Did you know that retailers are hosting ‘ladies night’ events to attract 50-100 new paying customers per month with workshops?
Workshops have taken off over the past few years, and they’ve never been as popular as they are right now within the retail industry.
In fact, a lot of retailers are using workshops as their primary marketing strategy this year.
Think about it:
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When you share a picture of an event at your store, it gets shared on social media like crazy!
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What better way is there to build a customer relationship, then to ‘hang out’ with them for 2-3 hours during an event at your store?
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Imagine the fun ‘culture’ and ‘atmosphere’ you’ll create for your store when everyone knows it’s the new ‘hot spot’ for events.
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Your workshop attendees get massive exposure to your seasonal products and other product categories every time you host an event.
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Customers spend more money shopping when they feel comfortable in your store – what better way to make them feel comfortable in your store then by having them spend 2-3 hours at your event?
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The list of benefits to hosting workshops goes on and on. It’s no wonder why so many retailers are beginning to host workshops and events.
THE PROBLEM WITH MARKETING TODAY
‘Discount Coupon’ vs the ‘Event’
A lot of retail stores are spending a ton of money on marketing, and it’s really hard to find something that actually works consistently.
Retailers are always trying to scramble and figure out what the next thing is going to be that they’re going to market.
A lot of times retailers default to the easiest form of advertising: A discount coupon or special deal on a certain product. So they come into your store to purchase the Coffee Press and redeem the 20% off coupon .
And it’s true, you may even attract 50-100 new paying customers with this strategy. But there’s one problem with it:
There’s no connection.
Attracting a one time sale is different than attracting or building a customer base with workshops.
But there’s another way…a better way to attract new customers…
Make a lasting connection with your customers
When you host a few workshops, you can get 50 customers in your store.
And here’s the thing…
They’re coming in ‘after hours’. Women love the after hour experience. The doors are closed, and they’re the only ones in the store.
You instantly make them feel like a VIP. You can have snacks and drinks ready for them. You can tour them around your store during the break time (while the paint is drying). They get exposure to your other products and see what’s going on behind the scenes.
Now you’ve become the go-to spot. Because you’ve created a relationship over a three hour period.
How to Create a Local BUZZ on Social Media
If you want to get more engagement on your social media pages:
More likes, more comments, more shares…
Then try posting pictures of your events on your business Facebook page.
Nothing gets shared on social media more than pictures of workshops and events. Why? Because it’s a ‘social’ thing.
These types of posts are what social media was built for. These are the types of posts that Facebook and Instagram will push to the top of their algorithm and share with everyone in your area.
These types of posts will go way further than a post about a special discount you have on a certain product category.
You can post about upcoming events, workshop ideas, or pictures of your last ‘ladies night’ to show everyone how much fun you’re having at your store.
This is how you position your store as the fun, event based store. It will change your culture when people shop with you.
Imagine the conversations you’ll have with your customers when they come in and you’ve already gotten to know them at the event. Other customers will notice these interactions and it will change the way they feel and shop in your store.
Building a Customer Base for your Upcoming Busy Seasons
Every retail store has busy seasons. Whether it’s winter Christmas shopping, or spring Garden shopping; you build your buying trips around these seasons.
Workshops do two things for you:
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- They help you fill in the slower times with paying customers and foot traffic (and keep your staff busy)
- They build the customer base so you have even more customers during your busy season
The idea behind this is that, if a shopper takes a fall workshop at your store where they built a sleigh, they’re more likely to do their Christmas shopping at your store. Or, if they just took a spring workshop where they did a Tablescape Box and painted the flower pots inside the box, they’re more likely to do their spring garden shopping with you.
A System to Consistently Attract New Customers
HOSTING WORKSHOPS TO GET CUSTOMERS
We generally hosting workshops with 8 – 12 attendees. However, one of our first retailers insisted on 20 or more attendees per workshop. Her main focus was to attract as many new customers per month as she could with workshops. Her store was a beautiful, 35,000 SF store. Her only problem was foot traffic since she was off the beaten path.
During her second month of carrying the paint (this was several years ago now), she hosted 4 workshops (once per week) with 20 attendees each. She was able to successfully bring in 80 new customers in a single month with workshops. And she continues to host regular workshops today.
Her primary strategy with workshops was to attract new customers to her store, resulting in exposure and sales to her other product categories.
BUILDING A CUSTOMER BASE FOR YOUR BUSY SEASON
We have another retailer who focuses on hosting workshops prior to the busy seasonal sales. She does this to not only get customers during slower months, but also to build a customer base to maximize her seasonal sales.
For example she hosts dozens of workshops in the fall in preparation for Christmas, and dozens more in the late winter in preparation for spring sales.
Last November she hosted 14 workshops with 12 attendees each. Thats 168 new paying customers in one month!
This is a massive customer-getting strategy.
Don’t forget that the workshop is just the beginning of a customer relationship. It’s not just a one time event.
A lot of retailers focus on the workshop and forget to remember the big picture. They want to host a workshop, get some short time sales and action happening at their store. And that’s great! But your workshop is just the beginning.
A workshop is the beginning of your relationship with your customers.
With this in mind, it changes the way that you do your workshop. You want to put more time into each person attending.
You prepare differently, you set it up differently, you pay more attention to the experience.
If you think about the first time that the customer comes into your store and think about what kind of experience you want them to have, really that’s what this is all about. Let’s set this up and “wow” them on the first time so that they realize that this is a hot spot.
If you haven’t yet already, download the guide: ‘The Paint Therapy Workshop Guide‘ walks you through everything step by step.
Check out our new Paint Therapy Podcast…Why Now is the best time to create an exciting in-store experience with workshops!