E-commerce may continue to claim a significant fraction of the consumer pie with each passing year, but we can’t deny that four out of every five dollars spent goes to brick and mortar retail. For this reason, many online businesses are looking for ways to engage consumers on a face-to-face level.
Temporary retail is a great way for online shops to experiment with what an actual on the ground presence can do for the brand. Without having to invest in a physical shop, a pop-up shop lets you showcase your brand and physically interact with your customers. Between accessing new markets, earning valuable insights, generating media buzz, and boosting sales, the perks of opening a pop-up shop are plentiful.
This guide will help you know how a pop-up shop in temporary retail spaces is a great marketing strategy that’s a sure way of boosting your online store. Let us look at what a pop-up shop is, why you should open one, and how to market it and make it successful.
What’s a pop-up shop?
A pop-up store is a temporarily opened retail store where brands that conduct most of their business online can get an opportunity to showcase their products on physical space, and interact with their consumers face to face. It offers an opportunity for online stores to meet their customers and attract new ones through a physical shopping experience.
Pop-up shops are a fantastic way for online shops to explore new channels of boosting sales and increasing brand awareness. The real retail experience will also help you decide if investing in a permanent location is the right direction for your business.
Why should you open a pop-up shop?
A pop-up shop is cheaper than a permanent store.
Brick-and-mortar stores require a lot of investment from real estate, insurance, utilities, and staffing, and that’s not even the half of it. Planning to start a permanent store may need a lot of budget and planning for your business to stay afloat.
While pop-up shops aren’t cheap to start (especially if you’re looking to invest in a high-end location with lots of people) compared to brick-and-mortar, they are relatively small-scale.
Flexibility of locations
With a permanent store, their location is fixed, but with a pop-up, it’s mobile. Like with trade show stands, signage, and graphics, a pop-up shop closes shop once the event is over and moves to another location.
With a pop-up shop, you can move to any location, and this flexibility allows you to test the market in a variety of places. You may start hosting your pop-up shop in your highest-selling city, and then try to move into an unknown territory to attract new customers.
Build face-to-face customer relationships.
Connecting with your customers face to face instead of behind the screens is an opportunity for you to build brand loyalty. In addition to giving your customers a chance to feel and touch your products, it also opens up a physical channel where customers can interact with you and ask questions, resulting in a satisfying physical shopping experience.
Marketing your pop-up shop
Pop-up shops usually bond with online brands for offline shopping experiences. With this in mind, it’s vital to create a good marketing strategy to launch your pop-up event. Spreading the word about your upcoming pop-up shop event will take both online and offline marketing tactics.
Online marketing
As an online business, you already know a thing or two about using online channels to win customers. Here are a few ways to help you market your upcoming pop-up store.
- Create an online buzz with your existing customer base – Your current customers are your biggest fans, so use this to your advantage. With social media posts, targeted email lists, and website banners, you can keep your customers who already know and love your brand enthusiastic and updated about your upcoming pop-up shop. This will create a buzz and make them excited about attending the event.
- Pitch to regional event blogs – Research the top places where residents are usually updated about upcoming events. Send a compelling pitch backed with awesome photos of your products, and with due notice, your pop-up could appear in one of the popular and influential event blogs in the area.
- Contact local social influencers – Look for local influencers in the area where you plan to have your pop-up shop. Their social media following will be an added opportunity to get new customers and create a buzz about your event.
Offline marketing
Attract new customers and boost sales with these offline marketing strategies.
- Create visually appealing graphics and signage – How you present your physical pop-up store is crucial to attracting passers-by and increasing foot traffic. From pavement stickers strategically placed and sidewalk signage to creative product displays, ensure that your pop-up shop’s look and feel reaches your target audience. Get help with making quality signage and graphics at https://www.craftsmenind.com/.
- Send invitations through your email list – Your customers will be happy to receive a customized invitation email to your pop-up event. Add a coupon there to make sure they attend.
- Partner up with local businesses – Get friendly with local businesses who know their way around town. By teaming up with local stores like boutiques, food trucks, or an art gallery, you can tap into a more extensive consumer base and gain some local cred.
- Experiential marketing – Consider how you can take advantage of your physical shop to offer an immersive experience for shoppers. By interacting with customers and engaging their senses, you can build long-lasting emotional connections with your target audience and your brand.
Whether you want to invest in a permanent retail shop or not, a pop-up shop will do wonders for your brand. You’ll be able to boost sales, build personal relationships with customers, and increase brand awareness. You’ll also receive real-time feedback from your customers while building brand loyalty.
