Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Hold the launch party in the parking lot and continue it into the store. Setup the parking lot as an ocean. Ideas include: get a big "jumpy" structure (that's a blow-up wave), inflatable aquatic animals, jellyfish helium balloons, park boats in the lot, etc. That will set the "scene", and that's where the food, music (surf, naturally) will be. Allow people into the store in groups at "high surf" only (every 20 minutes), and have the undertow pull people out every 20 minutes, to create movement. Consider having fashion shows and/or a costume contest.

As for buzz - I don't know your location, competition, or what will make your store unique. But consider creating a series of very short videos about surfing and posting on your website, etc. Show surf movies 24/7 projected on a wall the public can see when driving by. Offer local surfers a discount on your store if they bring in their surfboard that has your advertisement on it (so when they are surfing, people see the ad).

While 100 people are expected, they probably won't come all at once. But if you are already maxed out for the opening -- instead of focusing on that-- build a marketing plan for the year. You will need to keep the momentum going. I would however, focus on the media exposure for the party. That kind of print is something you can't buy! A great book I like is 1001 ideas to Create Retail Excitement. Its probably in the library-- probably not the most up to date release, but still good info.

Carol
Sell Well and Prosper tm

Just an Idea and I ahve no idea of what it will cost, but there is a new documentarty film out called SurfWise https://www.surfwisefilm.com/. Maybe you could talk to them about visiting. Here is a blurb that was aprt of teh Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

"One of the more outlandish documentaries in recent memory, SURFWISE recounts the odyssey of 87-year-old surfing legend, health and sex guru, Dr. Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, who pioneered an unprecedented way of family life. After singlehandedly introducing surfing to Israel in the 1960s, Doc settled in Southern California with his third wife, Juliette, where they had nine children, in the words of his youngest, to “repopulate the world with Jews.” Though raised in the Jewish tradition, there was little else traditional about their upbringing. Home-schooled and reared in a tiny camper on the beach, the children surfed daily and adhered to a strict naturalist diet. SURFWISE delves beneath the surface of this outwardly idyllic lifestyle to reveal the repercussions when the Paskowitz children attempt to enter the real world. SURFWISE is the artful creation of filmmaker Doug Pray (Scratch) who has long focused his lens on the engineers of American counterculture. "

It's true you'll likely not get all the attendees you think you will, but in the event you do have excess attendees, I would have someone in charge of tending to anyone that may be in line to get in. You don't want them to come and go away because they can't come in, so do create a line and have activities going on in the line and make sure it's moving. I would also design great looking T Shirts and give those out at the opening. Fairly inexpensive to print up and it's great advertising when someone wears it. You could also sell T Shirts later to keep that kind of advertising going.

I'd see whatever kind of high school/college advertising you can do that's in your area. Newspapers, online sites, sponsoring events, etc. It's younger than your specified target market, but I would venture that age is also a great market for you.

Also get involved in whatever surfing events are going on around you - local competitions, etc. Whatever you can do to get your name out there.

Email marketing to your existing customers once you get them should also be key, especially for a younger market like yours. Keep your existing customers apprised of new products, sales, special events, etc. Remember once you get a customer, you want to keep them coming back and referring new customers to you - but they won't do either if they don't remember you. So start having your customers sign up for your email club at your opening (or before.)

Best of luck!

If you are in Southern California, please email me and I will help you since I live for this kind of thing.

1. Get the Surfrider Foundation involved - make it a fundraiser for them too, and raffle things off for them. If your store hasn't joined go to surfrider.org and get a corporate membership - you can offer a discount to members which will increase your overall traffic over time.

2. Find local pro surfers to sign autographs. (This may take negotiation).

3. Invite local surfing schools to mingle with the crowd, and make sure to make it clear to them that you want them to promote the event with their mailing lists as well.

4. Have a fashion show with the teenie wahines. Moms really go for that sort of thing. Give everyone who participates a surfing sticker (one of the big ones for their car). Promote it through local moms playgroups and put up flyers in playgrounds.

5. Have a live band (acoustic). They will bring their friends to see them play - remember to pay them.

6. Network, network, network. Tell the local lifeguards about it and see if they will spread the word. Ask local surf clubs to promote it to their members and put a thank you in the advertisement.

7. If you don't already have it in place, get a website with a service like Vertical Response or Aweber to collect email addresses. You will need to offer them something like a free sticker or bar of wax when they bring in the email to your store.

8. Buy advertising on local related websites like parenting sites and surfing sites.

9. Advertise on the radio if you have the money.

That's a start. Let me know if you need more.

All the Best,
Holly

So looks like you have a lot to do.... But one thing you may want to try is have a video competition and have people make serf videos... When the public gets involved and is helping they will love it!!!

Then show all the videos on one day and give away free stuf...

Joshua