Planning a Pop-up SHOP

There has been a surge of entrepreneurs within the last year. During the pandemic many people became small business owners from the comfort of their own home. While an online business grants entrepenuaers an unlimited market with a low overhead cost it can potentially have some drawbacks. 

One major disadvantage of an online store, is the owner's inability to personally interact with their target audience. Many consumers like to see or test a product before committing to a purchase. 

Occasionally participating in pop-up events gives online based business owners the opportunity to network and create a more personal shopping experience. Which then leads to an increase in conversion rates.

Retail conversion rate: The percentage of customers who make a purchase compared to the amount of people who enters a particular store. 

Attending a popup event is not difficult, you can easily brand yourself while making lasting impressions interacting with customers. Preparing for a popup event however, may initially seem overwhelming below are tips on how to navigate and organize a successful pop-up event.

Observation 

Prior to committing to any event, it is important to be familiar with what you are committing.  Most popup markets are usually reoccurring on a monthly basis. Prior to applying to become a vendor, attend the particular market and study their audience. Does the audience fit the criteria of who you are trying to sell to? For example, if you sell graphic t-shirts to young adults, you want to be sure that the popup market is not catered to an older crowd. 

Next, take a look at the other vendors, is the popup event saturated with your product? Using the previous example of selling t-shirts, are there many vendors selling shirts as well? If so, find ways to stand out. If the market is overly saturated with graphic t-shirt vendors you may want to reconsider. 

 While scoping, be sure to network with other vendors and organizers of the event. Introducing yourself, your business and exchanging contact information can have great benefits as many vendors are not reluctant to share helpful information.

 Just like anything else in your business a popup event is an investment. Compare the registration cost and cost of setup display materials, to your expected profit. Will your return in profit be worth investing into this event?

*Increased profit does not always equate to a successful event. Many times the power of networking outweighs monetary profits. Being able to interact with others and demonstrating your brand can have a lasting impression. 

Set a Budget 

Purchasing materials and obtaining enough inventory can get overwhelming especially if this is your first event. Avoid getting carried away with all the minor details in your presentation. Creating a budget and sticking to it, can help you stay on track. 

Here are a few items to consider: 

 

Display 

When putting together your display be CREATIVE. Use this opportunity to truly brand your business. An attractive presentation is what draws customers to you and your products. Be sure to have a consistent theme that pairs well with your brand. Space display props apart so your customers can quickly distinguish your products and their variants. You want to create the ultimate shopping experience consider playing music, or having essential oils diffusing in the air for the ultimate vibe. 

 

"Less is more" when it comes to demonstrating your products. Limit yourself to displaying one or two variants of your item. Do not over saturate the display with multiple products it can get confusing and overwhelming for shoppers. Your display should be minimal but consistent displaying one or two of the same product is ideal. If you carry variants in size or colors be sure to organize them in easily accessible bins in case your customers are ask. 

Make it FUN!

Overall have fun and be sure to represent your brand! We are all gifted with the ability to be ourselves, customers can sense when you are being authentic and not just trying to push a sale. If you are passionate in your craft and what you do it will show. Make lasting impressions and remember your ultimate goal is to create an experience and network not profit. Encourage shoppers to visit your online store, capture emails or have customers follow your social media platform so they can stay in touch with their new favorite shop!