Grand Opening

Create a Post
J

Jana

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Posts
2,396
Loc
Mansfield, Ohio
Our new and improved frame shop is having a
Grand Opening at the end of April. We're going to have the mayor cut a ribbon. Any suggestions for how to make a Grand Opening a huge success? Thanks.
 
Happy to hear about your new grand opening. Good luck and I hope the best for you.
On ways to make your opening better, I have a few suggestions that might help your grand opening.
See if an artist in the area might be willing to have an autograph session at your shop. I met Amado Pena in Austin, Texas once and asked him if he did signings at new galleries. He said he didn't have any problems setting up a signing session as long as he could fit it in and I would simply pay for his accomidations. He was even willing to bring some of his newest prints from his own gallery and only charge me for the ones that sold. No bad, huh.
Anyway, there has got to be an artist in your area of the country willing to help you out as well as help there own exposure.
Another thing that you might want to cosider is a wine tasting and charity acution gala.
Wine distibutors have the license to cover a wine tasting in places that normally don't serve wine. Just contact local artist and photographers and see if they are willing to perticipate and willing to donate a piece of artwork. Things like this always bring the press and news guys which is free advertisement as well as a great placement in the eyes of the community.
Anyway, just thought I'd give some tips that I plan on using on my opening.
Again good luck, Rick S.A.T.X.

------------------
If you don't take care of your tools, they won't take care of you.
 
Rick had some really great ideas. The only thing I would include would be some framed prints or the like to give away as door prizes. Make sure the best examples of your work are on display, and look out for little things, like labling various artists pieces, "Conservation and Archival on request", frame some grandchildren, yours or someone else's, pets, etc. Let them see what you can do. How about a short description of what custom framing is all about. We've found that customers who have never had custom work done don't have a clue what it entails.

Lots of luck, Jana, and congratulations!!

As we say around here, "More power to ya!!"
 
One of the things that we did at our Grand Opening and at our annual Open House events was to have "door prizes". People love winning stuff. Some of the prizes have been movie goer certificates (includes dinner and a movie), gift certificate to a local restaruant that has literally tons of framed art on the walls and GREAT food (Buca Di Beppo) and $75 and $25 gift certificates for the next custom framing order. Everyone had to fill out a form (that included all necessary info to add to our mailing list) and we held the drawing within the last hour of the event.
We played with what hours to have it and found that daytime was when people had the time to do this sort of thing, we had it extend into the evening once and it just wasn't worth it.
Ruth
 
We have an OPEN HOUSE each October that is tied in with our local Chamber of Commerce. We invite every chamber member, potential chamber members, and use our customer mailing list as our invitation base. We send out (real inexpensive-children's quality) artbrushes that we numbered and attached to invitations. At the end of the evening (the open house lasts from 5:30-7:30) we draw several brushes from the box and these lucky folks win prints, big discounts, or framed pieces of artwork. In a town the size of Clayton, it's easy to do. We sent out 300 invitations, had a turn out of around 150 people, but many people came by all week to let us know they were not able to attend our open house and that got them in our door anyway. This year in September, we'll send out small, matted invitations to our 500 people on our invitation list and we anticipate an even greater turnout for our October event. The mats will be numbered on the back and we'll do the same type of drawing at the end of the night. Attendees to do not have to be present at the end of the night. (Since we number the brushes or mats, we will know who comes by simply by comparing them to our invitation list). We did not serve wine as we live in the Bible Belt territory where we felt some of our customers might frown on alcoholic beverages. We did an incredible food table of beautiful trays of assorted heavy hors d'oeuvres and served spiced cider that made our gallery smell wonderful. With many candles, gorgeous wildflower arrangements and a beautiful table, our gallery really sparkled and our attendees provided us with the greatest of compliments by returning ever since with wonderful framing orders. If you do not know how to put on a big party, I suggest you hire someone so that every part of your party is taken care of. The impression that it will make on your potential customers is your best means of getting them back into your business to DO business.

We do not set up for taking in any orders on that particular night, but every person invited receives 10% off their FIRST framing order with us. The artist I'm housed with, gives 10% off all her commissioned portrait pieces as well.

Hope these suggestions might be of some help.

------------------
How cheap do you want it to look??

[This message has been edited by Janet (edited March 22, 2001).]
 
I had a grand opening in November and set up tables with crackers, cheese, punch, coffee and a huge cake. Put a barrel nearby for garbage and put out small plates, forks and napkins. It was very pretty as relatives gave me beautiful flowers that I used for a centerpiece. Every hr. on the hr. from 3 - 8 p.m. we had a drawing. I gave a $25 gift certificate toward anything in my gallery or custom framing. That way there is a chance they will put that amount toward something more expensive. If you give away framed art you are totally giving away any possibility of recouping your losses. Food for thought.
I know it may sound sort of cheap but after spending thousands of dollars to get set up, you need to start making money somewhere. Anyway, good luck. Jean McLean
 
Create a Post
Back
Top