It’s summertime, and you’re ready to have some fun and sell some stuff! Let’s take a look at how to make a summer event worthwhile for everyone.

1. Plan – Talk to the staff, get their input, and then set a date. Try to give yourself at least 30 days to get everything ready. Make sure you focus on:
   1. Staffing for the event
   2. You have enough of the product(s) you will be promoting
   3. Marketing plan of attack
2. Create excitement – Set goals for the team so they stay motivated as you market for the upcoming event. Talk about the event with every transaction starting 10 days out and do it with a “you can’t miss this” type of attitude. Decorate the store, post signage, and create the atmosphere approximately one week out.
3. Make it worthwhile for your customer – none of us want to show up to a buy one get one sale to find out it’s only on items nobody wants. This is a quick way to lose an engaged and loyal customer. Give incredible deals (even if it’s only a few) and make them memorable. Your customers, on their way out, should ask when you’re having another sale like this.
4. Use inexpensive marketing – fill up social media, send text blasts, post on community boards, etc.
5. Give, give, give back to the community – have a raffle or giveaway during the sale, donate a portion of your profits to a local charity, have a blood drive in your parking lot…there are a thousand ways to get the community involved.

The event is now here. Make sure you review the goals and keep the staff engaged. If you’ve planned properly, executed the essentials, and communicated the goals…success will be yours.