On my POS software company blog I posted these marketing tips for election day – suggesting easy ways small business retailers could make the most of the opportunity of the extra traffic out and about. I hope the ideas are useful to newsagents.
In writing the post I have sought to show ways we can be non-traditional so our businesses are enjoyed more and in order to provide a more memorable shopping experience.
We can’t rely on the usual for our businesses, we can;t rely on the usual shoppers. We have to find new shoppers and one of the best opportunities is when more people are out in the streets – like on election day.
Election day in Australia is a terrific opportunity for small business retailers with a spike in the number of people who are out and about. Smart retailers will embrace this opportunity as well as the opportunity of people standing in line waiting to vote and on their phone.
Here are some tips to get you thinking about marketing opportunities for any small retail business this weekend on election day:
- Set the front of the shop so it looks completely different – make the most of the extra people out and about. You want people seeing the shop for the first time ages to be surprised at the changes.
- Have a party. Plenty of music, activities, drinks and food. Make the day a celebration – to celebrate the end of the dreary campaign.
- Have an election sale – but make it fun. Do better than a straight sale. For example, in good Asssie tradition call it keeping the bastards honest sale.
- Setup sale tables in the name of local candidates.
- Give a discount to any customer who tells you and everyone in the shop a joke about politicians.
- Have a game of pin the tail on the politician in the shop.
- Declare the shop an election free zone. Maybe have a fine jar for anyone talking about the election on the day – raise money for a local charity.
- Promote your business online all Saturday with a series of social media posts so those out and about in lines waiting can see you are engaged.
All these ideas are about having fun on the day and offering a different shopping experience to usual. We hope they get yo8u thinking of what you could do, thinking of ideas of your own.
Here at Tower Systems we are not your usual POS software company. We are engaged with our customers deeply on a range of fronts to help them enjoy their businesses more and to get more from their businesses every day. In addition to excellent POS software for specialty retail businesses, we provide business management advice and support – way beyond the POS software itself.
Whatever you do this election day, have fun.