Make Your Store Opening Grand

You've committed to HME retail. You've leased a location or built a new store. Now, since cash sales are your top priority, it's time to build visibility and patronage. Begin with your real estate. Let the community know your store is established and ready to serve its home medical equipment needs.

The relationships you build during your retail launch can last for years, so the time it takes to plan and carry out a successful opening event — and the PR that goes with it — should be well worth the effort.

Here are some tips to make sure your store's grand opening celebration (or a store remodeling or a retail category expansion) is an event that your potential customers will remember.

• Don't wait to start your marketing plan until your store's grand opening. Consider scheduling the grand opening event a month after the store opens. Give yourself time to train your staff, fine-tune displays and selection, schedule vendor involvement and role-play sales scenarios, such as a complete scooter, lift chair or stair lift sales presentation. Put magnetic signs on your delivery trucks announcing the grand opening date and your address.

• Use your first month in business to make personal calls on referral sources and the professional community, and direct mail your grand opening announcement to this audience. Personally invite them to your scheduled events, or host an opening breakfast. Hold another “get to know us” coffee for all shopping center or nearby businesses' employees. They are a great source for word-of-mouth and can tell their friends and relatives what home health care equipment and supplies are!

• Use the grand opening event as your kickoff point. If you are in a leased space or building, check with your landlord about putting up grand opening signs, balloons or flags and using the parking lot for special displays.

• Set a grand opening “week” with several days of activities, but promote for a longer period. This will give you time to schedule the town mayor's “new business” ribbon-cutting ceremony, invite other interested participants and schedule vendor demonstrations. Send a press release about the event to local media, and offer a personal “tour” of your facility to explain what it's all about. Be sure to include a photo of your facility, your contact information and business card to allow for any follow-up.