The past year (yes, a whole year) has been difficult for businesses to say the least. You don’t need to be told that, it’s painfully obvious. The end seems to be in sight and on the 12^th April, non essential (which is a silly thing to call them) retail stores will reopen. It’s now your time to shine brighter than the rest.

With that in mind, it might be a good idea to get some customers through the door and get some sales going out the door too. Otherwise, what’s the point in reopening. Here’s 5 ideas for spreading the news of the grand reopening.

Website/Social Media

How strange that the thought of having a website seems old fashioned nowadays. But it’s the truth, it takes way too long to navigate a website when you can just use Instagram (which is the main one these days for young people), as well as Facebook and Twitter too. Although Twitter in 2021 is just politics and funny videos. Could be a marketing strategy in that, who knows.

Either on the website or social media announce your reopening.

• Dates
• Opening hours
• Social Distancing measures.

Customer Database

Using MyEPOS, you can create a customer database. Through the customer database you’ll have access to phone numbers, emails and otherwise to send alerts to customers about when you’ll be reopening. Be prepared to be the pest and send as many texts as possible to get the message out. LET THE WORLD KNOW! You’ve been patiently waiting for this moment!

Also, if you’ve been open online during the lockdown, you may have confirmation emails for orders which news can be attached to. We call this the sneaky ad.

Banners and Flags

Shall we be old fashioned for a moment? Bring nostalgia back. Buy the biggest banner you can find, decorate it as wildly as you possibly can and stick it in your shop window. Make people notice you as they live their day to day life. If you know plenty of people walk past the shop window daily, at least it gives them something to look at and who knows… maybe it will tease them inside.

Flyers

If you thought you were being invasive having a customer database and texting people, wait until you hear about this one. Create little flyers and go door to door. Post them in people’s letterboxes. For every five that might get thrown straight in the bin, you’re bound to get a few who will sit and read them (hopefully).

If political parties and religious groups can shove leaflets through people’s doors, so can you!

Promotional Opening Event

Social distancing or not, you can still throw a little bit of a reopening party. Perhaps a little offer for the first 100 customers through the door. Incentivise it a bit! But up some decoration, stick some music on and make a party of it because if the government are true to their word, you’re now open FOREVER!