Business Starting Grants

What are the reasons behind new business' have their 'grand' opening after there first day of business?

Ive seen new business' open regularly for their first time, and then have their 'grand' opening weeks after that. And what is the terms people would use for their first day of business if its not their grand opening. Like how do they advertise their first day of business if its not called their 'grand' opening. Thanks in advance!

Public Comments

1. When you open you usually dont have ready customers, just prospects. The idea of having a grand opening few weeks after is meant to give the new business time to organize for marketing and invite the people that have already visited your business. Otherwise having a grand opening while no one even knows what you do is and idea that wont fly. grts
2. Your soft opening is the first day you open the doors. There are likely some bumps in the road as you make mistakes. You can also try out a few different processes. A few days later after you have made adjustments, your business gets to make a better impression. You want that better impression (Grand Opening) to be the visible face for marketing purposes when you may have media coverage and other forms of free advertising.
3. Tmore 1 and MannyT offered some outstanding advice in their answers--take heed in their words. A "soft opening" allows time and processes to get the "bugs" out of your operations and service. It also allows the opportunity to begin to transform the "interested" customers into "regular" customers. I have done many of these in the last 25 years, and this is my opinion: Make sure your staff is ready for the soft opening. Send a press release to the local newspaper to obtain some initial exposure. Get your staff members to invite( to the soft opening) their friends and relatives (schedule the arrivals at intervals so as not to "swamp" the staff). Friends and relatives are far less critical of opening "snafus" than your future prospective customers. This will also provide you with "sure sales" income, as friends/relatives are not inclined to embarrass the employee by complaining, walk-outs, or harsh criticism. During the soft opening, get as many names/phone numbers or email addresses of your attendees as possible. These will be part of your future marketing efforts. I had them all sign up for a newsletter, which not only kept my business in their faces, but allowed me to market discounts and special offers to them--making them regular-constant customers. This will also allow you to create huge attendance to your future Grand Opening. Additionally, try to acquire some inexpensive radio time, or maybe some local tv cable ads prior to your soft opening. After your soft opening and all the "bugs" are worked out, continue to acquire customer info, keep up the newsletter, and increase your marketing exposure, maybe even via AdVo or PakMail coupons. Monitor/test your advertising closely---it will prove your best campaigns and allow you to dump your non-productive avenues. My opinion further, try to avoid any "marketing consultants" who offer their services. They monitor the business license applications and swoop in on you offering their "guaranteed" results. I once paid one such firm $18k per year. When I took over the marketing myself, I increased my business 40% and my profit 32%. It's YOUR business---only you know what is best---not some outside commissionable or fee-based knuckleheads who are not footing the ad bill or operations budget.