New businesses can have the most excellent idea and business model, but they must first overcome a huge hurdle – gaining the attention of their demographic. Getting people to view this attention-deficit economy is a real challenge. It’s for this reason that many great businesses have failed. It would be best to use all the tools in your arsenal; one of those tools needs to be a launch party.
A launch party is a great way to get local businesses and news media to discuss your business. It’s a great way to bring in customers and influencers. Launching your label is a great way to make a big bang. To successfully host a launch party, however, you’ll need to follow this guide:
Know When to Launch
It would be best to have your business ready before you host a launch party. This party is your celebration of being open, and therefore you need all the kinks worked out. Depending on the time of the year, you might be able to bring in new people by appealing to the holiday. Christmas, in particular, is a great time to draw in crowds.
Know Where to Launch
You’ll need to do some demographic research beforehand. You should already know who your ideal customer is, but now the goal is to find out where they live. In some cities, this can be easy. London, for example, has multiple boroughs with lively and distinguished communities. Renting out a photo studio in Shoreditch for your launch party can give you the freedom to transform the space as you need and make it picture-perfect-ready.
Decorating for Your Launch
The beauty of using a multi-purpose venue is that you can decorate it for any event. Add a photo corner for your guests, a dance floor, a speaker’s corner, and more. The type of event you host will depend on what your industry and goals are. You might want to bring in speakers and make it an educational launch. If you’re going to set your brand as a leader, you might host a party or a pre-sale for your new line of products.
Pre-Launch Marketing
Even with a grand launch party plan, you still need to advertise. Thankfully, since you’re hosting a local event, you’ve some powerful tools at your disposal:
Good Old PR
Local news agencies love to advertise hot events in their area. It’s relevant to their client base and a great way to build up the culture and community of a site. Contact local newsagents, PR companies like polkadot communications, and city-wide publications about getting a mention for your launch event. The more lavishly decorated the event, the more work you’ve put in to create a unique experience that will pay off here and get you some free publicity.
Paid Social
Use social media for marketing to your demographic and bring in guests that way. Facebook allows you to set up ads targeted to your demographic by location; Instagram will enable you to advertise your event in feeds and stories.
Launch parties can be used to celebrate milestones, the launch of your business, or the launch of a new product or feature. They’re great for building your brand and bringing in new customers, so always reflect after each event to view how you can improve it better for next time.
