Planning a Christmas Open House this season is one of the best ways you can jump start your holiday season as a retailer. It’s the perfect way to show your hospitality and love to the many customers who have supported your business this year.
Our friends at Silver Steer & Company in Franklin, Tennessee are planning their “Christmas Reveal Party” this Monday night (November 3rd) and have shared their best tips.
Planning a Christmas Open House
1. Save the Date – Advertise the event via social media, email lists and word of mouth. Silver Steer’s owner Amiee Dodd explains, “We capitalize on this by putting up sneak peak pictures of items on Facebook that will be out at the open house as well as pictures of the give-aways.”
2. Order Plenty – Running low on inventory on hot Christmas items can make for a stressful season. Chances are, if you love something, everyone else will too! So stock up.
3. Create a Buzz – Wait to put out your Christmas products right before the event. This helps to create a buzz; customers will be anxious to see what you’re carrying.
4. Door Prizes – Every hour, have a give-away. Silver Steer also gives every customer a gift when they arrive if they have RSVP’d to the event on Facebook Events.
5. Christmas Wish Lists – Have the open house customers fill out wish lists at the event with along with their email addresses. After the event, send out emails to the addresses provided to let them know that a wish list has been created at your store. Aimee says, “We have a lot of customers (especially husbands) that appreciate this service. Everyone ends up happy, and the husbands don’t have to wrap the gift!”
6. Promote Free Gift Wrapping – “The best way we market our shop is by having custom bags,” says Aimee. “Everyone knows where the gift comes from, and hopefully the bag gets reused and carried like a walking billboard!”
“Nashville Wraps prices can’t be beat, and it has been a key in our business as customers appreciate leaving with a wrapped gift they are proud to give.” Her staff hears comments all the time like, “She was so excited when she saw the gift was in a Silver Steer bag!” They also love to hear, “All of the gifts under my tree are in Silver Steer & Co. bags!”
Their silver kraft bags look really festive with our Christmas Flurry tissue and red double faced satin ribbon. They draw attention to small gift items by wrapping them in clear cello bags nestled with crinkle shred.
Silver Steer’s Beginnings
Silver Steer & Co. started as an idea to bring the best in gifts and home decor to Nashville. They wanted merchandise that was heavy on southern charm, but easy on the budget. A California native, Aimee Dodd owned an invitation store in Orange County where she was a Nashville Wraps customer. In 2009 Aimee made the move to Nashville with her 2 children and songwriter/producer husband.
After 4 years of living in Nashville, she saw a need in the Cool Springs area for a gift store, especially one with a great selection of men’s gifts. Having experience in owning a retail store, Aimee began looking for the perfect location. Doors opened in 2013 and quickly gained a strong local following. In 2014 the store moved to a larger suite to accommodate the growing inventory.
Great Businesses Begin & End With the Customer
Even though their store location is in an upscale market, basic business principals still apply. Great customer service is paramount. The staff at Silver Steer & Co. is like a family, and every customer is treated like a welcomed guest. They only carry items that they would want in their own homes.
Customers love all the locally-made products, like cute home decor items such as these signs and candles by Southern Firefly Candle Company, another Nashville Wraps’ customer located in Brentwood, TN.
Silver Steer makes it a goal to listen to their customers and track what is being sold. Because their inventory changes quickly, they always look for trends. For example, they recently decided to try to carry a few clothing items. This area of the store took off and the section has grown due to customer demand. This kind of flexibility is essential to success.
Finally, their staff makes it a point to get to know their customers. They track customer purchases on their POS system. This way when someone comes in it’s easy to find a gift based on past purchases. “Our goal is to make finding a gift easy!” We know that’s your goal too.
For more tips, see our other blog posts:
Christmas Open House Checklist Part 1
Christmas Open House Checklist Part 2
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