Pop-up stores are popular among family businesses and consumers. To consumers, they might appear as if they appear overnight, but the amount of planning that goes into opening one is actually quite involved. They seem spontaneous but, in reality, they’re anything but.
Where Should You Locate?
When considering a pop-up store, the first thing to consider is location. According to retail store designers, the most important factor is foot-fall. In other words, where are the people? The higher the footfall, the more successful the pop-up shop will be, all else held equal.
Photo credit: Bex Walton
It’s also worth considering where your target audience is likely to be. If you know your audience frequents a particular part of town, then it’s probably a good idea to set up shop there. It’s also worth finding out if there have been any pop-up stores in your area in the past and, if so, where were they the most successful. For instance, the best place might be near the local market where people are more likely to spend time browsing new businesses, rather than the high street where they’re primed to react to the big brands and little else.
Can You Set Up A Pop-Up Around Your Existing Work?
In theory, you can set up a pop-up store around your existing work, but it all depends on your timetable. Some people cope with juggling it around their family, and their existing job and others don’t.
One way to reduce the time commitment is to sell the idea of your pop-up store around the fact that it will be open for a limited time only. Perhaps you will only be opening for a couple of weeks in the summer or maybe the only time you have to open is a few hours on a Saturday morning. Whatever the case, make a fuss about the fact that you’re only open for a limited time and that customers need to act now if they want to buy what you’re selling.
What Should You Do To Get People Excited About Your Pop-up?
According to Ross Bailey, a man who has set up many pop-up shops in London, the best way to get people interested is to base the shop around a theme. That theme can be something local to a particular area, or it can be national. Either way, it’s a great way to get people interested.
By WestportWiki (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Bailey also recommends that businesses do everything they can to entice people to their store and get them spending. In his experience, this usually involves offering free food or drink. Once there’s a critical mass of individuals inside a store, numbers will often escalate as more and more people become interested in what you’re doing. Bailey also says that it’s a good idea to create “Instagram moments” that you can use to advertise your pop-up store on social media.
Finally, it’s critical to have good PR to let people know you’re setting up a pop-up store. Hand out flyers on the day and make sure you get in touch with local news organisations to advertise the event.