Pop-up shops are becoming more and more popular. They allow companies without permanent store locations to set up temporary shops to sell their products and gain loyal custmers. Pop-up shops have been around for ages, but digital marketing has no made them an extremely cost-effective option for new businesses.
What is a pop-up shop?
Pop-up shops are temporary physical store locations. They usually take up short-term residence in areas with high foot traffic, such as indoor and outdoor shopping malls. It might be a small kiosk selling vegan desserts for a single day, or a Halloween costume store that only stays open during the month of October.
Both small and large businesses have used pop-up shops over the years, but the successful ones have a strong dedication to marketing.
Six marketing tips for success
- Use events to get media attention
Pop-up shows generally attract media attention. Some of this will happen naturally, but you’ll occasionally have to seek out media avenues. From press previews and launch parties to sponsored events and coordinated activities, there’s plenty of room to get the creative juices flowing.
- Reach out to influencers
Influencers are extremely valuable because they seek out information they can share with others. They want to know what’s hot, new, and fresh on the market. Make a list of influencers in your niche and invite them to a fun pre-launch party. Service food and drinks, give out prizes, and provide exclusive information. These individuals will probably return the favor by publishing content about your business.
- Be strategic with content marketing
Content marketing is extremely important in the weeks leading up to your pop-up shop. You should be publishing strategic content in popular places to increase exposure and create buzz around your pop-up shop. The goal of content marketing is to get people excited. Once the shop launches, the hope is that fans and customers will publish their own photos, videos, and reviews to their social media accounts.
- Use Periscope live streaming
Try live streaming different periods of the day when the pop-up shop launches. Periscope is an extremely popular and engaging platform for this purpose. You can use it to highlight different products, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and customer interviews.
- Host contests and promotions
People love to win things. To capitalize on this, run a promotion or content using Instagram, Twitter, or another social media platform. Encourage customers to share photos of your store or selfies wearing your product. Then, tell them to hashtag their photos for a chance to win a prize.
- Drive momentum
When the pop-up shop ends, use the buzz you created during the event to fuel your next campaign. While the pop-up shop is still fresh on people’s minds, make an announcement about your next event.
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