Overview
The holidays are the perfect time to say “thank you” to your customers and clients and celebrate! What better way to build community and drive traffic than to have a seasonal party?!
Details
Holiday parties can add to the season for your customers and employees, and will reinforce your business as a community gathering place.
Festive Holiday Party Ideas
- Valentine’s Day
- Chinese New Year
- Mardi Gras
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Earth Day
- Cinco de Mayo
- Victoria Day
- Memorial Day
- Summer Solstice
- Independence Day
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
See our Marketing Holiday Calendar for more. And see detailed Seasonal Activities under the Be Calendar Relevant Marketing Strategy.
Planning Your Party
Throwing a party is fun! Think of the things you do when you throw a party at home and incorporate what is appropriate…music, games, food, etc…
To ensure your party is a success and lots of customers attend, make sure you plan out the details carefully. Here is an example Timeline and Activity List you can use.
Four Weeks Out
- Pick your party theme, date and time. Consider a less busy day to help drive traffic to your slower times.
- Plan your party decor tying into the holiday theme…everyone wears green on St. Patrick’s Day, decorate with a beach theme. Oriental Trading is a great source of supplies for this type of thing!
- Plan your party food and beverage by tying them into the holiday theme.
- Plan your party music by tying it into the holiday theme. Consider having local school choirs perform Christmas songs at your Christmas party.
- Plan your party activities by tying them into the holiday theme…Christmas Coloring sheets for kids, Pumpkin Decorating with paint and stickers. Your activities can also promote your offerings…Wine Tastings, Make Your Own Cupcake or Making Your Latte at Home.
- Consider a charity tie-in with your local charity partner or collect books or toys for a local charity.
- Have special discounts or promotions during the event.
- Get your employees involved in the ideas and planning.
- Consider inviting any vendors or suppliers to participate by doing demonstrations or tastings.
- Send a Calendar Listing to local media to spread the word.
Three Weeks Out
- Create signage, like a counter card or table tents, to put it up in your location where customers will see them.
- Create invitations with all the fun party details/activities and distribute to customers in store.
- Distribute invitations to businesses and other places with potential customers as identified in your Trade Area Assessment.
- Send an eMail invitation to your eMail list and announce the event on your website.
- Promote via your Social Media channels.
- Schedule extra labor for the day of the party.
- Order extra supplies that may be needed, especially new products you want to sample.
- Order extra merchandise needed for extra sales on the day of the event.
Two Weeks Out
- Order a cake and have it decorated to celebrate the occasion.
- Order food and beverage needed from local caterer or deli/gourmet store.
- Consider any party favors or take-aways you’d like to give and order appropriately, like samples of a new product. You could also ask suppliers to donate these.
- Promote via your Social Media channels.
One Week Out
- Review all the party details with each employee.
- Talk up the party with your customers inviting them back next week for the party.
- Order balloons to decorate the inside and outside of your location on the day of the party.
- Promote via your Social Media channels.
- Talk up the event to customers.
One Day Prior
- Pick up / gather supplies: cake, food, beverage, balloons, extra cups/glasses, etc…
- Confirm with music, vendors/suppliers.
- Prep any activities and party favors.
- Prep for any sampling planned.
- Promote via your Social Media channels.
- Ensure your location is stocked, clean and ready for guests.
- Talk up the event to customers.
- Send a reminder email to your eMail list.
Party Day
It’s party time! Make sure all the party elements are in place prior to the event.
- Decor
- Food & Beverage
- Music
- Activities
- Sampling and Demonstrations
- Party Favors / Give-aways
- Talk up the event all day to customers.
- Promote the event on your a-frame chalkboard in front of your store if you have one. Consider having someone sampling outside and inviting people in that may be walking by.
- Have an employee at the door to greet customers and welcome them to the party.
- Actively sample throughout the event.
- Have a great time!
The holidays are a great time to give back to those in need. Why not check out our Donations and Book Drive tactics to see how you can incorporate these into your holiday party?
