Three days to go until my first Open Day for Love Long Length! Albeit, this is about the 10th open day I've planned in my little lifetime. In case you are thinking of planning one of your own in the near future, here are some tidbits I've learned along the way :
Venue:
This is your first Open Day, which means as much as you do have a brand reputation to uphold, you don't want your start-up expenses to be any steeper than they need to be. Be patient and open-minded. I drove around the Hillcrest / Kloof areas for a central spot, but nothing jumped in my price range. Complex clubhouses are a great place to start, and you can find a resident to vouch for you, you can benefit from huge discounts. I was lucky enough to receive a call from a friend / fellow school mom who opened up her entertainment area in the gorgeous Kirtlington Park. Her home is for the magazines! I feel very lucky.
Marketing your day:
Give yourself at LEAST one month from the date of event to send out invitations. Start with your inner circle & family and then move out into your local community. To reach my target market, I printed a couple hundred flyers and distributed them to the surrounding schools to place in take-home notebooks / place on notice boards. Moms secretly love those little slips of paper with useful product information!
On-the-day Specials:
Give your lovely customers a reason to change their busy Saturday plans to come and see your product. Communicate in advance that they will benefit from 'on-the-day specials' and have a pretty sign on display. I've put together a bright & fun 'specials' announcement to frame.
Speaking of planning, I've got a list to attend to! Food, decor, packaging! More tips & photos to follow...
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