4 Affordable Yet Effective Ways To Promote Your New Toy Store
One of the most important aspects of making sure that your toy store is successful is gaining new customers to help cover your out-of-pocket start up costs and build up a profit. While expensive marketing campaigns can provide great results, they aren't the only option when it comes to successfully getting noticed within your community. Here are four affordable yet effective ways to promote your new toy store:
Create Colorful Signs and Banners
Signs and banners are effective ways to bring new customers in from the streets whether they're driving or walking by. If you can't grab the attention of passersby, they'll probably never even notice that you're there unless they happen to already be shopping at a nearby store. Professional signs and banners can be designed in any shapes, colors, and sizes that you prefer. Try one or more of these ideas:
- Use bright and playful colors that appeal to children such as orange, green, and yellow.
- Promote educational games on your signs so parents will feel good about stopping by to spend money on toys.
- Include photos of popular toys and games that will encourage children to ask their parents to stop.
The idea is to grab the attention of parents and children quickly to make them both want to come in and see what you have to offer. Talk to a local sign shop for more info on what's right for your store.
Manage a Birthday Club
Invest in simple software that will allow you to keep track of the birthdays of your customer's children so you can promote and manage a birthday club. Birthday clubs draw new customers in because they offer something of value for free just for being a customer.
Allow customers to sign up for the birthday club after their first purchase by having them fill out a little card that you can input into your software. Each day you can run a small report that shows which customers are having a birthday.
This will allow you to verify their membership if they come in to claim their surprise package. The items you include in packages for birthday club members don't have to be expensive. Just use one or more of these options:
- Stickers
- Small coloring books
- Balloons
- Coupons for merchandise
- Bubbles
The idea is to provide customers with fun and entertaining gifts so they feel valued as and keep coming back to support your establishment in return.
Promote at Popular Parks
Many popular parks have bulletin boards where flyers and business cards can be posted for parents to peruse while their kids play. If you're leaving promotional material unattended at parks, you'll want to check back often to ensure that there is always some available and that the materials aren't being vandalized. Other ways to promote your toy store at popular parks include:
- Renting blow up slides to provide free fun for a day at the park. Adorn the slide with huge banners promoting your store.
- Host a raffle in the park on a sunny afternoon, making sure to give everyone who participates in the contest your business card and a promotional flyer.
- Hire someone to hold an eye-catching sign near the entrance of the park for a few hours a week.
You may even be able to find opportunities to advertise on park benches or near bus stops that surround the parks too.
Host Free In-Store Events
Drive customers to your toy store by offering free events on a regular basis. You don't have to turn your store into a circus or hire professional entertainers to make the events special. Here are some enjoyable ideas to consider:
- Make it movie night by projecting a family film on one wall of your store.
- Host art classes for parents and children to bond over.
- Provide free toy maintenance workshops for parents.
- Manage reading club meetings once a month.
Getting people into your store for entertaining and educational events not only helps to increase your profits, but it also helps to build strength within your community.
You can use these marketing techniques to drive new customers to your toy store and to encourage its growth as the years go on. They'll continue to be effective no matter how big or busy your business gets.
Share
