We asked our community what their best advice was for setting up shop. Here’s what they said...
1. Tech up - Claire Distenfeld, Founder, FiveStory
Bringing tech into your physical store is as important as ever…whether it be CRM programs or omnichannel POS systems, retail is all about being able to understand the full picture in-store. Equipping your sales staff with the right tools to facilitate their interactions with customers as well as other staff members is integral to making sales.
2. Think differently - Johannes Quodt, Co-founder, KOIO Collective
“Try to make the most out of the space. Use it for as many activations as possible that make sense for your brand. Try to create an experience that people want to tell their friends about. Do something that’s a little bit different from what others do.”
3. Get creative - Kay Wen, Founder, SiiZu
Express your brand's ethos even if you only have limited real estate to play with. It certainly takes some creativity and occasionally a bit of drilling to bring an online brand to life!
4. Know your location – Holly Allenby, Founder, The Acey
Spend some time in the area you're considering setting up shop, grab a coffee and observe the foot traffic at different times in the day. I always like to make The-Acey's pop up shops more of a community space so understanding the local audience is paramount. It also prepares you in terms of expectations, there's nothing worse than not understanding the area you're in.
4. Timing is everything – Katie Rose, Founder, The Bridge Co.
Marketing – and timing your marketing – is hugely important. Remember that phrase 'build it and they will come'? Well, they won't unless you tell people about it with good notice, and keeping telling them about it. Use social media to generate buzz ahead of launch, get listed in some key magazines, newspapers, and newsletters, and plan an opening event for a mixture of the press, your network, friends and customers. You can also use flyposting and flyering surrounding coffee shops, businesses and residents to gain brand visibility outside of your shop space.
5. Quality not quantity – Lily Russo, Founder, Beach Flamingo
Choosing your location is key. There are so many areas that have a very high foot traffic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be your target customer. Sometimes quality over quantity can mean choosing an area that isn’t as busy but that has your target customer who is looking for what you sell – resulting in a much higher conversion.
6. Partner up – Sarah Beckett, Co-Founder, Birdsong
Our best bit of advice would be: partnering with other brands who have a similar ethos and target audience can be a really useful way of getting more people through your door and reaching out to people beyond your immediate audience. It can also be a really good way of sharing the cost of your space.