With only three days until Valentine’s Day, store owners are making final holiday preparations and lending a helping hand to lovebirds who waited until the last second to look for that perfect gift. Hopefully by now, the display tables are set and the posters are in place – perhaps you’ve added a garland or lighting as a finishing touch as well.
If your shop is stocked and your holiday store displays are set, it’s time to go that extra mile to get customers in the door and keep them coming back year-round. Here are a few Valentine’s Day promotions and contests that will really make a statement:
Give a little love
There’s no time like Valentine’s Day to show a little extra love to the patrons who have supported you throughout the year. Host a giveaway during the days leading up to the holiday, and invite visitors to write their name and contact information on a slip of paper and submit it to an in-store drawing. You might choose to pull a single winner, or opt for daily gift recipients.
What makes the perfect retail Valentine? Considering offering winners a gift card to your store or discounts on specific merchandise. They might also appreciate a seasonally appropriate treat, such as flowers or candy.
Another way to give back to the community is to lend a hand to those in need. Select a local charity to sponsor and pledge a percent of the day’s sales to the cause. You can choose to support an organization with broad appeal or one related to your own business’s cause.
Play games with their hearts
Of course, winning on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a matter of chance. Consider setting up a contest that will engage customers and let them exercise a bit of competitive spirit. Perhaps they can guess how many pieces of candy are in a jar, or provide a partially completed poem and offer a prize for the best holiday-related mad lib.
If you’re an apparel retailer and you really want to try something outside of the box, host a design-off. Ask customers to participate in selecting items from among your merchandise to create stylish outfits. The patron with the most popular look wins. This not only engages your visitors, but might also provide you with new ideas for pairing your products.
