help hype up your shop. You can invite influencers, celebrity guests, and brand ambassadors to widen your reach. Offer exclusive discounts to the first 50 or 100 shoppers to show up or hold contests where you can give away free products.
The bottom line
At its core, a successful pop-up shop can help drive sales, increase customer reach, and boost brand awareness. Remember that it's all about creating a unique shopping experience—something that consumers don't get from shopping online. By following all these tips, you're on your way to setting up a pop-up shop that’s bound to be a roaring success.
